Convent of Santa María de Jesús
Ávila
Founded in 1552, the main feature of this convent of the Order of St Clare is its renaissance ashlar-work front, decorated with columns and coats of arms.
Except for the north side, which is made of granite ashlar work, the church was built in a very plain style with bricks and adobe. The Renaissance porch on the north side is made up of grooved Corinthian pilasters with a semi-circular arch and triangular front with candelabrum reliefs and medallions.
The layout has one single nave covered by a pendentive vault with four radii in grained Caleno granite. The main feature is the cenotaph of the founder, María Dávila, made in alabaster by Vasco de la Zarza. After the convent had been abandoned in 1971, it was moved to the new building.
It was designated a National Monument in 1991.
