Santa Teresa basilica and convent

This complex occupies the site of the house where Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada was born in 1515; it should not be mistaken for an original home preserved intact. The basilica and convent belong to a later building campaign, begun in 1629 and inaugurated in 1636, designed by the Carmelite Alonso de San José. The transformation of a domestic site into a sanctuary explains how Teresa’s public memory developed. Look at the façade and its relationship with the square before approaching any available interior spaces. Ávila contains other places associated with Teresa, but each belongs to a different stage of her life and the Carmelite reform. This stop establishes her birthplace; a museum visit needs its own time and admission checks.