CONVENTO DE SAN FRANCISCO DEL BERROCAL

Convento de San Francisco del Berrocal is a 16th-century Franciscan monastery on the outskirts of Belvís de Monroy, a small town in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura. Grown out of an earlier hermitage, it is one of the region's most historically loaded religious sites — not primarily for its architecture, but for a single voyage that began within its walls.

Where did the monastery come from?

The story starts in January 1505, when the Bishop of Plasencia authorized the Franciscan friar Pedro de Melgar, then custodian of a local group of hermits, to take over a house together with the hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Berrocal and turn it into a monastery. Two years later, in October 1507, Pope Julius II confirmed the foundation by papal bull, formally establishing the community of barefoot friars (Franciscan Observants).

The land itself was donated by Francisco de Monroy and his wife Francisca Henríquez, counts of Deleitosa and lords of Monroy, who also covered the construction costs and remained the community's principal patrons and protectors afterward. Their family's imprint on the monastery's early history is still central to how the site is remembered locally.

Why is this monastery internationally known?

The Convento de San Francisco del Berrocal owes its international reputation to a single event: it was the departure point, in 1523, of the expedition of the Twelve Apostles of Mexico — the first Franciscan missionaries sent to evangelize the territories that would soon become the Viceroyalty of New Spain. For the history of early contact between Spain and the Americas, this is one of the symbolic starting points, and for Belvís de Monroy it remains a point of local pride, marked at anniversaries and cultural events tied to the town.

What will you see on site?

The complex follows the plain, austere style typical of barefoot Franciscan communities, shaped by its origins as a hermit settlement. The buildings show the wear of several centuries of use, and their setting on the edge of town, amid the rocky granite terrain that gives the site its name — "del Berrocal," meaning a place of rocky outcrops — explains why the original hermits chose this spot in the first place.

What is the current state of the building?

The monastery is currently owned by the regional government of Extremadura (Junta de Extremadura) and holds the status of a Site of Tourist Interest. Parts of the complex are in need of restoration, so it is worth checking current access conditions before visiting — the grounds and the area around the former hermitage generally remain open to visitors outside of active restoration work.

How do you get there?

Belvís de Monroy sits in the province of Cáceres, in the Tagus river valley, within easy driving distance of Trujillo and Cáceres. The monastery stands at the edge of town, making it a natural stop on a walking or cycling route that connects the town center with the surrounding countryside.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, when temperatures in Extremadura are mild and the landscape around the monastery — fields and rocky hills — is at its most scenic. Summer can be extremely hot, which makes longer walks around the site less comfortable.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the monastery as a tourist? It carries the status of a Site of Tourist Interest, but ongoing restoration work may limit access to parts of the interior — it's worth confirming locally before your visit.

Why is this site important to the history of the Americas? In 1523, the expedition of the Twelve Apostles of Mexico set out from here — a group of Franciscan missionaries who began the evangelization of what became the Viceroyalty of New Spain.

Who financed the monastery's construction? Francisco de Monroy and Francisca Henríquez, counts of Deleitosa, donated the land and covered the building costs, after the Bishop of Plasencia's approval in 1505 and papal confirmation in 1507.

Where does the name "del Berrocal" come from? It refers to the rocky, granite terrain (berrocal) where the monastery stands, inherited from the earlier hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Berrocal.