The Monastery of the Incarnation in Avila is a historic cloistered convent of Carmelite nuns founded in 1478 within the walls of the city. Its initial purpose was as a beaterio, and it eventually became a Carmelite convent, moving in 1515 to its current location on land that had previously been the Jewish cemetery. The life of Teresa de Jesús, who entered the convent in 1535 and later became prioress, deeply marked the history of the place, from where she promoted the reform of Carmel and the foundation of new convents of Discalced Carmelites. The building, declared a National Monument in 1983 and a World Heritage Site in 1985, has a Latin cross floor plan with a church renovated in the 18th century, with Baroque elements in the altarpiece and altars. In the 17th century, the nuns obtained their juridical independence from the Carmelites, which strengthened the monastery’s autonomy.
Its architectural features include a central courtyard surrounded by a two-story cloister and the Transverberation Chapel, built in 1717 over Teresa’s cell. The convent houses a museum with personal objects of St. Teresa and a famous work of St. John of the Cross, a drawing of the crucified Christ from an elevated perspective. Also preserved inside are the rooms where Teresa of Jesus received visits from figures such as Francisco de Borja and Pedro de Alcántara, as well as other rooms that bear witness to her mystical and reforming activity. Over the centuries, the monastery has undergone important restorations, especially in the church, and has played an important role in the development of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, remaining a spiritual and cultural reference point.
- Address
Po. de la Encarnación 1, Ávila - Web
None - Visiting Hours
From Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 13:30 and from 16:00 to 17:30. Weekends from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00 - What to see
Personal objects that belonged to St Teresa
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