"The old Convent of San Francisco Casa Grande is located in the Realejo neighborhood, near the statue of Yehuda Ibn Tibbón , between San Matías and Pavaneras streets and surrounded by other historical buildings such as the Casa de los Tiros , the Casa de los Marquises of Casablanca , the Palace of the Marquis Villa Alegre , and the palace of Los Condes de Castillejo .
After the expulsion of the Jews, ordered by the Catholic Monarchs, the Realejo neighborhood was practically uninhabited. Little by little, families who accompanied the kings settled in the area. The place occupied today by the Convent of San Francisco Casa Grande was chosen by the nobles of the court.
The first church of San Francisco was erected in 1507 , on top of an old mosque, of which there are still remains of the Minaret, the cistern and some baths.
This church was mainly paid for by the Royal Family, and became the first cathedral in Granada, which until then was located in Sta. María de la Alhambra. It was also the house and burial place of Fray Hernando de Talavera, first archbishop of Granada.
The monumental church occupied the entire area of ??what is now Plaza Padre Suárez. It consisted of a central nave and six chapels on the sides.
The Franciscans of the Alhambra moved to the center of San Francisco Casa Grande in the first half of the 16th century, making this headquarters the largest of the Order in Eastern Andalusia, hence its nickname “grande”.
The Convent of San Francisco underwent several transformations in the 19th century, being demolished twice, once during the French occupation in 1810, when the convent became headquarters, and another with the exclaustration of Mendizábal, after which it became be used as the residence of the Military Governor, military offices, Post Office and accommodation.
It is not known for sure what happened to his works of art, but many would end up in the hands of French collaborators and collectors, while others were distributed among some temples in Granada.
In 1943, Mayor Gallego y Burín decided to attach the Pilar de Don Pedro to the rear façade of this building . In 1945 it became the General Captaincy, modifying its offices to adapt to its new use.
Of the Convent we only have a beautiful imperial staircase and the cloister, which is surrounded by 16 Ionic-style columns in stone from Sierra Elvira, a central hexagonal fountain and a well, all from the 16th century.
The Convent of San Francisco Casa Grande is a clear example of how different political decisions can destroy or preserve our heritage. It is currently the headquarters of the MADOC Headquarters (Military Training and Doctrine Command)"
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