COVARRUBIAS, Alonso de

The Hospital de Santa Cruz in Toledo was designed by Enrique Egas the Elder. Between 1517 and 1524 Covarrubias worked at the hospital under the direction of the Egas brothers.

The hospital was founded by Cardinal Mendoza at the end of the 15th century to centralize assistance to orphaned and abandoned children in the city. It has a remarkable plateresque portal, an early masterpiece of Alonso de Covarrubias.

The Hospital de Santa Cruz in Toledo was designed by Enrique Egas the Elder. Between 1517 and 1524 Covarrubias worked at the hospital under the direction of the Egas brothers.

The hospital was founded by Cardinal Mendoza at the end of the 15th century to centralize assistance to orphaned and abandoned children in the city. It has a remarkable plateresque portal, an early masterpiece of Alonso de Covarrubias.

Covarrubias accepted commissions in other cities in spite of his duties at Toledo Cathedral. In 1537, together with Luis de Vega, he was chosen by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, to be surveyor to the fabric of the Alc�zares (palaces) at Madrid, Toledo and Seville, a post he was to hold until 1569.

In 1543 Covarrubias began to remodel the medieval Alc�zar of Toledo in a Renaissance style. In the fa�ade (1545-52) he introduced a classic order, albeit only on the two end elevations, as an element in the vertical articulation: royal taste, however, required the inclusion of certain emblematic and decorative features alongside the classic elements, although the grotesque ornamentation of the plateresque is absent. The sobriety of the rectangular courtyard with two storeys of Corinthian cloisters is complete, while the tripartite opening of the entrance hall is another innovation. A sense of strict axial symmetry is promoted by the location of the stairway at the rear of the courtyard, rather than its usual placement near the entrance. In Covarrubias’s previous designs this feature had always been placed in a central, visible position as a double square turning staircase for the use of two symmetrical courtyards. In Toledo, while retaining the characteristic, Spanish open stairwell, he opened the staircase on to the courtyard through galleries. Planned in 1550 and begun in 1553, it was the first example of the imperial type of five (E-shaped) flights to be built in Europe.

The photo shows the main fa�ade.

View the ground plan of the Alc�zar, Toledo.

Covarrubias accepted commissions in other cities in spite of his duties at Toledo Cathedral. In 1537, together with Luis de Vega, he was chosen by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, to be surveyor to the fabric of the Alc�zares (palaces) at Madrid, Toledo and Seville, a post he was to hold until 1569.

In 1543 Covarrubias began to remodel the medieval Alc�zar of Toledo in a Renaissance style.

View the ground plan of the Alc�zar, Toledo.

The Hospital de Santa Cruz in Toledo was designed by Enrique Egas the Elder. Between 1517 and 1524 Covarrubias worked at the hospital under the direction of the Egas brothers.

The hospital was founded by Cardinal Mendoza at the end of the 15th century to centralize assistance to orphaned and abandoned children in the city. The building has a Greek cross plan with four courtyards, two of which were completed. The first is of Covarrubias and gives access to the upper floor through a three-ladder staircase.

The photo shows the courtyard.

The Hospital de Santa Cruz in Toledo was designed by Enrique Egas the Elder. Between 1517 and 1524 Covarrubias worked at the hospital under the direction of the Egas brothers.

The hospital was founded by Cardinal Mendoza at the end of the 15th century to centralize assistance to orphaned and abandoned children in the city. The building has a Greek cross plan with four courtyards, two of which were completed. The first is of Covarrubias and gives access to the upper floor through a three-ladder staircase.

The photo shows the courtyard.

The Hospital de Santa Cruz in Toledo was designed by Enrique Egas the Elder. Between 1517 and 1524 Covarrubias worked at the hospital under the direction of the Egas brothers.

The hospital was founded by Cardinal Mendoza at the end of the 15th century to centralize assistance to orphaned and abandoned children in the city. The building has a Greek cross plan with four courtyards, two of which were completed. The first is of Covarrubias and gives access to the upper floor through a three-ladder staircase.

The photo shows the staircase.

Covarrubias accepted commissions in other cities in spite of his duties at Toledo Cathedral. In 1537, together with Luis de Vega, he was chosen by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, to be surveyor to the fabric of the Alc�zares (palaces) at Madrid, Toledo and Seville, a post he was to hold until 1569.

In 1543 Covarrubias began to remodel the medieval Alc�zar of Toledo in a Renaissance style. In the fa�ade (1545-52) he introduced a classic order, albeit only on the two end elevations, as an element in the vertical articulation: royal taste, however, required the inclusion of certain emblematic and decorative features alongside the classic elements, although the grotesque ornamentation of the plateresque is absent. The sobriety of the rectangular courtyard with two storeys of Corinthian cloisters is complete, while the tripartite opening of the entrance hall is another innovation. A sense of strict axial symmetry is promoted by the location of the stairway at the rear of the courtyard, rather than its usual placement near the entrance. In Covarrubias’s previous designs this feature had always been placed in a central, visible position as a double square turning staircase for the use of two symmetrical courtyards. In Toledo, while retaining the characteristic, Spanish open stairwell, he opened the staircase on to the courtyard through galleries. Planned in 1550 and begun in 1553, it was the first example of the imperial type of five (E-shaped) flights to be built in Europe.

The photo shows the courtyard with the stairway in the back.

View the ground plan of the Alc�zar, Toledo.

Covarrubias accepted commissions in other cities in spite of his duties at Toledo Cathedral. In 1537, together with Luis de Vega, he was chosen by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, to be surveyor to the fabric of the Alc�zares (palaces) at Madrid, Toledo and Seville, a post he was to hold until 1569.

In 1543 Covarrubias began to remodel the medieval Alc�zar of Toledo in a Renaissance style. In the fa�ade (1545–52) he introduced a classic order, albeit only on the two end elevations, as an element in the vertical articulation: royal taste, however, required the inclusion of certain emblematic and decorative features alongside the classic elements, although the grotesque ornamentation of the Plateresque is absent. The sobriety of the rectangular courtyard with two storeys of Corinthian cloisters is complete, while the tripartite opening of the entrance hall is another innovation.

A sense of strict axial symmetry is promoted by the location of the stairway at the rear of the courtyard, rather than its usual placement near the entrance. In Covarrubias’s previous designs this feature had always been placed in a central, visible position as a double square turning staircase for the use of two symmetrical courtyards. In Toledo, while retaining the characteristic, Spanish open stairwell, he opened the staircase on to the courtyard through galleries. Planned in 1550 and begun in 1553, it was the first example of the imperial type of five (E-shaped) flights to be built in Europe.

The photo shows the stairway.

Covarrubias accepted commissions in other cities in spite of his duties at Toledo Cathedral. In 1537, together with Luis de Vega, he was chosen by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, to be surveyor to the fabric of the Alc�zares (palaces) at Madrid, Toledo and Seville, a post he was to hold until 1569.

In 1543 Covarrubias began to remodel the medieval Alc�zar of Toledo in a Renaissance style. In the fa�ade (1545–52) he introduced a classic order, albeit only on the two end elevations, as an element in the vertical articulation: royal taste, however, required the inclusion of certain emblematic and decorative features alongside the classic elements, although the grotesque ornamentation of the Plateresque is absent. The sobriety of the rectangular courtyard with two storeys of Corinthian cloisters is complete, while the tripartite opening of the entrance hall is another innovation.

A sense of strict axial symmetry is promoted by the location of the stairway at the rear of the courtyard, rather than its usual placement near the entrance. In Covarrubias’s previous designs this feature had always been placed in a central, visible position as a double square turning staircase for the use of two symmetrical courtyards. In Toledo, while retaining the characteristic, Spanish open stairwell, he opened the staircase on to the courtyard through galleries. Planned in 1550 and begun in 1553, it was the first example of the imperial type of five (E-shaped) flights to be built in Europe.

The photo shows the stairway.