The church has an ellipsoidal plan, built by the architect Pedro Sánchez, since 1624 as a compliment to the Hospital de Portugueses, created by Felipe III in 1606. After the independence of Portugal, the name of the Church and Hospital changed to San Antonio de los Alemanes. The inside of the church has a roof with fresco paintings that depict themes relating to the life of San Antonio of Padua.The Portuguese sculptor Manuel Pereira collaborated in its decoration and the painters were of Italian origin, Vicente Carducho and Eugenio Cajés.