Tordesillas Tourist Attractions
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The old Castilian market town of Tordesillas, situated on a hill above the Río Duero, lies at an important road junction and was once a frequent residence of the kings of Spain. Here in 1494, following a decision of Pope Alexander VI, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided the New World and other territories yet to be discovered between the two countries: all the lands to the east of a line running from pole to pole 370mi west of the Cape Verde Islands were assigned to Portugal, all the lands to the west of the line, with the exception of Brazil, to Spain.After her husband's death Joan the Mad spent the last years of her life in the convent of Santa Clara here. During the rebellion of the Comuneros the town was the headquarters of their Junta Santa ("Sacred League").
Museo de San Antolín
The 16th century church of San Antolín, with a graceful tower, is now a museum. The Capilla de Alderete has a beautiful retablo and contains the tomb of the founder, Pedro González de Alderete; both are by Gaspar de Tordesillas (1550).
Real Monasterio de Santa Clara
The Real Monasterio de Santa Clara, a convent of Clarissine nuns, was originally a palace built by Alfonso XI in the 14th century. Pedro the Cruel chose it as a residence for his illegally married second wife María de Padilla and rebuilt it in Moorish style, modeled on the Alcázar in Seville. After Pedro's death it was occupied by the Clarissines. Moorish influence is evident particularly in the horseshoe and cusped arches in the Patioárabe and the dome of the adjoining Capilla Dorada, which has 16th century frescoes. A variety of objects are displayed in this chapel, including Joan the Mad's harmonium and a clavichord which Charles V and Philip II are said to have played.
Real Monasterio de Santa Clara - Gothic Artesonado Ceiling
The most sumptuous of the chapels in the church is the Capilla Mayor, with a superb artesonado ceiling which came from Alfonso XI's throne room. In the Capilla del Contador Saldaña is a Flemish retablo with paintings by Nicolás Francés.
