"Our Lady of Tears kills to defend herself". This is the message that the Pope receives on his personal computer around which the intrigue of 'La piel del tambor', a novel published by Arturo Pérez Reverte in 1995 and made into a film in 2022, revolves. The church, the setting and absolute protagonist of the plot of the story, is now for sale as an integral part of the convent of La Concepción.
The historic building has more than 3,700 square metres of living space in the heart of the historic centre of Carmona. "Founded in the 16th century, the convent is an architectural and artistic landmark, which was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1963 and has played an essential role in the history of the city," says Pilar Aparicio, director of the Engel & Völkers Market Center in Seville.
One of the historical-artistic jewels of the building is precisely the convent church. "It is an example of the Gothic-Mudejar style, with a single nave and a polygonal apse, covered by an original, perfectly preserved coffered ceiling," explains Aparicio. The main altarpiece of the church is a masterpiece of Baroque art by Tomás Guisado, made in the 18th century and profusely decorated with carvings, gilding and a wealth of iconography.
"The historical context and the planned transformation make the convent a unique jewel," emphasises Aparicio, who has exclusive ownership of the convent for 6.85 million euros. "With a hotel licence for 75 rooms, approved execution project and administrative fees paid, the project not only seeks to restore and preserve the architectural beauty and historical heritage of the building, but also to give it a new life as a hotel destination with a capacity of close to 1,000 people for events," adds the director of Engel & Völkers in Seville.
"The building includes an additional 1,402 sqm of three adjoining plots with access to road traffic, with the aim of expanding the different areas of the future hotel and enhancing the development of the project, making a total of 5,300 sqm in the centre of Carmona," describes Aparicio.
A history that begins with the papal bull of Julius II
In 1510, the papal bull of Julius II granted the licence to found the convent in Carmona. Although it initially belonged to the order of the Terceras Franciscanas, in 1516 it became a Conceptionist convent, linked to the daughters of Santa Beatriz de Silva. The works would continue during the first decades of the 16th century, and the church was blessed in 1543. Over the centuries, the convent underwent several architectural and artistic transformations that reflect the influences of different historical periods.
The building is predominantly Gothic and Renaissance in style, with later Baroque modifications. The exterior façade is sober and austere. The cloister, one of the most outstanding elements from an architectural point of view, has a square plan with two floors of Doric and Ionic columns, which were built in the 16th century.
The incredible beauty and representativeness of the building was decisive in its being chosen for the filming of the adaptation of Pérez Reverte's book. Directed by Sergio Dow and starring Richard Armitage, Amaia Salamanca, Carlos Cuevas, Rodolfo Sancho and Alicia Borrachero, among others, the film has the Andalusian capital as another of its main locations.
First anniversary of Engel & Völkers in Seville
Engel & Völkers has celebrated its first anniversary in Seville this month, having become the real estate reference for the most exclusive assets in the city. This convent is one of the latest properties to join the coveted portfolio of around a hundred properties with prices ranging from 150,000 euros for a small flat in the centre to 8 million euros for a 17th century palace-house in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood.
