Plaza de la Encarnación

Plaza de la Encarnación is an open square set between Plaza de Oriente and Plaza de Isabel II in the historical centre of the city. A wide, tree-lined and cobblestoned space, its main and indeed most impressive building is the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation.

The Monastery is in fact a convent founded in 1611 by Queen Margaret, the wife of Philip III. Its proximity to the former Royal Alcázar of Madrid made it the scene of the state funerals of the royal family. It is an example of the architecture of the Hapsburgs following the construction of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, in what is sometimes referred to as Madrid Baroque.

The church with its Herrerian façade stands out with its exterior atrium and 17th century Neoclassical decoration in the inside. The main cloister of the convent remains intact, as does the choir and the reliquary, not to mention the outstanding Hall of Kings. As it is a Royal Site, visits to the Monastery can be arranged through the auspices of Patrimonio Nacional, the public body that looks after the National Heritage.

In the centre of the square stands the Monument to Lope de Vega. Erected in 1902, this bronze sculpture of the great author of the Spanish Golden Age of literature is the work of Mateo Inurria. On the pedestal, created by architect José López Salaberry we find the coat of arms of Madrid and some of the titles of the author’s works.

Updated: 10/01/2019