Parish Church of San Jerónimo el Real

Popularly known as "Los Jerónimos," it was one of the most important convents in Madrid. Next to it stood the so-called Royal Quarters, later expanded as the Buen Retiro Palace during the reign of Philip IV. Since 1925, the church has been considered a National Monument.

Its origins date back to 1464, when King Henry IV of Trastámara founded the Monastery of Santa María del Paso on the banks of the Manzanares River, near El Pardo. Given the unhealthy conditions of the area, the monks requested permission from the monarchs to relocate to a healthier site.

Queen Isabella I of Castile granted them the current location in 1502, closer to the Court, known ever since as the Prado de San Jerónimo. The Monastery was an emblematic site of the Court, the setting for the swearing-in ceremonies of the heirs to the Spanish crown as Princes of Asturias, from Philip II (1528) to Isabella II (1833), as well as for several Spanish Cortes and episcopal ordinations. Of the convent, the church and a cloister remain today, behind the Prado Museum. The church is Gothic in style. It is built on a Latin cross plan and consists of a central nave, transept, and five chapels on each side. The monumental access staircase on Alarcón Street was built for the wedding of Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenie in 1906. The cloister, meanwhile, suffered progressive deterioration throughout the 19th century and, following an agreement with the ecclesiastical authorities, was restored and incorporated into the Prado Museum as part of the extension designed by the architect Rafael Moneo. Due to its current exterior appearance, the cloister is popularly known as the "Moneo Cube." In 2010, the restoration of the entire complex, except for the staircase, was completed by the architect Francisco Jurado, who restored the building to its former appearance.