The former Benedictine monastery of San Benito el Real was once one of the most powerful religious houses in Castile. The huge church, begun in 1499, was designed by Juan and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, the same family that worked on the cathedrals of Salamanca and Segovia. The tall tower fronting the entrance is the most distinctive feature, and the interior has the soaring proportions of a Gothic-Renaissance hybrid.
The cloister and adjoining buildings now serve as the Museo Patio Herreriano of contemporary Spanish art — an interesting juxtaposition of old monastic walls and modern abstract painting. The combined visit is worth an hour, and the bars on the square in front make a pleasant aperitivo stop.