Monastery of Miraflores, Burgos

The visit to the monastery of Miraflores is fully justified by the amazing highlights of sculptural art to be seen in the church.
There is the gilded and polychromatic altarpiece carved out of walnut wood (1496-1499) standing in the choir. This work is a jewel of late Gothic art. The altarpiece is original by its layout; the scenes fit in circles and radiate like a rose window.
In front of the altar stand the alabaster tomb (1489-1493) with the recumbent effigies of Isabella of Portugal and John II of Castille. The tomb has the form of a star with eight points and is regarded as one of the most beautiful of Spain. Along the wall is the alabaster tomb of the Infant Alonso. All these sculptures show a wealth of elaborate details and exuberant variety.

These masterpieces were made by Gil de Siloé considered as the best Master of sculptural art of Spain in the 15th century.
As he is also called Gil de Amberes (the name for Antwerp in Spanish); it is therefore possible that he came from the North. One indeed finds in his art a Flemish, French or Rhineland influence.

Church is open: Monday to Saturday 10.15 - 15.00 & 16.00 - 18.00 h
Sundays & feast days 11.00 - 15.00 & 16.00 - 18.00 h
Mass on Sundays and feast days at 10.15 h
Free admission.

After the visit to the Cistercian monastery of Las Huelgas to the west we drove 3 Km back eastwards of the city centre to a wooded hill were was build starting in 1454 a monastery of Carthusian monks under the reign of King John II of Castile and his wife, Isabella of Portugal.
The monastery itself is still occupied by Carthusian monks and is not visited.

The church in plain Gothic with only one nave was built by architects Juan de Colonia and his son Simon. It is a must see as this burial place is one of the Gothic jewels of the end of the 15th century.
It contains the large gilded high altar by Gil de Siloé and Diego de la Cruz and the alabaster tomb of John and Isabella (also by Gil de Siloé), one of the richest of its kind in Spain. In a recess in the north wall is the alabaster tomb of the Infant Alfonso (d. 1468), decorated with luxuriant arabesques.
Isabel the Catholic, daughter of John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal commissioned the altarpiece and tombs in this church.

Church is open: Monday to Saturday 10.15 - 15.00 & 16.00 - 18.00 h
Sundays & feast days 11.00 - 15.00 & 16.00 - 18.00 h
Mass on Sundays and feast days at 10.15 h

Free admission.

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Another moument well worth a visit is the Miraflores church. Built on the site of Henry III's burnt down palace by John II from 1454 until the turn of the century, and designed to receive the remains of John and wife Isabelle of Portugal. The superb royal mausoleum that dates from 1489 before the church was actually finished is in alabaster and is breathtaking in it's finesse. The church is open most days and entrance is free.