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The Pope Clemente III assisted the King in his purpose.
From the very beginning, Las Huelgas was favoured by the
protection of Popes and Kings. In the Convent were crowned
Alfonso XI and his son Enrique de Trastamara and were knighted
Fernando III, Alfonso XI, Pedro I and Juan II. At the same
time AlfonsoVIII´s dream came true, since the temple
contains many royal sepulchres.
The monastic monument is designed
as a fortress, with a tower-fortification and an atrium
that gives access to the temple, called doorway of Knights.
The atrium leads to an exterior church and adjacent funerary
chapels (San Martín and San Juan), and from there
continues to the San Fernando Cloisters and other rooms.
Next to this area stands an enclosure that opens to the
gatehouse and the monastic lodgings, as well as other buildings.
The Church, built in the Gothic style,
has a large chancel with five apses, a remarkable transept
and three naves. At the central nave stands the nuns´choir.
To the south of the church rises the cloister built during
the reign of Fernando III the Saint. It is a Gothic work
with pointed barrel vaults. On some sections are the remains
of the original delicate plaster motifs including ornamental
bows, arabic foliage, cufic inscriptions, castles, peacocks
and griffons. This cloister contains some chapels for the
nun´s devotion and leads to the galleries sorrounding
a patio. The pointed archs suspended above the galleries
used to rest on columns before they were covered by walls
in the 17 C, when the high cloister was built.
The Chapter room contains some trophies
from the battle of Navas de Tolosa, and the Museum of Fine
Fabrics. The museum displays a collection of valuable pieces
of fabric, other objects and sacred ornaments, which were
removed from Medieval sepulchres included in the church.
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