A monumental 16th-century relic – Convent of San Andrés 📷 Málaga – Spain

Living in a country with such a rich history means that, as I walk and explore the city, I come across beautiful relics, from small to very large, and can admire that history, that past which often stands out in truly astonishing ways.

When I visited the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, I realised there was a large building behind it. I hadn’t realised I’d passed very close to that spot many times in the past, when I’d first arrived in the city and, to get in touch with my family, I had to go to a shopping centre to connect to the Wi-Fi. At the time, I didn’t have internet; I only had mobile data, and it wasn’t enough. The place seemed familiar to me, but I’d never really paid it much attention.

So I looked it up on the map to see what it was, and there I could see that right next to the parish church I’d visited was a large building dating from the 16th century: the Convent of San Andrés, and the parish church attached to that convent was the one I’d visited. But its history is a long one. It was founded by the Order of Discalced Carmelites on the site of what was once a small chapel. And now I look at it and see its immensity. It’s astonishing.

It was formerly a cloistered convent, but it also served as a hospital and barracks, and was even used as a prison around 1831. During the period of confiscation, the property was seized and its members expelled, after which the convent was sold. If you’d like to find out more, you can consult the source from which I learnt so much.

During my visit, I was only able to walk around the outside, as the convent is now used for various social and cultural purposes; consequently, it is not open to the public as such, but various organisations operate within the premises.

However, the restoration work carried out on its external façade is clearly visible, as, like many other buildings of the same kind from that period, it was practically in ruins. It is not the first convent I have seen, and all of them suffered the same attacks and destruction; many were set on fire and little remained of them. But this one, at first glance, is the largest I have come across so far.

In some parts of the façade, it looks as though it had been bombed or something similar, and despite the restoration work, those scars remain. I could see the new work on the bricks, the plaster, and the materials; and in front of the convent there was a large chimney, which belongs to the building, but is now situated further away, having had to be moved due to the restoration work.

The sign in front of it reads as follows:
Following the confiscation of church property in 1836, the convent of San Andrés was reduced to a building site next to the church of El Carmen, on which various factories, warehouses and dwellings were built.

There is no absolute certainty as to the use of this chimney. The map of Málaga, drawn up by Joaquín Pérez de Rozas in 1863, indicates that the site where this chimney stood was owned by Juan Clemens, who was one of the most important wine producers and exporters; it is therefore thought that one of its possible functions was the production of cream of tartar, which sometimes required calcination and was used in the production of Málaga wine.

Some claim that, in more recent times, in the mid-20th century, it belonged to a small foundry, which eventually specialised in the manufacture of tins for tinned fish.

Both activities ceased many years ago, and this chimney has been preserved; it had to be moved a few metres to its current location for restoration. Year 2013.

A plan found there showed how this chimney was originally part of the convent, although it later served all those other purposes. The history is incredible, and I learn so much by wandering the city’s streets and, above all, by paying attention to my surroundings.

That is one of the things I like most about all these places: there is always a sign providing information on the historical significance of certain buildings that are so old and important. Due to the state of neglect of the convent, a lot of work was carried out between 2016 and 2018, followed by a project that was completed in 2022.

Even so, just by looking at the façade, it’s clear there is still a great deal of work to be done, and the very institutions working on the site are calling for further renovations and restoration work, which are necessary.

At several of the entrances to the former convent, I saw signs regarding the organisations operating there, such as the city’s Carnival Foundation and the Torrijos Association, which serves as a sort of museum dedicated to the city’s hero. There is a meeting room, and it is the headquarters of the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Carmen. You can also see the sign for the ‘Jorge Guillén’ public library. Of course, most of the foundations belong to the city council.

I think there is still a lot of work to be done, but things are on track and good use has been made of this building of such historical importance, as it is considered a monument, a site of cultural interest and part of Spain’s historical heritage.

It has truly been wonderful to explore this vast space; even if only from the outside, every brick has an incredible story and the energy of the place is very powerful.

Thank you very much for joining me today; I send you my warmest regards. See you soon.
Amonet.