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Library Marian Museum Santo Ángel Church

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The purpose of the Carmen Coronada Library Marian Museum of the Convent of Santo Ángel in Seville is to showcase the great Conventual Library, which contains around 8,000 books from the 16th century to the present day. It is one of the hidden jewels of the town of Seville and was inaugurated in 2016.

The historians of this town have always stressed the poverty of the convent in which its extraordinary library stood out. It stands out for its collection of Marian, spiritual, Carmelite, biblical, theological and legal books. A very important milestone is when the convent acquired the book collection of the Conde Duque de Olivares in 1643, some books of his property being still preserved.

The Marian Museum has been designed by its Director, Father Juan Dobado Fernández, Doctor in Art History. It consists of three visitable rooms and two more for reading and consultation. They have been dedicated to Saint John of the Cross, Founder of the Convent; to religious who had much to do with this convent, such as Father Columbiano of the Holy Family, founder of Miriam and great lover of the Library, to Father Ismael of Saint Theresa, Miriam's first director and tireless propagandist, and to Friar Humberto de San José, beloved Nativity Scene maker and sacristan of the Holy Angel; and important personalities in the Marian world such as Juan Martínez Alcalde, who began his first publications in this house.

In addition, nearly 300 works of sculpture, painting and sumptuary art from the 15th to 20th centuries are on display.

The Library-Museum is located in the adjacent building of the Church of Santo Angel, which was the temple of the convent of Santo Angel de la Guarda, of the Order of Barefoot Carmel. The primitive church dates from the beginning of the 17th century and has belonged to the Barefoot Carmelite Order ever since Due to the Napoleonic invasion, it suffered the plundering and destruction of its artistic treasures, a decline that continued in the 19th century, with the convent changing its use and the church remaining.

It was rebuilt in 1904 under the management of the architect Aníbal González with a complete remodelling with a new interior and main façade.

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