Convento de Monjas Jerónimas, Garrovillas de Alconétar

Convento de Monjas Jerónimas is a cloistered convent in Garrovillas de Alconétar, a small town in the province of Cáceres, in the Extremadura region of Spain. Known locally simply as the "Convento de las Monjas Jerónimas," its full name is Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Salud — the Monastery of Our Lady of Health. It remains one of the town's most significant religious landmarks and is still home to a community of Hieronymite nuns.

How do you get there?

Garrovillas de Alconétar sits in the northern part of Cáceres province, near the Alcántara reservoir on the Tagus River. The easiest way to reach it is by car; the nearest larger city, Cáceres, is roughly 40 kilometers away. The convent stands in the historic town center, close to the main square (Plaza de España), so once you arrive in Garrovillas it's an easy walk through the old town to reach it.

What will you see?

The convent was founded around 1563, funded jointly by the Counts of Alba de Liste (of the Enríquez lineage) and the local Suárez family, known for its religious tradition. Its founders are usually credited as Diego Suárez and Fernando Enríquez, son of the first Count of Alba de Liste. The building was raised on the site of a 16th-century manor house, and that residential character still shows in the facade — built of granite ashlar, partly finished with lime render, with round windows and an arched main doorway.

Inside the convent church, a ribbed vault covers the presbytery, and the space is dominated by an elaborate gilded Baroque altarpiece. Its central niche holds an image of the Virgin, venerated here as the Virgen de la Salud (Our Lady of Health), also referred to locally as "de la O" or "de la Incarnación."

Because this is a cloistered community, the nuns' living quarters and parts of the church are generally off-limits to casual visitors — sightseeing mostly means admiring the facade and main portal, and stepping into the church itself when it happens to be open. The nuns continue a long tradition of making convent sweets, well regarded throughout the region; these can usually be bought directly at the convent through a torno, the revolving service window typical of enclosed Spanish convents.

When should you visit?

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, since Extremadura summers get quite hot. It's worth pairing a visit to the convent with a walk through the rest of Garrovillas de Alconétar — the town preserves its medieval and Renaissance layout, including the arcaded main square. If buying sweets from the nuns is part of the plan, it's a good idea to check the opening hours of the convent's turnstile window in advance, since they can vary by day and season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can visitors go inside the convent? The community is cloistered, so the nuns' living areas are closed to visitors. You can view the facade and entrance portal, and sometimes step into the church when it is open.

What else is the convent known for besides its architecture? The Hieronymite nuns have made traditional convent sweets for generations, sold on-site — a well-known reason to stop by.

When was the convent founded? It was founded around 1563 by members of the Enríquez family (Counts of Alba de Liste) together with the local Suárez family.

What does the facade look like? The facade is built of granite ashlar, partly rendered with lime, featuring round windows and an arched main entrance — a nod to the 16th-century manor house on which the convent was built.