Interpretation of the urban area around the Convent of “San Francisco el Grande” in Madrid

Abstract eng:
Founded in 1217 by Saint Francis, the Convent of “San Francisco el Grande” in Madrid was essential for the urban and landscape definition of its area of influence. It occupied a vast extension next to the royal palace and its adjoining constructions. Together with its large basilica, a series of wings, courtyards, cloisters, gardens and orchards it distributed its space with an organic layout. As a result of the 19th Century revolts and several confiscation laws, the Franciscan Order abandoned the Convent and it fell to ruin. Today a large empty space surrounds the central church where the building used to be: a vague terrain with an undefined urban profile. Several controversial projects have been proposed for its urban regeneration. The research assesses the evolution of the urban space generated by the Convent of San Francisco el Grande by comparing historic plans and cartography. The analysis has revealed consistent reasons to interpret architectural phases of the Convent, the character of its open gardened spaces and the spatial development of the area. The main objective of the paper is a further comprehension of the architectural stratification of the Convent and its surroundings. The comparison of the existing graphic information of the area provides valuable information for deciding in the future how its surroundings spaces should be regulated, preserved and intervened.

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