LOS JERÓNIMOS

A few kilometres from the city centre, in the middle of the "Huerta", is the monastery of "Los Jerónimos", a building which belonged to the order of the same name, which can also be found in Madrid.

It was built at the beginning of the XVIII century by the architect, and monk of the same order, Antonio de San José, for the Jerónimos monks, who were looking for a place in the "Huerta" free from flooding. Declared a National Historical Monument, it has been called the Murcian "Escorial" and is a work of great proportions. The plan is of a Latin cross, the facade is of uncovered brick with an arched door, and two narrow towers crowned by glassy tiled domes in the characteristic Murcian Baroque blue, the same as the large polygon shaped dome in the middle of the cross.

The inside is highly decorated with white geometric plaster on a blue background. The Baroque altarpiece (Retablo Mayor), made of marble, alabaster and golden wood is particularly eye-catching.

The monastery has suffered various problems throughout its history, especially as a result of the seizure of Mendizábal (Desamortización de Mendizábal), after which the building was sacked and abandoned and given to the Jesuits. In the Civil War, when it became an aviation centre, the altarpiece, the choir, the masonry and all of the religious imagery disappeared, with the exception of the image of San Jerónimo, to whom the church is dedicated. It is one of the best works of the sculptor Francisco Salzillo, and it is currently held in the Cathedral Museum.

Nowadays, the monastery, after various restorations has become the headquarters of the Catholic University of San Antonio, making it one of the cultural focal points of the area.