View of the La Rábida Monastery

The Monastery of Santa María de la Rábida (Palos de la Frontera, Huelva), is a Franciscan convent built during the 14th and 15th centuries on the Peña de Saturno hill between the Tinto and Odiel rivers. The monastery has an irregular layout and has undergone modifications, particularly after the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. It is known for its Gothic-Mudejar chapel, Mudejar cloisters, an arch at the entrance to a chapel (one of its oldest pieces), the rooms decorated by Daniel Vázquez Díaz, and the museum containing objects commemorating the discovery of the Americas. Christopher Columbus once stayed at the monastery, where he found scientific and moral support before departing for the New World. Some of the monks, such as friars Juan Pérez and Antonio de Marchena, helped him in his dealings with the Crown, and Martín Alonso Pinzón (who is buried in the monastery) supported him financially and recruited the sailors who signed up for the voyage. Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro also arrived at this monastery on their return from their conquests. For these reasons, it is considered a key site in relation to Columbus. A Royal Order issued on February 3, 1856 declared the monastery a “Historical and Artistic National Monument”—the third national monument in Spain. It is also widely recognized as a meeting point between Iberia and the Americas. Stationery M. Mora y Compañía