Monasterio de San Miguel de los Reyes

On the northern edge of València, in the Sant Llorenç district, stands a Renaissance colossus that many locals don't even realise they can visit: the Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes, nicknamed the "Valencian Escorial". Its monumental cloisters and double-façade church are a notable example of Renaissance architecture in the region.

History

Ferdinand of Aragon, Duke of Calabria, founded it in 1545 for the Order of Saint Jerome, on the site of a former Cistercian monastery. The plans are attributed to Alonso de Covarrubias and Juan de Vidaña, and the complex was conceived as the duke's pantheon, musical chapel and library, inherited from his great-grandfather Alfonso the Magnanimous. As a Hieronymite monastery, cultural centre and commemorative church, it is often cited as a forerunner of El Escorial.

What to see

• The double-façade church and the great Renaissance cloisters.
• The courtyards and monastic quarters.
• The layered history: a Muslim farmstead, a Cistercian priory, a Hieronymite monastery and a 19th-century prison.

Practical tips

Today it has been the seat of the Biblioteca Valenciana Nicolau Primitiu since 2000. Visiting is usually free, and free guided tours run on some weekends; check the schedule before you go. You can reach it from the centre by metro or bus in a short time.

An insider curiosity

INSIDER TIP: the building that now safeguards books was a prison for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. The 1997-2000 restoration didn't erase that chapter, it folded it in: you can still spot traces of its time as a jail alongside the Cistercian remains and the Hieronymite layout. Few buildings let you read so many centuries of history in one place.

If you enjoy monumental heritage off the usual trail, pair it with the Silk Exchange and the Cathedral, and check our guide to free things to do in València and things to do in València. More ideas in places.