Semana Santa Estepa

Seville enchants

After the reconquest of Seville in 1248 by the sanctified King Ferdinand III of Castile, the same king gave some houses in 1251 to Mr Raimundo de Losana, bishop of Segovia, so that he could settle in the town. These houses were built on Almohad constructions that were in turn built on a thermal complex from the Roman era.

It has been governed by the Capuchin Franciscans since its inauguration in 1724. Its church is baroque. The interior, which forms a Latin cross plan, is very richly decorated, characteristic of the Baroque period of the second half of the 18th century, with great sumptuousness and a profusion of decorative pieces, which contrasts with the austerity of the nuns.

It is known as St. John of God because it belongs to the hospital of this hospitable Order. The baroque façade of this 16th century church, right opposite the Divino Salvador College, with its two bell towers, which had to be renovated after the Lisbon earthquake by Matías de Figueroa, hides a delicious interior.

It is the temple of a Dominican convent founded in the 17th century. It is arranged on a very elongated rectangular plan with three naves and a transept. The side naves are covered by groin vaults, while the central nave is covered by a barrel vault compartmentalised by Saxon arches and with lunettes between the sections.

It belongs to the congregation of the Commanders of the Holy Spirit, an order founded by Venerable Guido de Montpellier in 1173. It aims at prayer and its premises house a women's residence and a teaching centre. The building has been part of Seville's Historical Complex since 1964 and, in 1538, Ms María de Aguilar received the bull allowing the foundation of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

This emblematic building has been owned by the Seville Provincial Council since the 19th century after a process of confiscation. The complex was built between 1699 and 1731 and is one of the best preserved examples of Baroque in Seville.

It was founded more than three centuries ago by Canon Justin de Neve to shelter and care for elderly and handicapped clergymen.