The Monastery of Yuste is a

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

in the small village now called Cuacos de Yuste (in older works ''San Yuste'' or ''San Just'') in the

province of Cáceres The province of Cáceres (; ; ; ) is a province of western Spain, and makes up the northern half of the autonomous community of Extremadura. Its capital is the city of Cáceres. Other cities in the province include Plasencia, Coria, Navalm ...

in the

autonomous community The autonomous communities () are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the nationalities and regions that make up Sp ...

Extremadura Extremadura ( ; ; ; ; Fala language, Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is a landlocked autonomous communities in Spain, autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, Spain, Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central- ...

, Spain. The monastery was founded by the Hieronymite order of monks in 1402. It is the

and palace house in which Charles V of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

and

King of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

resided from after his abdication until his death.

History

In 1556 Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, retired to the Monastery of Yuste, near Cuacos de Yuste, after having abdicated the Spanish crown in favour of his son

Philip II of Spain Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...

and the crown of the

in favour of his brother Ferdinand I. He intended to devote the rest of his life to prayer in this remote and obscure monastery. Nonetheless, the monastery had to be expanded that year to make room for the emperor and the 50 or 60 members of his entourage. From time to time well-known people, including his illegitimate son Don Juan de Austria and his heir

, came to visit the retired emperor. A fictitious visit by Carlos, Prince of Asturias, and other characters provides the moonlit setting for Act V of the original version of

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for List of compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma ...

's opera '' Don Carlos'', and Yuste is also the setting for both scenes of Act II of that long and celebrated opera. Charles died there on September 21, 1558. He was buried in the monastery church, though his remains were later transferred to the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial. In 1809, during the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

, the monastery was burnt by the French army. It was also affected by the Ecclesiastical confiscations of Mendizábal. The site was left in ruins until 1949, when the Spanish government restored it at the behest of

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (born Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces i ...

. The furniture of the choir (which was commissioned at the end of the 15th century) was retrieved from churches where it had been relocated.

Access

The area around Yuste, the Valle del Jerte, is now an eco-tourist destination. Tourists can visit the monastery, including the emperor's apartments. The valley is also known for its cherry trees and the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The monastery is currently inhabited by monks of the Pauline Order. In 2007 the monastery was awarded with the European Heritage Label.

References

External links

Monastery of Yuste websiteSite of project ''Yuste Digital''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yuste, Monastery of Monasteries in Extremadura Buildings and structures in the Province of Cáceres Hieronymite monasteries Pauline monasteries Palaces in Extremadura Christian monasteries established in the 1400s Renaissance architecture in Extremadura Gothic architecture in Extremadura Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor