Monastery of Yuste European Heritage

Royal residence

On one side of the Sierra de Tormantos mountains, two kilometres from the town of Cuacos, stands the Monastery of Saint Jerome of Yuste, an imposing structure where the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (King Charles I of Spain) spent the last two years of his life.

Its origins go back to the 13th century, when the owner of the lands the monastery occupies transferred them to a religious community, the ‘Ermitaños de la Pobre Vida’, so they could build a convent.

The monastery and life there experienced significant changes in the 16th century on the orders of the Emperor Charles V, who chose this place as his residence for his final days after giving up the Spanish throne in favour of his son Philip II.

As a result, it was necessary to undertake significant work to accommodate the emperor and his large retinue, carrying out construction in the southern area, adjacent to the church, to build a palatial two-storey home, with four rooms on each storey, around an internal courtyard.

The ground floor and the left wing are the location of Charles V’s antechamber and bedroom, while the rooms on the right side have views out to the orchard, which includes a beautiful pond, an oil mill and a flour mill.

Charles V died on 21 September 1558. He was buried in the church, but was later moved to the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial on the wishes of his son Philip II.

The convent was burnt and practically destroyed during the Peninsular War in the early 19th century. The Hieronymites were expelled and the monastery was put up for auction, initiating a period of abandonment and deterioration.

The current building was reconstructed on the ruins of the old monastery. In 1931 the cathedral was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the Monument category, and in 2007 it was declared European Heritage.

For some years now, the monastery has been the base for the European Academy of Yuste, whose mission is to discover and show off European cultural work by undertaking numerous activities, one of the most prominent being the Carlos V European Award.

Weather

Cuacos de Yuste

26Apr

Poco nuboso

11 ºC

23 ºC

27Apr

Poco nuboso

10 ºC

21 ºC

28Apr

Poco nuboso

11 ºC

23 ºC

29Apr

Intervalos nubosos

14 ºC

24 ºC

30Apr

Intervalos nubosos con lluvia

12 ºC

24 ºC

1May

Intervalos nubosos con lluvia

9 ºC

21 ºC

In pictures

AltAltAlt

If you like Monastery of Yuste European Heritage you will like this too...

Alt

Trujillo Historical Site

Trujillo, a municipality in the county of Miajadas-Trujillo, is the heir to one of Extremadura’s finest examples of architectural heritage.

Alt

Old Town of Cáceres

The decree declaring Cáceres as a Monumental Site was published on 21 January 1949, and in 1986 UNESCO included the Old Town of Cáceres in its list

Alt

Gata Historical Site

The town of Gata is found in the mountain range of the same name.

Alt

Test of content

In the banks of the Tagus River....

More things you can find in La Vera

Alt

Cuacos de Yuste Historical Site

Back in 1959, the town of Cuacos de Yuste, in the county of La Vera, was declared an ‘Aesthetic Reserve’.

Alt

Villanueva de La Vera Historical Site

This is one of the most easterly towns in the county of La Vera, and was declared a Historical Site in 1982.

Alt

Pasarón de La Vera Historical Site

Pasarón de La Vera is a town located on the western edge of the county of La Vera.

Alt

Garganta la Olla Historical Site

The municipality of Garganta la Olla is in the county of La Vera.

Servicios turisticos

On Instagram...