| Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Merced | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Christian |
| Rite | Roman Catholic |
| Location | |
| Location | Irish Town, Gibraltar |
  Location of the convent within Gibraltar | |
| Geographic coordinates | 36°08′30″N 5°21′14″W / 36.141611°N 5.353999°W |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Juan Bernal |
| Completed | c. 1581 |
The Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (English: Convent of Our Lady of Mercy) later known as the White Cloisters was a 16th century Spanish convent in what is now the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar.[1]
History edit
The convent was located at the Calle de Santa Ana (English: St. Anne's Street[2], later Calle de la Merced English: Mercy Street, now Irish Town) at the northern end of the old town. The Calle de Santa Ana took its namesake from a hermitage of that name which was once located at the corner of Market Lane.
The Mercedarian Fathers established themselves in Gibraltar in 1581 when Juan Bernal, King Philip II of Spain's personal confessor,[3] constructed their monastery around the pre-existing chapel.[2]
Four of the convent's old stone columns were removed from their original site and used to flank both sides of the entrance to Trafalgar House, just south of the city walls.[2]
References edit
- ^ "The phantom of the Instituto Cervantes". Panorama. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
- ^ a b c Benady, Tito (1996). The Streets of Gibraltar: A Short History. Gibraltar. p. 23. ISBN 0948466 37 5.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Churches in Gibraltar prior to 1704". Roman Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
[Category:1500s establishments in Gibraltar]]