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Historic convent-church of San José in Caravaca to benefit from million-euro restoration project
The Convent of San José was founded by Teresa de Jesús 450 years ago
The Town Hall of Caravaca de la Cruz has announced that work will begin in the last week of August to restore the former Convent and Church of San José, one of the great historic buildings founded by San Teresa de Jesús (who lived from 1515 to 1582 and was canonized 40 years after her death).
Mayor José Francisco García states that the building is “a spiritual jewel, not only for Caravaca but also for the whole of the Region of Murcia”, adding that next year marks the 450th anniversary of its foundation and that the restoration, which is budgeted to require an investment of over a million euros, is a fitting way to mark the occasion. The year will be celebrated by a series of events in collaboration with other towns and cities associated with Teresa, the “Ciudades Teresianas”.
As recently as 2020 the building was owned by an American vulture fund, but it has since been purchased by the Town Hall and the regional government for 800,000 euros, and now Councillor Carmen Conesa explains that it is to be made more accessible and practical from a visiting and tourism point of view. At the same time, the church will be “brought back to life” through the restoration of individual murals as well as ceiling vaults and altarpieces. Air conditioning and fire protection will be installed while the interior and exterior will both be cleaned, making this an attractive multi-functional venue, reflecting the determination of the administration to make use of the heritage of Caravaca in driving forward social and economic development.
For more local news, events and visiting information contact the tourist office and information points or go to the home page of Caravaca Today.
Address
Calle De Las Monjas, 19, 30400 CARAVACA DE LA CRUZTel: 968 702424 / 968 701003
Oficina de Turismo de Caravaca de la Cruz
More information about the places of interest which can be visited in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, along with what's on and local news can be found in the Caravaca Today.
Caravaca de la Cruz, in the north-west of the Region of Murcia, is one of only 5 Holy Cities in the Roman Catholic world, a centre of pilgrimage, along with Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liebana, and is home to the Cross of Caravaca, the Vera Cruz.
The status of Holy City was bestowed by Pope John Paul II in 1998, granting the City a Permanent Jubilee year every 7 years for perpetuity, the first one held in 2003 and the next in 2024.
The strategic and natural advantages of Caravaca de la Cruz have attracted the attention of settlers for more than 800,000 years, the Cueva Negra yielding remains of Homo Heidelbergensis, forbears of the Neanderthals and the municipality also houses important archaeological remains from the Argaric, Iberian and Roman cultures. many of these can be seen in the Municipal Archaeological Museum.
As a border town caught between the Catholic forces of Castille and the last remaining Moorish stronghold in Spain, Granada, Caravaca had a turbulent medieval history, but it was during this period that the legend of the Cross of Caravaca was born, bringing the religious orders which shaped the structure of Caravaca today, with its impressive hilltop castle and eclectic collection of churches and monasteries, religious tourism today being a backbone of the town´s economy.
Caravaca de la Cruz is a municipality with important natural resources, including extensive forests, part of which have protected status due to their wealth of flora and fauna, and due to the abundant water supplies is also a major area for canned fruit production, apricots in particular being an important crop.
Caravaca is renown for its important May Fiestas, held in honour of the Vera Cruz, which also incorporate the Moors and Christians celebrations and the Running of the Wine Horses.
Caravaca de la Cruz is also the home of Europe´s largest collection of ethnic instruments at Barranda, the Museo de Música Étnica Barranda and is the location of the Barranda festival de Cuadrillas, which celebrates the Region's ethnic music traditions.
The municipality is home to around 26,000 inhabitants and shares boundaries with Moratalla, Cehegín, Lorca, Puebla de Don Fadrique in the province of Granada and Vélez-Blanco in the province of Almería.
Opening times:
Weekdays: 10.00 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Saturdays: 10.30 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Sundays and public holidays: 10.30 to 14.00
Click for map, Caravaca de la Cruz Tourist Office
