Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes
The Jerome Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes was erected in the 16th century on the former abbey called ‘Sant Bernat de Rascanya’. Its construction is due to the patronage of the Duke of Calabria and viceroy of Valencia. It began to be built in 1546 from the south cloister, according to the plans of Juan de Vidaña and Alonso de Covarrubias, but it was almost stopped after the death of its founder in 1550.

The works were resumed in 1570-80, clearly influenced by the Monastery of El Escorial. When entering the monument, we can see the façade of the church, a Renaissance façade framed with two side towers and Baroque Solomonic columns. The temple was built in the first decade of the 17th century, with just a nave, a wide and high choir at the foot, almost as big as the one in El Escorial in Madrid, and a dome over the crossing. The monastery also has two austere cloisters, surrounded by arch galleries decorated just with detached columns and balustrades at the top.

Sold after the historical disentailments, it was about to be demolished when the city council stopped its destruction. In 1856 it became a pensioners’ home, and from 1859 to 1950 it was used as a prison, after which it suffered a long period of neglect. Nowadays reformed, it shelters the Valencian Library.