SPAIN - SALAMANCA - Convento Las Duenas (1512)
SALAMANCA – CASTILLE & LEON
Salamanca, in north-west Spain, is the capital of the province of the same name, which itself belongs to the autonomous community of Castilla y León. Its history dates back to Celtic times, and it is famous for its ornate sandstone buildings and its university.
The Convent of las Dueñas is a Dominican convent that has been in operation since the 15th century. The building was donated to the sisters of the Dominican Order, who established a monastery for noble ladies (duenas).
The cloister features extraordinary sculptural decoration in the Plateresque style. This style is an architectural transition between Gothic and Renaissance art. It developed particularly in Spain between the end of the 15th and the end of the 16th centuries. It is the result of an evolution of Gothic art on the Iberian Peninsula, combining characteristics of the Flemish, Lombard and Mudéjar Gothic styles. The term ‘plateresque’, which means ‘in the manner of goldsmiths’, is used to describe this complex style, which is more akin to silverwork than stonework.
The cloister is built on an irregular pentagon and has two storeys. The columns are decorated with finely worked capitals, mainly depicting foliage with small heads of people, animals or mythical creatures. There are also 23 medallions.
SPAIN - SALAMANCA - Convento Las Duenas (1512)
SALAMANCA – CASTILLE & LEON
Salamanca, in north-west Spain, is the capital of the province of the same name, which itself belongs to the autonomous community of Castilla y León. Its history dates back to Celtic times, and it is famous for its ornate sandstone buildings and its university.
The Convent of las Dueñas is a Dominican convent that has been in operation since the 15th century. The building was donated to the sisters of the Dominican Order, who established a monastery for noble ladies (duenas).
The cloister features extraordinary sculptural decoration in the Plateresque style. This style is an architectural transition between Gothic and Renaissance art. It developed particularly in Spain between the end of the 15th and the end of the 16th centuries. It is the result of an evolution of Gothic art on the Iberian Peninsula, combining characteristics of the Flemish, Lombard and Mudéjar Gothic styles. The term ‘plateresque’, which means ‘in the manner of goldsmiths’, is used to describe this complex style, which is more akin to silverwork than stonework.
The cloister is built on an irregular pentagon and has two storeys. The columns are decorated with finely worked capitals, mainly depicting foliage with small heads of people, animals or mythical creatures. There are also 23 medallions.