Description of the attraction
In Seville, in the Isla de la Cartuja area, on the island is the monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas, whose foundation dates back to the 14th century. The building was built mainly in the Mudejar style with elements of the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.
The history of the emergence of the monastery in this place is quite interesting. Since the 12th century, on the island of Isla, they have been mining clay from the caves, which are found here in large quantities. Workshops engaged in the production of ceramic tiles were also located here. According to legend, once, in one of the caves, an image of the Mother of God was found, after which it was decided to build a monastery on this place. Initially, the monastery served as an abode for Franciscan monks, then passed into the possession of the Order of St. Bruno. During the war with the French, the building of the monastery housed the barracks of the French troops. After some time, the monastery was bought by a Portuguese merchant, who organized a factory on its territory, engaged in the production of ceramic and porcelain products. In 1964, the Monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas was given the status of a national historical and architectural monument, after a while the plant was moved to another location.
The monastery is also famous for the fact that within its walls for about 40 years there was the grave of the most famous and revered navigator of Spain - Christopher Columbus.
The building of the monastery was restored in 1992 for the International Exhibition Expo-92. Since 1997, the Andalusian Center for Contemporary Art has been located here.
