The convent, inaugurated in 1636, was built on top of the birthplace of Santa Teresa de Jesús, and designed by the architect Fray Alonso de San José.
The Baroque facade of the church is interesting, as is the interior, with its Latin cross floor plan, the adjoining naves of which house magnificent sculptures by the master Gregorio Fernández.
Located in the Plaza de la Santa, within the walls about ten minutes walk from the Cathedral The convent of the Order of Discalced Carmelites was built between 1629 and 1636.
Saint Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, baptized as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, (March 28, 1515 – October 4, 1582) was a prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation, and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be, along with John of the Cross, a founder of the Discalced Carmelites.
In 1622, forty years after her death, she was canonized by Pope Gregory XV, and in 1970 named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI. Her books, which include her autobiography, The Life of Teresa of Jesus, and her seminal work, El Castillo Interior (The Interior Castle), are an integral part of the Spanish Renaissance literature as well as Christian mysticism and Christian meditation practices as she entails in her other important work Camino de Perfección (The Way of Perfection).