Callejón de las Monjas

The alley of the Nuns is part of the convent of the Nuns, founded at the beginning of the 16th century. The building consists of a single nave, covered by a 17th century barrel vault. The doorway, located at the foot and carved in stone, dates from the end of the 17th century. It is formed by a semicircular arch, with pairs of columns on both sides, where the sculptures of St. Peter and St. Paul can be seen. The main altarpiece was made by the brothers Juan Santa María and Matías José Navarro, around 1730. In this altarpiece appear the figures of the Virgin and Child, Saint Dominic, Saint Francis, Saint Sebastian (16th century) and others. There are several important altarpieces and carvings, as well as its wrought iron pulpit, almost all dating from the Baroque period. The nuns' alley owes its name to an old popular legend. According to this legend, many years ago in Lebrija there was a nun called Teresa de Rivero who lived in the convent with the others. It is said that this nun died while passing through the so-called Calle de las Monjas (Street of the Nuns) when spikes from a window at the top of the street fell on her. Today, there is a small stone tile on the floor of this street. Legend has it that if you step on this tile and return to the same place at midnight that same day, the nun Teresa will appear crying next to the window where she died, while the spikes from the window will fall the ground.