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Real Colegio Seminario del Corpus Christi

Valencian Community / Spain

The Real Colegio Seminario del Corpus Christi is a former Roman Catholic seminary, now museum, on calle de la Nau in the Spanish city of Valencia in the old city opposite La Nau, the former Universidad Literaria. The college complex was built between 1586 and 1615 and now hosts the little-known Museum of the Patriarch.The Patriarch, Real College and the Seminary of Corpus Christi are a church, a seminary and a college, respectively. Work on the buildings began in 1586 and finished in 1610. It is structured around a large renaissance cloister enclosing the church, the communion chapel, the library, the sleeping quarters and the classrooms. There is another courtyard at the back and a small belfry is located in the corner of the plaza.Archbishop Juan de Ribera of Valencia, who built the College, arranged housing there for the Franciscan nun, mystic Sr. Margarita Agullona so he could bear witness to her mystical raptures and for 25 years. When she died, he had her remains moved there. "He ordered in February 1605, that the body of the Venerable, who was incorrupt, be moved, and arranged that a burning lamp always burned before her sepulcher."The Patriarch, has been a National Monument since 1962 and it became a Monument of Cultural Interest in 2007, and remains an excellent example of Renaissance architecture. Of special note in the Patriarch Museum are paintings by Caravaggio, El Greco, Van Der teyden, Benlliure, Ribalta and Pinazo, as well as an original manuscript by Sir Thomas More.