This church is the result of the vicissitudes of its time. In 1640 the king, Philip IV It had serious problems maintaining the Empire in Europe, and revolts occurred within Spanish territory itself. The situation in Catalonia motivated the king to lead the army. Velázquez, painter and friend of the king, captured it in a beautiful portrait: “Philip IV in Fraga”.

The Castilian Benedictines were expelled from Montserrat and the king gave them some land on Calle de St. Bernard. Between 1668 and 1671, Sebastian Herrera Barnuevo, architect of the palace, carried out a project that was never completed. A huge church, with two towers, a large dome with a drum and lantern, a transept and an ambulatory. Still unfinished, it stands out for its proportions, the large tower and façade. Herrera Barnuevo designed the façade, the outline of the central nave and side chapels. He continued Pedro de Ribera contributing his style to the monument. As a consequence, it is a fantastic example of Madrid baroque.

The Confiscation of Mendizábal expelled the monks from the convent. Since 1843, it was used as a women's prison, known as "the gallery" .

in the novel “The disinherited”,  Perez Galdos describes the Galera, which he calls the "Model".

A abrazo.