ORIGINS
It was built and founded in 1551 during the reign of Philip II, and its patrons were the Archbishop of Toledo and Philip II himself, who established his protection with these words: "For us and for the kings and queens of Castile, our successors."
A SPACE OF CONTRAST
Within its walls you can experience the contrast between the austerity of its discreet visitors' room and the nobility of rooms like its rectory hall, which has tapestries from the Royal Tapestry Factory, baroque mirrors, a rich coffered ceiling and a portrait of the founder, the Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo, Juan Martínez Silíceo. Ricardo Bellver Ramón created the mausoleum that occupies the central nave of the church in his memory.
Although the relief by Juan Bautista Vázquez the Elder on the main façade has been preserved, the current building dates back to the eighteenth century, built partly by José Hernández Sierra in 1757-68 and partly by Ventura Rodríguez in 1775-87.
A LIVING INSTITUTION
The heyday of the institution at the end of the 19th century led to an extension, with an attached building erected in 1900-1903 by Santiago Castellanos, which has been owned by the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha since 1990.
The Royal College operated under its original statutes until 1988, and is considered one of the best schools in Europe. In the early 1990s, the building was adapted to become a university residence, thus maintaining the collegial atmosphere that has accompanied it over the centuries.
Directions and Location
How to get