Escuelas Pías - Colegio de Padres Escolapios

The Convento y Colegio de Padres Escolapios, currently the “Luis Barahona de Soto” Institute if Secondary Education, was founded in the mid-18th century in Archidona, one of this Order's first centres in Spain and one of the most outstanding educational centres in Andalusia.

In 1794 construction of the Escuelas Pías de Archidona School was completed by the local master builder Francisco de Astorga Frías. The building is based around two centres, each one as if it were a cloister, as they are arranged around a patio, connected by an alley that separates them. There are three floors with the top adorned by chains of brick and white-washed masonry. The balconies and windows have segmental arches. The arch joining the two parts of the building is particularly beautiful.

A stone back doorway with a lintel and divided pediment on which the emblem of the Escuelas Pías can be seen leads to the Historical Archive. On the school's narrow street the Puerta del Guiropa appears, this is where the Escolapios served food every day to needy labourers. This scene had a strong impact on Blas Infante and contributed to his becoming aware of social justice and the need for the Andalusian people to gain their dignity.

The main entrance is a stone doorway, with two Doric columns which support a curved divided pediment adorned with large stone flowers. The anagram of the “Madre de Dios” Order appears in the centre in Greek letters. This doorway leads to a gallery with a groin vault and rib arches that a surround small square patio which was the work of the master builder Francisco de Astorga, and has the same layout as the exterior, with three floors adorned with brick and masonry. In the centre there is an octagonal fountain crowned by a lion holding a crest with the anagram of the Escolapios.

The left wing corresponding to the other building, is less square and more irregular, standing around a patio which has been adapted to the requirements of an education centre.

The tower was built in 1775. It stands at a corner of the building and is in two sections. The first square is smooth, the second is bordered by pilasters and opens onto four semi-circular arches which house the bells. The spire is covered with scaly glazed ceramic roof tiles and stands on a small octagonal base. The tower's current clock was installed in 1891.