The Oldest Convent in Madrid

Abstract

The Convent of San Julián and San Antonio, almost one thousand years old, is one of the oldest buildings in Madrid (Spain) and one of Madrid’s treasures, not only because of its architecture, but also for its history and the characters linked to its walls. Although the building has undergone several refurbishments for different uses, such as church, center of studies, ecclesiastical prison, hospice, burial place, and private residence, it retains its original connection to the medieval period. We will analyze how the building (through adaptive reuse) and its inherent relationship to the surroundings have changed. The environment, an important factor, forms part of the cultural heritage and can play an important role in visitors’ perception. Finally, we will discuss how the different types of use may or may not affect the authenticity of historic buildings and their identity and the necessity of research of the building history for new repurposing as part of the conservation procedure assessment.