Temple and Convent of San Bernardino de Siena

Ground was broken for this convent around 1535. At first glance, it looks like a fort or castle, in part because of the battlements crowning its front.

The church’s stone doorway was finished in 1590. Above it is the choral window, ornamented with bunches of grapes and rinceaux molding with two human figures. Interestingly, the bell tower, erected later in 1716, was joined to the front with a long buttress. Its clock, from 1872, is the crowning touch.

The main altar features a plateresque altarpiece, listed as one of the three most valuable 16th-century altarpieces in the country. Furthermore, there are two 17th-century pulpits carved from red cedar and eight more altarpieces incorporating excellent paintings and sculptures.

The cloister, whose construction finished in 1604, is characterized by a series of semicircular arches supported by single columns showing a blending of indigenous and Spanish art.