The Monastery of the Immaculate Conception (Spanish: ''Monasterio de la Inmaculada Concepción'') is a

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

Dominican nuns The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...

located in the Spanish town of

Loeches Loeches is a municipality of the Community of Madrid, Spain. References Municipalities in the Community of Madrid {{Madrid-geo-stub ...

, in front of the

Town square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...

of the Duchess of Alba. It is also known as "The Big Convent (El Convento Grande)". It was declared ''

Bien de Interés Cultural A Bien de Interés Cultural is a category of the heritage register in Spain. The term is also used in Venezuela and other Spanish-speaking countries. The term literally means a "good of cultural interest" (" goods" in the economic sense) and incl ...

'' in 1982.

History

It was founded in 1640 by

Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel Gaspar is a given and/or surname of French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish origin, cognate to Casper (given name) or Casper (surname). It is a name of biblical origin, per Saint Gaspar, one of the wise men mentioned in the Bible. Notable peo ...

, III count-duke of Olivares,

Favourite A favourite (British English) or favorite (American English) was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In post-classical and early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated s ...

of King Philip IV . The work was completed by his nephew,

Luis Méndez de Haro Luis Méndez de Haro, 6th Marquis of Carpio or Luis Méndez de Haro y Guzmán, Grandee of Spain (in full, es, Don Luis Méndez de Haro Guzmán y Sotomayor de la Paz, sexto marqués del Carpio, segundo conde de Morente, quinto conde y tercer duq ...

, Marqués del Carpio and Count-Duke of Olivares and, later, It would become one of the richest churches in pictorial works in Spain, with objects given to the Count-Duke of Olivares by King Philip IV. Relatives of the Dominican Mothers also donated many other works. The art collection had works by

Alonso Cano Alonso Cano Almansa or Alonzo Cano (19 March 16013 September 1667) was a Spanish painter, architect, and sculptor born in Granada.Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition ...

, Bassano,

Tintoretto Tintoretto ( , , ; born Jacopo Robusti; late September or early October 1518Bernari and de Vecchi 1970, p. 83.31 May 1594) was an Italian painter identified with the Venetian school. His contemporaries both admired and criticized the speed wit ...

Veronese Veronese is the Italian word denoting someone or something from Verona, Italy and may refer to: * Veronese Riddle, a popular riddle in the Middle Ages * ''Veronese'' (moth), a moth genus in the family Crambidae * Monte Veronese, an Italian chee ...

and

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was in ...

, among others. In 1809 the collection was looted by General

Horace Sebastiani de la Porta Quintus Horatius Flaccus (; 8 December 65 – 27 November 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace (), was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus (also known as Octavian). The rhetorician Quintilian regarded his '' ...

during the French invasion and many of these works were taken to France, where today they can be seen in museums such as the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

. Other paintings are now located in other museums such as the National Gallery of London or the

John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the official state art museum of Florida, located in Sarasota, Florida. It was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable Burton Ringling and John Ringling for the people of Florida. Florida State ...

in Florida. Currently, the monastery is under the patronage of the

House of Alba The House of Alba de Tormes ( es, Casa de Alba de Tormes), commonly known as the House of Alba, is a prominent Spanish noble family that descended from 12th-century nobility of post-conquest Toledo. The family's claim to Alba de Tormes dates from ...

, current counts-dukes of Olivares.

Family pantheon of the House of Alba

In 1909

Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, 17th Duke of Alba, 10th Duke of Berwick, GE (17 October 1878 – 24 September 1953) was a Spanish peer, diplomat, politician, art collector and Olympic medalist. A Jacobite, he was the most senior survivin ...

, Duke of Alba de Tormes and Count-Duke of Olivares, founded a pantheon adding a chapel to the monastery for the House of Alba, which was the work of Juan Bautista Lázaro inspired by the chapel from

El Escorial El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial ( es, Monasterio y Sitio de El Escorial en Madrid), or Monasterio del Escorial (), is a historical residence of the King of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, ...

. In the mausoleum rest – mainly – the remains of the heads of the House of Alba, from Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 15th Duke of Alba, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Ventimiglia, Duke of Alba de Tormes. The mausoleum of María Francisca de Sales Portocarrero, 16th Duchess of Peñaranda, María Francisca de Sales Portocarrero, sister of Eugenia de Montijo and empress of France, the work of Charles Gumery, Charles-Alphonse- Achille Gumery.

Commemorated in the Pantheon

References

https://monasterioloeches.org/ Monasteries in the community of Madrid, Inmaculada Concepcion Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Community of Madrid {{Spain-Christian-monastery-stub