Invisible Nuns and Gladiator Spas
You’ve probably heard about Madrid’s famous neighboring cities, Segovia, Toledo, and Ávila, but have you heard of Alcalá de Henares? I hadn’t. This neighbor to the northeast is chock-full on interesting sites. It’s like wielding a machete in the thicket trying to absorb all of the architecture, charm, and history.
What drew me to Alcalá de Henares is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, enchanting author of Don Quixote. What surprised me was how much history this modest city has lined in its streets. The bedrock of Alcala de Henares the university, opened in 1499 and running continuously ever since. There is also Antenzana’s hospital, which claims to be the oldest hospital of its kind in Europe having operated since 1483. The hospital is still to this day managed by the Board of Knights of Alcalá, initially established by the founders.
University of Alcalá in Alcalá de Henares
After an enchanting visit to the house of Cervantes, I proceeded to the ruins of the well-known Roman city of Complutum. It’s an expansive area situated in a quiet residential neighborhood in Alcalá, juxtaposed against the banality of public housing. There is an impressive array of various structures uncovered over the years, including a forum built during the reign of Emperor Claudius, public baths, massive houses with garden areas, and a brick building where the augurs practiced divination; a building which admittedly looked completely out of place and too modern a structure to have been build nearly 2,000 years ago. But there it stands.
Remnants of the Forum at the Roman city of Complutum
The streets of Alcalá de Henares also carry the history of footsteps that would eventually change the world and thrust Spain into the realm of famous empires. Queen Isabella and Christopher Columbus held their first “interview” in this city as the prospect of funding his journey across the Atlantic was still under contemplation.
One of the most memorable moments I had in the city was meeting Teresa. She is a lovely senior woman I met trying to find the convent where the “invisible” nuns sell sugar-coated almonds, a well-known highlight of the city. She appeared to be afflicted with a neurological disorder similar to Katherine Hepburn’s vocal quaver, but her gate was sturdy and she had the enthusiasm of a young girl in her determination to acquire treats.
The almonds are a signature sweet in the area, and what sweeter treat than those purchased from God-faring devotees at the local convent. Convento de las Clarisas de San Diego is located in the heart of the old city, tucked within the walkways of the antiquated university. Teresa was in search of the same treats. Our first stop was the Convento de Santa Úrsula where Teresa purchased a lemon sweet bread and I purchased galletas, or cookies. To obtain the treats, one must first ring the bell of the convent. A voice replies and allows you to enter, then you are faced with a wooden door protecting a Lazy Susan used for the exchange. Behind the Lazy Susan, the “invisible nun” facilitates the exchange.
A Lazy Susan hides behind the small door at a convent where sweets are purchased from an “invisible nun”
Teresa was kind enough to let me follow her to Convento de las Clarisas de San Diego, where I initially thought I was headed, to purchase the almonds. We carried on with small talk, to the best I was able to communicate in Spanish, but it was enough to know that she lives in Guadalajara, a nearby town. I asked about Guadalajara, and her response was “mas o menos” (more or less) – it seemed it didn’t hold the same level of charm as Alcalá de Henares, but was suitable enough for her to spend her years. At last, we had our almonds, we shared a moment as we savored one in tandem before we went our separate ways.
I spent six hours in the city, which wasn’t quite enough to visit all of the sites. Next time, I would spend at least one full day and arguably two to provide enough time to browse the museums and other places of interest in this memorable off-the-radar city near Madrid.