Calle de la Misericordia

Sol

The street takes its name from the Royal Hospital of La Misericordia, founded in 1559 by the Infanta Juana of Austria, sister of Philip II, next to the convent of the Descalzas Reales. It sheltered twelve poor priests or gentlemen, and its head chaplain managed its property; the neighbouring street, which led to the chaplains' residence, was named Capellanes and kept that name until 1941 (today Maestro Victoria), while Misericordia remained the name of the street giving access to the convent.

Calle de la Misericordia is barely ninety-five metres long, between the plaza de las Descalzas Reales and calle del Maestro Victoria, in the Sol quarter. For such a short stretch it holds three centuries that begin with a charity: the Royal Hospital of La Misericordia, linked to the Descalzas convent by an underground passage. With the hospital pulled down in the early nineteenth century, the site had unexpected lives: carnival dance hall, café-theatre, and a succession of venues that changed their bills and names, until it was demolished in 1969 to expand El Corte Inglés. At number 2, the Viena Capellanes bakery opened its first branch, founded in 1873. Between 1896 and 1902 Pío Baroja ran the business, writing his first novels in the back room.

Its names

  • Sin denominación registrada / Calle hacia las Descalzas16th–17th century
  • Calle de la Misericordia17th century–actualidad
  • Calle de la Misericordia (nombre vigente)1835–actualidad
Sources (9)

Crossings