Historic convent-church of San José in Caravaca to benefit from million-euro restoration project

The Convent of San José was founded by Teresa de Jesús 450 years ago

The Town Hall of Caravaca de la Cruz has announced that work will begin in the last week of August to restore the former Convent and Church of San José, one of the great historic buildings founded by San Teresa de Jesús (who lived from 1515 to 1582 and was canonized 40 years after her death).

Mayor José Francisco García states that the building is “a spiritual jewel, not only for Caravaca but also for the whole of the Region of Murcia”, adding that next year marks the 450^th anniversary of its foundation and that the restoration, which is budgeted to require an investment of over a million euros, is a fitting way to mark the occasion. The year will be celebrated by a series of events in collaboration with other towns and cities associated with Teresa, the “Ciudades Teresianas”.

As recently as 2020 the building was owned by an American vulture fund, but it has since been purchased by the Town Hall and the regional government for 800,000 euros, and now Councillor Carmen Conesa explains that it is to be made more accessible and practical from a visiting and tourism point of view. At the same time, the church will be “brought back to life” through the restoration of individual murals as well as ceiling vaults and altarpieces. Air conditioning and fire protection will be installed while the interior and exterior will both be cleaned, making this an attractive multi-functional venue, reflecting the determination of the administration to make use of the heritage of Caravaca in driving forward social and economic development.

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