The cloistered convent of Santa María de Belvís, located in Santiago de Compostela, is a place with a rich history and special charm.located in Santiago de Compostela, is a place with a rich history and a special charm. It was founded in the early fourteenth century by the friars of the neighboring Convent of Bonaval and was the first female convent that had the order of Dominican nuns in Galicia.
This building stands out for having two temples: the convent church and the sanctuary of the Virgen del Portal, which bring visitors and pilgrims who travel along the Portuguese road to Santiago.
It is located on a promontory accessed through the picturesque Rúa das Trompas and separated from the historic center by the Belvís park. It is slightly secluded, but offers a space of serenity and peace. Next to it is another important religious institution in the city, the Minor Seminary, which contains a hostel for pilgrims.
The vast majority of the nuns who lived in the convent in the past were daughters of bourgeois, which explains the slowness of the works and the sobriety of the building, since noblewomen used to bring a very generous dowry. At the beginning of the 18th century, a reconstruction of the convent building was carried out according to the plans of Friar Gabriel de Casas. On the façade, the coat of arms of Archbishop Monroy, who financially supported the construction, stands out.
The convent church, built between 1727 and 1739, although only visible during Sunday services, is a place dedicated to the intimate prayer of the nuns. It was designed by Fernando de Casas y Novoa, the same architect responsible for the facade of the Cathedral of Santiago.
It was built in granite masonry and has a Latin cross plan covered with a barrel vault and a dome. One of its most outstanding elements is the facade of the communion rail, in which the architect has a geometric-vegetable decoration that characterizes it.
It is connected through the tower to the sanctuary of the Virgen del Portal, an adjacent chapel in which there is a valuable 13th century Gothic carving of the Virgen del Portal. Next to it, there are two statuettes that possibly represent the Christian people, as well as the image of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, founder of the Dominican order.
The image of the Virgin of the Portal appeared during the works of the convent and was moved to the porter’s lodge. Every time the nuns tried to move it, it would reappear in its place, so they built a small shrine for it. Once this virgin began to perform miracles, her fame spread. She is invoked for all kinds of illnesses and for success in examinations.
Today, several nuns still live in the building and work in domestic chores, tending the vegetable garden and embroidering for churches and individuals, as well as making wafers for the city’s masses. But, above all, they are known for their desserts, which they sell to order or during the opening hours.
The Convent of Santa María de Belvís celebrates mass every day, from Monday to Saturday at 7:15 pm. On Sundays and holidays there are two, one at 12:30 in the convent church and the other at 19:30 in the sanctuary of the Virgen del Portal. Holiday eves take place at 7:15 pm.
