Convento de los Agustinos Recoletos (Madrid)
The Convento de los Agustinos Recoletos or Convento de Copacabana, in the city of Madrid, was a former convent that was in the land now occupied by the National Library and Museo Arqueológico Nacional, as well as several city blocks. This convent named the known Paseo de Recoletos of Madrid, name that refers to the Augustinos 'Recoletos' former owners of the convent and adjacent properties. In this convent was buried the painter Francisco de Zurbarán, but his remains were lost during the demolition of the convent.
History
The convent was founded the February 25 on a land of Prado Viejo that were donated by the princess of Asculi, Doña Francisca de Guzman, to the Augustinian Recollect. This was the fourth convent that the Recollects had in Spain.
At first, the Augustinians occupied the existing houses there. Later, at the beginning of 17th century, they began the works of the new convent, which ended in 1620.
In addition to the land donated by the founder, the monks bought throughout the first half of the century surrounding orchards, extending notably the length of the convent.
The works were commissioned to Luis de Valladolid, although according to some authors participated in its design Fray Juan de Nuestra Señora de la O and his son, Fray Lorenzo de San Nicolás, both brothers of the order.
In 1837 the monks were expelled and the convent disentailed during the Ecclesiastical confiscations of Mendizábal. It was the own Mendizábal who bought it at auction. Shortly after was shot down.
Description
The monastery
The convent buildings, such as refectory, cells, nursing, etc. were arranged around two courtyards. At its around it stretched the spacious gardens.
The temple
The main facade was structured vertically into streets, for the five arches that served as access to the church. A triangular pediment with central oculus crowned the set.
The church had the characteristic plant of Spanish Baroque: lounge floor, of a single nave with side chapels closed that made spaces almost independent of the rest.
Among them, it must highlight the Chapel of Our Lady of Copacabana, which housed the image of the patron saint of Peru brought by Fray Miguel de Aguirre in November 1662. Unlike the rest, it was not conceived with burial site for noble, but as a gathering place for the community. It grew to such importance that ended up giving name to the convent (Convento de Copacabana). The exterior of the chapel was decorated with paintings by Francisco Herrera the Younger, Sebastián de Llanos y Valdés and Juan de Arellano, in the chapel of the Virgin works by Luca Giordano and Luisa Roldán (La Roldana).
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