The Royal Monastery Of Guadalupe, A Jewel Of Cáceres
Cáceres is a province full of wonderful natural environments and noteworthy monuments. But one of the greatest treasures of Cáceres is, without a doubt, the Royal Monastery of Guadalupe. If you are planning a trip to Extremadura and you want to see one of its most important buildings, stay with us.
The Royal Monastery of Guadalupe, a wonder
The Royal Monastery of Guadalupe is an architectural gem that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. The artistic styles that we can observe both outside and inside the monastery are very diverse. In fact, it mixes Gothic, Renaissance, Mudejar, Baroque and Neoclassical.
Location
The Royal Monastery of Guadalupe, or Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, is located in the town from which it takes its name. This beautiful town is located to the east of the province of Cáceres, 120 kilometers from the provincial capital, very close to the border with Castilla-La Mancha.
Once in Guadalupe, reaching his monastery does not involve any difficulty. It is located in the historic center of the town. Given the small size of this town, you can leave your car outside. So you can enjoy its typical architecture and see the Town Hall, the Arco del Tinte and the Women’s Hospital.
And once you have enjoyed the jewels of Guadalupe, nearby you can discover natural environments of great ecological value. This is the case of the Villuercas-Jara Geopark or the Monfragüe National Park.
History
It was at the end of the 13th century that the construction of the monastery began. In its beginnings, the monument was only a small and humble hermitage, built in the place where according to tradition the Virgin had appeared.
In the following centuries the monastery was expanded, becoming the magnificent construction that we can visit today. A construction that was the scene of historical events. Here Christopher Columbus met with the Catholic Monarchs to request funding and here he returned to thank the discovery of new lands.
However, after the confiscation of the monastery, the monastery fell into disrepair until well into the twentieth century, when restoration works began that restored all its splendor.
The legend
The legend of the Royal Monastery of Guadalupe is linked, as its name suggests, to the Virgin of Guadalupe. Legend has it that around 714, fleeing from an invasion of Seville towards the land that is now Extremadura, some clerics who carried an image of the Virgin buried her to protect her.
Later, a shepherd named Gil Cordero went out in search of one of his cows. When he found the cow and saw that it was dead, he decided to take advantage of its skin. In this way, when the shepherd made the sign of the cross to the animal and got up, the Virgin appeared to him.
She entrusted him to excavate in that place to find his image and thus, build a hermitage that years later would become a monastery and sanctuary.
Architecture
The Royal Monastery of Guadalupe went through three different stages. The first in the thirteenth century, the beginning of the hermitage in a primitive style. Later, in the fourteenth century, Mudejar art reigns, which can be seen in one of its cloisters. And finally, from the 15th century on, Gothic influences are perceived, for example, on the façade of the church.
One of the great treasures is the dressing room of the Virgin, with an octagonal floor plan and a rococo style. And you should not leave the monastery without visiting its museums. Here you can visit one dedicated to embroidery, another one with miniature books and one more dedicated to painting and sculpture, with works by El Greco, Zurbarán and Goya, among others.
Cáceres is a province known for its beautiful natural landscapes and monuments, and one of the most beautiful is this Royal Monastery of Guadalupe. It is worth knowing it and letting yourself be carried away by its beauty.
