Avila information
Museums
Museum of Oriental Art
Opening hours:
From 10:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 18:00.Closed on Mondays.
The majestic Royal Monastery of St. Thomas of the Dominican houses an interesting art exhibit.
There are pieces from many places, such as China, Vietnam or Japan. It exhibits oriental ethnographical objects displaying the acquisitions made by the Dominican missionaries, such as Philippine ivory and choir books. There is a room devoted to Natural History where different animals are displayed. Those brought from the eastern seas are worthy of note.
Admission is € 1.20.
Museum of the Cathedral
Opening hours:
From 10:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 18:00.Closed Sunday mornings.
An art exhibition in the Chapel of Cardinal Quiroga, the Treasure
and Hymn Book Rooms. The museum offers an exhibition of religious
art. There are treasures as valuable as the "Hymn Books of
St. John of Carrión" or the "Portrait of Garcibáñez
de Múxica", El Greco original.
Admission is € 1.5 /person and € 0.9/group.
Museum of Holy Teresa / Natal House of Holy Teresa de Jesus
Opening hours:
From April to October: Everyday 10'00 AM-2'00 PM/ 4'00 PM-7:00 PM
From November to March: 10'00 AM-1'30 PM/ 3'30 PM-5'30 PM; Closes on Monday.
Museum theme architecture, personal, religious, sculpture
Funds Works by Gregorio Fernandez, carvings of Santa Teresa and Christ tied to the column. The greatest crypt in Spain.
Church, convent and crypt. The crypt was inaugurated as part of the museum on the 25.03.1999.
The rooms where Santa Teresa de Jesús was born are located in the chapel of Carmen and the Saint's chapel. Part of the original kitchen garden has been preserved.
The museum corresponds to the Sala de Reliquias. The museum is divided into two areas:
Below the church (the historical figure, work and message of Santa Teresa)
Below the cloister and the convent: religious and cultural displays.
There are 30 areas which are full of documents, drawings, books, pictures, carvings, engravings... and various objects related to the minor arts.
Admissions: General: 2 Euros; Groups > 25 people: 1.50 Euros.
Museum Monastery of the Encarnación
Opening hours:
From June to September: Mon to Fri: 9'30 AM-1'00 PM / 4'00 AM-7'00 PM
Sat and Sun D: 10'00 AM-1'00 PM / 4'00 PM-6'00 PM
From October to May: Mon to Sun: 9'30 AM-1'30 PM/ 3'30 PM-6'00 PM
Closed on 25th December 1st January.
The church, which was modified at the start of the eighteenth century, contains early high and low choirs, an altar rail, San Juan de la Cruz confessional cut into the wall, and Santa Teresa's cell in the Capilla de la Transververación.
HISTORY:
Initiated in 1479 by Doña Beatriz de Higuera, Santa Teresa chose this convent to spend her time as a novice in the Carmelite order in 1535. She lived here for 27 years and left in order to reform the order.
San Juan de la Cruz lived here from 1572 until 1577, he was the chaplain and confessor of the nuns.
Admission: Individuals: 1.2 Euros; Groups: 1 Euro.
Source: Web server of Instituto de Turismo de España, TURESPAÑA.