Convent of Santa Clara

This convent of the nuns of the Order of St Clare, founded by the noble Velasco family in 1313 to install their family vault, houses outstanding works of art.

The site comprises the church, cloister, chapterhouse and other convent rooms. Its entrance is through a pointed arch leading to a courtyard. The Gothic church is the highlight, with a single nave covered by a star-shaped cross vault, side chapels, presbytery and main chapel. The Concepción chapel (16th century) stands out amongst the rest. It is a replica of the Condestable chapel at Burgos Cathedral, with its beautiful octagonal star-shaped vault and Plateresque altarpiece, with boards by Felipe Vigarny and Diego de Siloé. It preserves a rich artistic heritage: Baroque main altarpiece (1774), wooden choir at its feet, paintings, gold items, etc. The tomb of Íñigo Fernández de Velasco and his wife María de Tovar, dukes of Frías, is made of Renaissance alabaster (16th century).