Castilla y Leon

How to visit the Cloister of Santa María la Real de Nieva (Segovia): schedules

Cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva near Segovia
Cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva near Segovia

In surroundings of Madrid You can visit numerous corners with great artistic jewels of the Middle Ages, some of them not so well known.

That is the case of Cloister of the monastery of Santa María Real de Nieva, which you find just half an hour northwest of the nearby segovia city.

In the visit of the cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva You will be able to travel back to the time when almost the entire population was illiterate and the covers and church capitals It was used to tell stories through its artistic representations.

Through not only religious but also profane scenes, religious doctrine was disseminated, but customs of the community's daily life were also represented.

History of the Cloister of Santa María la Real de Nieva

The construction of the church of this small town in the outskirts of Segovia It dates back to the year 1393, and in 1400 the construction of the adjacent one began. monastery who belonged to the Dominican order.

In parallel, this gothic style church It was expanded to present its current three naves and a chancel with chapels.

El Cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva, which from the outside you can access directly through a small arched door facing the Plaza Mayor of the town, was built at this time, at the beginning of the 15th century, also in the Gothic style.

Historic capitals in the cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva in Segovia
Historic capitals in the cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva in Segovia

Square in shape, the cloister It has the characteristic configuration of four galleries and a garden in the center.

In these galleries their famous gothic capitals.

Compared to the previous Benedictine and Cistercian cloisters, whose access was limited to the community of friars, this Dominican cloister It had been conceived to be open to the lay community.

How to visit and what to see in Santa María Real de Nieva

Tu visit to the Cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva should focus on the view of the different capitals, with numerous Scenes in which, in addition to religious stories, were protagonists from the nobles to the simplest farmers.

In this way, the main theme is life of the religious of the monastery, his daily occupations, as well as preaching.

Historic capitals in the cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva
Historic capitals in the cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva

On the other hand you will find scenes related to the agricultural occupations during different times of the year.

And likewise, another theme of the capitals of Santa María Real de Nieva are war scenes or recreational activities, such as hunting or falconry, in which the protagonists are the nobility.

Visiting hours of Santa María Real de Nieva

The schedules to visit the cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva They are, every day of the week, from 10 a.m. to 19,30:921 p.m., although it is essential to confirm before the visit by calling 594 036 XNUMX.

La Visiting the cloister of Santa María Real de Nieva is free, and access to it is through a door located next to the church.

Map: where it is and how to get to Santa María la Real de Nieva

Santa María la Real de Nieva It is located 30 kilometers northwest of the city of Segovia, from where it takes half an hour to arrive.

Photos of Santa María la Real de Nieva in Segovia

Here you have more photos of this beautiful cloister, declared National Monument, and its famous historic capitals, which you can visit very close to Segovia.

About the Author

José Luis Sarralde

Journalist and traveler throughout his life, José Luis Sarralde is the founder of Guías Viajar, where since 2008 he has been capturing his travel experiences around the world, specializing in cultural and scenic destinations in Spain and Europe.

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