In the shadows of the Church of Santo Domingo is the Convent of Santa Cruz La Real. Prior to the start of the 16th century, this property was two gardens named Almanjarra Mayor and Almanjarra Menor. In 1492, Queen Isabella I degreed the orchards be converted into a Dominican monastery. The cloister was not finished until 1624. Standing in this 98 foot courtyard lets you appreciate the two-story arcades. Convento de Santa Cruz la Real was confiscated in 1835, along with other monasteries in Spain. Most of the structure was then demolished and not restructured until the mid-20th century. After the Dominicans reclaimed the building in 1966, they founded Colegio Mayor, a high school for boys.
