Built for the Discalced Carmelites the foundation stone was laid in 1916. The work of architect Jesus Carrasco-Munoz, the building was completed in 1928. Severely damaged during the Burning of the Convents in 1931, it was restored at the end of the Spanish Civil War.
The Apotheosis of Saint Teresa by Francisco Cossio
A really modern church created in an eclectic style that mixes elements from different architectural styles such as Gothic, Renaissance and Modernism. The result of such a strange combination is a construction that really looks like a Medieval Castle. This keeps with the best well known works of Saint Theresa, 'Moradas'. In it she conceived the christian soul like a diamond with the shape of a castle. This is why the church reminds us of a beautiful castle.
As you enter the simplicity of the interior is what hits you most. It was such a welcome after all the gilded, ornate, over-decorated churches we had visited in the last few days. The central part consists of a wide lowered half barrel vault.
The side naves are composed by broken arches which reflect the arches of the front entry.
The most remarkable decoration is the 19m reredo emplaced in the front part. In it a 4.5m statue of Saint Teresa can be found. Below her, a smaller statue of Saint Juan de la Cruz stands. The appearance of both saints in the front part is related to the real coexistence that they had when they made the reform of the Carmelitas religious order.
In the lateral parts of the reredo different saints can be found in wood. In the altar there is a table in which the 12 Apostles are represented.
On one side the door is this small chapel
its ceiling
and a closer look
one of the glass stained windows
The chapel on the other side of the door.
As we were leaving I thought that if I was religious and the praying kind, this is where I would like to go and pray.
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