Holy Week Museum of Lorca
Murcia
Located in the historic Convent of Santo Domingo in Lorca, Murcia, the Holy Week Museum of Lorca (Museo de Bordados del Paso Blanco) preserves and exhibits an extensive collection of hand-embroidered textiles integral to the city's famous Holy Week festivities. Opened in 1995, the museum is dedicated to the study, conservation, and promotion of the artistic textile heritage of the Paso Blanco brotherhood, one of the main Easter brotherhoods in Lorca, recognized as an International Tourist Interest Festival. The museum houses over 1,500 pieces, including six textiles declared as Cultural Heritage of Interest (Bienes de Interés Cultural), displayed in the special Chamber of Wonders. The museum is located within the former Convent of Santo Domingo, which dates back to 1551, featuring the adjacent Chapel of the Rosary, a baroque structure with significant artistic elements such as a dome painted with Marian themes and a richly decorated rococo main altarpiece reconstructed after damage during the Spanish Civil War. Visitors can explore the museum's exquisite embroidery collections alongside the architectural and historical richness of the convent complex, making it a unique cultural and artistic destination in Lorca.
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Tip: The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00, and Sundays from 10:30 to 14:00. It is advisable to visit during weekdays to avoid crowds. Tickets include access to the museum, the Chapel of the Rosary, and the Chamber of Wonders. Discounts are available for groups, students, seniors, and children under 12 enter free. Booking in advance is recommended during peak Holy Week season.
Interesting facts
- •The museum holds over 1,500 hand-embroidered pieces made with silk and gold threads.
- •Six of the embroideries are officially recognized as Bienes de Interés Cultural (Cultural Heritage of Interest).
- •The Chapel of the Rosary features a mural depicting the Battle of Lepanto, a significant 1571 naval battle.
- •The main altarpiece was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War and reconstructed between 1992 and 1995 based on historical photographs.
- •The Paso Blanco brotherhood, associated with the museum, is one of the principal Holy Week brotherhoods in Lorca, a festival declared of International Tourist Interest.
History
The Convent of Santo Domingo was founded in 1551 on the site of an earlier hermitage and developed over the 16th to 18th centuries, with notable Baroque architectural features such as the cloister built in 1646 and the Chapel of the Rosary constructed starting in 1707.
The chapel commemorates the Christian naval victory at the Battle of Lepanto and contains a mural depicting the event.
The main altarpiece, originally carved in 1749 by José de Ganga Ripoll, was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War and later reconstructed in the 1990s.
The convent complex now serves as the home of the Paso Blanco embroidery museum, reflecting the deep cultural and religious traditions of Lorca's Holy Week.
Place Guide
Convent of Santo Domingo1551
Founded in 1551, this historic convent features Baroque architecture including a cloister built in 1646 and a church adapted to house the embroidery museum. It provides the atmospheric setting for the museum's textile collections.
Chapel of the Rosary1707
Attached to the convent, this Baroque chapel was built beginning in 1707 and is notable for its Latin cross plan, barrel-vaulted nave, Corinthian columns on the entrance, and a dome decorated with paintings related to the Virgin of the Rosary and the Dominican Order. It houses a mural commemorating the Battle of Lepanto.
Chamber of Wonders (Cámara de las Maravillas)
A special exhibition room within the museum displaying six embroidery pieces declared Cultural Heritage of Interest, showcasing the highest artistic and historical value of the Paso Blanco textile collection.
Main Altarpiece of the Chapel of the Rosary1749
Originally carved in 1749 by José de Ganga Ripoll, this rococo altarpiece was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War and painstakingly reconstructed between 1992 and 1995 by local sculptor Antonio Morales Gilberte using archival photographs.
Contact
Phone: 968 46 18 13
