Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla

The Museum of Fine Arts, Sevilla, was established as a "Museum to display paintings", by Royal Decree on 16 September 1835, with objects from convents and monasteries seized by the liberal government presided by Mendizábal. It is located in the Plaza del Museo, in the place of the former Convento de la Merced Calzada founded on lands transferred by Ferdinand III after conquering Sevilla.

The building which we see today owes its general layout to the transformations carried out in the first decades of the 17th century thanks to the initiative of Fray Alonso de Monroy, general of the Order from 1602. In 1603, the architect and sculptor Juan de Oviedo y de la Bandera presented the plans and instructions for its construction, which was begun with the demolition of the former Mudejar building. In 1612, the temple was finished and almost half a century later, the rest of the cement works were completed, thus becoming one of the most beautiful examples of Andalusian mannerism.

Since it was set up as a museum, the building has undergone three large interventions. The first, between 1868 and 1898 involved the restoration of the arches and walls on the first floor, laying the floors of the cloisters and tiling these with tiles from the seized convents. The second, between 1942 and 1945 involved the opening of the patio de las Conchas on the site of the former vestry and the transfer of the main ancient baroque facade to calle Bailén. The third, starting in 1985 and finishing in 1993, was developed in various stages in order to completely restore the building and adapt it to the many demands of a modern exhibition space.