Convent of Santa Clara

On the northeast side of the Cerro de San Cristóbal in Estepa stands the Monastery of Santa Clara. A heritage site that was built under the patronage of the Marquises of Estepa in 1599, although most of the construction was completed in the 17th century. In the style of a convent, the church has a single nave covered with a barrel vault and a semi-circular dome over the extended presbytery. The most outstanding ornamental features are the main altarpiece, created by Pedro Ruiz Paniagua (1708) and the pictorial decoration on the walls that consists of a number of iconographic motifs.

The museum, the result of a project by the cloistered nuns, reveals their origin. A convent-museum that acts as a tool for information on the historical-heritage assets, since it reveals the scope and functions of each of the original rooms. All the areas included in the visit are decorated and furnished with goods that rigorously recreate the appearance of this convent in the 16th century.

Those who come to discover the history of the Santa Clara Monastery from its beginnings will be able to enjoy the silence in the enclosure and the warmth of the fireplace in the kitchen after having crossed a patio where time seems to stand still. A cloister enveloped in prayer and watered by a cistern. This leads to the nuns' workshop, which in times past was the basement under the infirmary. And finally for a snack in the spacious refectory, where meals and reading are enjoyed in silence.

This visit is essential for those looking to learn more about Estepa and its roots, its history and those who live here.

Santa Clara potters' wheel. It is the oldest sweet shop in Estepa, within the realm of the Convent of Santa Clara.