The defunct Convento de Santo Tomás (also called ''Colegio de Atocha'') was a set of buildings belonging to the

Dominicans Dominicans () also known as Quisqueyans () are an ethnic group, ethno-nationality, national people, a people of shared ancestry and culture, who have ancestral roots in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican ethnic group was born out of a fusio ...

, under the patronage of

St. Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas ( ; ; – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest, the foremost Scholastic thinker, as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the Western tradition. A Doctor of the Church, he wa ...

, in

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

. It was located in the former Arrabal de Santa Cruz, showing its main facade to the Calle de Atocha.Carmen Rubio Pardos, (1977), ''La calle de Atocha'', Annals of the Institute of Madrilenian Studies, Vol. IX Its exact location is close to the current Plaza de Santa Cruz, occupying part of the site of the current Church of la Santa Cruz. It was erected in the mid-17th century, being a good example of

Spanish Baroque architecture Spanish Baroque is a strand of Baroque architecture that evolved in Spain, its provinces, and former colonies. History The development of the style passed through three phases. Between 1680 and 1720, the Churriguera popularized Guarini's ble ...

. The convent had annex a cabinet for the teaching of theology, philosophy and rhetoric (College of Santo Tomás), initially dependent of the Dominicans of Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha. The set consisted of a monastery that served as school functions, a courtyard and a large church. In 1836 during the

Spanish confiscation The Spanish confiscation was the Spanish government's seizure and sale of property, including from the Catholic Church, from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. It was a long historical, economic, and social process beginning with ...

church and convent were secularized and confiscated, going to have many uses, from administrative center to Milicia Nacional headquarters. Three years after suffering a strong fire the complex entirely disappeared, which occurred in 1872.Rincón García, Wifredo, (1993), ''Approach to the convent Madrid de los Austrias'' , Real Sociedad Económica Matritense de Amigos del País, Torre de los Lujanes nº25: 77-88 The early iglesia de la Santa Cruz, built in 16th century (1583), attached to the Convento de Santo Tomas, also was affected by the fire.

History

The Dominican friars from the convento de Nuestra Señora de Atocha founded in 1563 a school of theology with money obtained from the sale of a house that had been donated to them, both far from the urban core of the time. In 1583, at request of Friar Diego de Chaves ( Philip II's confessor), it is excised as independent

priory A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. They were created by the Catholic Church. Priories may be monastic houses of monks or nuns (such as the Benedictines, the Cistercians, or t ...

. The Count-Duke of Olivares took the new monastery under his protection. In 1635 begins to build the building in Arrabal de Santa Cruz and the works lasted until 1656. The church's facade and dome, both among the most outstanding works of Spanish courtly Baroque, were made by the

José de Churriguera José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , ...

's sons: Jerónimo and Nicolás. The church's facade was monumental, distributed the access to the temple in three portals, features of the ornate style of the Churriguera family. The

cour d'honneur A court of honor ( ; ) is the principal and formal approach and forecourt of a large building. It is usually defined by two secondary wings projecting forward from the main central block ('' corps de logis''), sometimes with a fourth side, co ...

, two-story, made by

José Jiménez Donoso José Jiménez Donoso (c.1632, Consuegra – 14 September 1690, Madrid) was a Spanish Baroque architect and painter. He decorated many of his own buildings, using the Italian technique of quadratura. Life and work He learned the rudiments of a ...

, was considered one of the best architectural works of the 17th century in Madrid. The church was heavily used by many Madrilenian co-fraternities. The Chapel of Santo Domingo in Soriano was well known, owned by Fernando de Fonseca Ruiz de Contreras, Marquis of la Lapilla. In the year 1726 the dome collapsed, killing about 80 people. Several Dominicans died during the anticlerical riots of 1834. The convent building had several uses: it was meeting place for the Landaburian Society; was conditioned to be one of the first headquarters of the Ateneo, prison and barracks for the Milicia Nacional with modifications made by architect Juan Pedro Ayegui. At beginning of 19th century, was settled in the corner of the buildings set the ''Café de Santa Cruz''. On April 13, 1872 a fire severely damaged its structures. Four years later, the building collapsed, and as result, was completely demolished. From what was once a Madrilenian religious and cultural institution only remaining a few works of its movable heritage: the excellent painting ''Santo Domingo en Soriano'' work by

Antonio de Pereda Antonio de Pereda y Salgado ( – January 30, 1678) was a Spanish Baroque-era painter, best known for his still lifes. Biography Pereda was born in Valladolid, the eldest of three brothers from an artistic family. His father, mother and two b ...

which adorned the Chapel of the Marquis of la Lapilla, preserved in Museo Cerralbo, the ''Assumption of the Virgin'', altar large painting painted by

Francisco Ignacio Ruiz de la Iglesia Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the masculine given name ''Franciscus''. Meaning of the name Francisco In Spanish, people with the name Francisco are sometimes nicknamed "Paco". San Francisco de Asís was known as ''Pater Commu ...

for the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves along with the ''Coronation of the Virgin'' now are in the Parish church del Corpus Christi in

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

and the sculpture of ''Our Lady of the Rosary'' flagship work of

Luis Salvador Carmona Luis Salvador Carmona (1708, Nava del Rey – 1767, Madrid) was a Spanish Baroque sculptor who came from a family of artists. Biography His parents were of modest means, but when he showed artistic aptitude, they sent him to Segovia to study. T ...

, venerated in the Oratorio del Olivar.Museo Cerralbo

References

{{Coord missing, Spain Demolished buildings and structures in Madrid Religious buildings and structures completed in 1656 Roman Catholic churches completed in 1656 Dominican convents Former churches in Spain Buildings and structures demolished in 1876 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Spain