Hospital de los Venerables

Emerging from the Real Alcazar we ducked down through the passage we found yesterday and emerged by the Juderia. We then zigged and zagged throhrough the street and alleys to the Plaza Dona Elvira, which was dominated on one side by the Hospital de los Venerables Sacerdotes.

The building was constructed as a home for elderly and infirm priests, begun in 1675.

This is a really nice building, now run by a private foundation (FOCUS). The foundation claims to be an ecological foundation supported by donations from organ recitals!

The chapel was splendid. Superb frescoes brightened the interior with stunning pictures. It was strange how bright this was in comparison to the nearby Cathedral.

In the sacristry, this trompe d'oille dominated what was otherwise a very uninteresting room.

Back in the church the organ soared across the back wall. An organist sat at the keyboard apparently trying to drive visitors away. As his fingers danced across the keys, the sounds of tortured souls filled the church. The Gorse Fox and Silver Vixen could only take so much of this (wondering if this had been tried in Guantanamo Bay?) and left.

We made our back into the streets and found a Tapas Bar where we sat and soaked up the sunshine, some tapas, and a jug of sangria.