The Sanctuary of the patron saint of Valencia. 13th Century – Gothic Style
The monastery is organised in two different spaces: the convent and the Sanctuary of la Virgen. Both constitute a grandiose rectangular construction flanked by four robust towers.
The oldest item in today's monastery is the Sanctuary, dedicated to la Virgen, patron saint of Valencia. Of the primitive church constructed upon orders of Jaime I in 1238, only the doorway remains. Construction of today's church began in the year 1300 and concluded in the middle of the 14th century. The image of la Virgen is kept in the main chapel of the sanctuary. Construction of the monastery, a residence of the Mercedarios religious order, began in 1588, designed by the architect Antón Dexado de la Cossa. The entrance to the convent is through the gatehouse, situated in its east façade. The visit is structured around its two cloisters.
The first contains the refectory, a chapel, a Gothic hall and the Museum of Printing. The four wings exhibit numerous paintings by José Vergara (1726-1799). From the second cloister, where paintings by different artists are exhibited (Vergara and Espinosa, among others) it is possible to access the Royal Hall, the Hall of the Order of Knights of El Puig and the church. The dome of the Camarín de la Virgen, situated behind the Sanctuary's Main Chapel, was decorated by José Vergara.
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