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San Juan of the Monarchs

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This monastery was founded by King Ferdinand II of Aragon

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and Queen Isabella I of Castile

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to commemorate both the birth of their son Prince John

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and the victory of the Battle of Toro 1476

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over the army of Alfonso V of Portugal.

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San Juan de los Reyes consolidated the union of the two most important peninsular kingdoms, Aragon and Castile.

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Toledo was chosen as the site for building the monastery due to its geographic location.

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This monastery was initially named San Juan de la Reina

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and was conceived to be the mausoleum of the Catholic monarchs.

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They would change the plans later, choosing Granada as their burial place after its reconquest in 1492.

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In 1809, the monastery was badly damaged by Napoleon's troops during their occupation of Toledo.

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The monastery was restored to the Franciscan order in 1954.

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San Juan of the Monarchs is an example of this abilene style.

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Its church is in the form of a Latin cross, with short arms and elongated nave approximately 15 meters in length and 30 meters high,

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and side chapels situated between the domed arches, three chapels on either side of the nave and two more under the choir.

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The church is notable for its decoration of the coats of arms of the Catholic monarchs held by eagles.

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To symbolize the victory of the Christians in the years-long Granada campaign,

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its granite exterior façade is festooned as per the Queen's Order of 1494

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with the manacles and shackles worn by Christian prisoners from Granada

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held by the Moors and released during the Reconquista.