Hospital de los Venerables

Baroque church and a sunken azulejo patio

Hours: Mon–Sat 10:00–19:00, Sun 10:00–15:00; last entry 1 hour before closing
Address: Plaza de los Venerables, inside the Santa Cruz lanes

It began in the 17th century as a retreat for elderly priests. Today you step down into a sunken patio framed by azulejo tiles with a low fountain in the middle. The Baroque church ceiling is covered in frescoes by Valdés Leal and his son. The building also houses the Velázquez Centre, with work by the painter and his contemporaries. It makes a calm pause in the middle of the Santa Cruz lanes.