College of Nosa Señora da Antiga
| College of Nosa Señora da Antiga | |
|---|---|
Colexio da Nosa Señora da Antiga | |
Facade of the building. | |
| Location | |
| Location | Monforte de Lemos, Galicia, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Herrerian |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The College of Nosa Señora da Antiga is a college located in Monforte de Lemos, Lugo, Spain in the Ribeira Sacra. It is built in the Herreriano style. The college is sometimes called the El Escorial of Galicia due to its architectural style.[1]
History
The college was founded by Cardinal Rodrigo de Castro Osorio in 1593,[2] and was initially a Seminary. Today, it functions as a private school offering a range of programs. At its inception, the institution offered up to seven chairs, a notable achievement for a time when higher education was not yet firmly established in the province.[1]
Osorio, who was an influential figure during the Renaissance, served as the Archbishop of Seville and played a significant role as a benefactor of Monforte and a patron of the arts.[3][4]
Originally run by the Jesuits, the college underwent significant changes following the order's expulsion from Spain under the Pragmatic Sanction of 1767, which included the removal of all symbols associated with the Jesuits from the country. Since 1873, the school was managed by the Piarists.[2]
Architecture
The church has a walnut altar carved in the 17th century by Francisco de Moure and his son, who continued the work after his father's death. On one side of the altar, there is a statue of Cardinal Rodrigo de Castro praying, which was created by John of Bologna.[5] The statue, located above the remains of the cardinal, faces a picture of Our Lady of Antigua.[6]
The school has two cloisters, with the west wing remaining unfinished. The monumental staircase, built from 1594 to 1603, is located in the east wing. Its design is built on three arches, only supported by the strong walls, which support thirteen plus nine, plus thirteen steps each. The steps are carved from a single piece of high-quality granite. On the ground, a drawing of the staircase projection can be seen, drawn for its construction.[7]
Museum
An art gallery is located in the old sacristy, hosting a small art collection donated by the cardinal, including two oil paintings by El Greco, such as a painting of Francis of Assisi holding a skull. Other works in the gallery include five works of the Mannerist painter Andrea del Sarto, "St. Margaret of Cortona", "St. Agnes", "St. Catherine of Alexandria", "San Pedro" and "San Juan Bautista". The painting "The Adoration of the Magi" by Van der Goes is only a copy, since the original was sold in 1913 to the Staatliche Museen in Berlin for 1,200 000 pesetas, allowing for the completion of the school’s construction. The gallery further contains two works by the School of Compostela, "Death" and "Doomsday", and an anonymous portrait of Cardinal Rodrigo de Castro. The museum also has several incunabula and manuscripts, among them an incomplete copy of "Libro de la Caza de las Aves" ("Book of Bird Hunting"), a treatise on falconry by Pedro López de Ayala which he authored during his captivity in Portugal, as well as all personal belongings of the cardinal.
See also
References
- ^ a b "College of Our Lady of Antigua | Museums | USEUM". useum.org. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
- ^ a b "Nosa Señora da Antiga Museum". Museos de Galicia. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ "Rodrigo Cardinal de Castro Osorio (de Lemos) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
- ^ "Cardinal Rodrigo de Castro – FUNDACIÓN COLEGIO Nª Sª DE LA ANTIGUA". Retrieved 2025-03-16.
- ^ "Colegio Antigua". www.tumbarumba.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-13.
- ^ "CHURCH BUILDING – FUNDACIÓN COLEGIO Nª Sª DE LA ANTIGUA". Retrieved 2025-04-23.
- ^ "The "monteas" -Drawn arches- – FUNDACIÓN COLEGIO Nª Sª DE LA ANTIGUA". Retrieved 2025-05-04.
External links
- College of Piarist Fathers - official site