San Jerónimo el Real

San Jerónimo el Real`

San Jerónimo el Real is a Roman Catholic church from the early 16th-century in central Madrid. The church, which has undergone numerous remodelings and restorations over the centuries is the remaining structure of the Hieronymite monastery that once stood beside the royal palace of Buen Retiro, of which a portion now serves as the Prado museum

San Jerónimo “el Real”, popularly known as “Los Jerónimos”, was one of the most important monasteries in Madrid. Next to it there was the so-called Royal Room, later expanded as Palacio del Buen Retiro in times of Felipe IV. From the primitive building the church and a cloister currently remain, behind the Prado Museum. The cloister suffered a progressive deterioration throughout the nineteenth century and after an agreement with the ecclesiastical authorities, it was recovered and incorporated into the Prado Museum as part of the extension designed by the architect Rafael Moneo. Due to its current external appearance, the cloister is popularly known as “Moneo’s Cube.