The Church of San Jerónimo el Real, popularly known as Los Jerónimos, is a late Gothic temple with Renaissance influences from the early 16th century, very close to the Prado Museum.

It was one of the most important monasteries in Madrid, originally governed by the Order of Saint Jerome. Next to it there was the so-called Royal Room, expanded by Felipe II, a series of rooms intended for the accommodation of the monarchs and which would be the seed of the future Buen Retiro Palace, enlarged during the time of Philip IV. The convent still preserves the church, converted into the parish church of San Jerónimo, and a Renaissance cloister.

The church and the convent were closely linked to the life of the Court and the Spanish monarchy. It was a frequent setting for funerals, swearing-in of heirs, weddings and royal proclamations, such as that of the Kings. Alfonso XIII y Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg in 1906 or the taking of possession of the Crown by the King Juan Carlos I.

However, the appearance of the church is relatively recent, dating back to the mid-nineteenth century, when the towers we see today and the façade, in neo-Gothic style, were built. The grand staircase is even more recent, it was built at the beginning of the twentieth century for the wedding of Alfonso XIII.

The side chapels, which have been restored and renovated, are worth a visit and feature eight magnificent paintings loaned by the Prado, religious works by some of the best artists of Madrid's Baroque.

The main cloister popularly known as Cloister of the Jerónimos, rebuilt within the extension of the Prado Museum, was built on the site of the first Isabelline Gothic cloister of the Monastery. The probable date of construction, in the opinion of most authors, is 1672, and the author Friar Lawrence of Saint NicholasIt is made of Madrid granite and decorated with the royal coats of arms and the emblems of the Jerónimos.

A abrazo.