The Monastery of the Immaculate Conception (Spanish: Monasterio de la Inmaculada Concepción) is a monastery of Dominican nuns located in the Spanish town of Loeches, in front of the Town square of the Duchess of Alba. It is also known as "The Big Convent (El Convento Grande)".
It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1982.
History It was founded in 1640 by Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel, III count-duke of Olivares, Favourite of King Philip IV . The work was completed by his nephew, Luis Méndez de Haro, Marqués del Carpio and Count-Duke of Olivares and, later, It would become one of the richest churches in pictorial works in Spain, with objects given to the Count-Duke of Olivares by King Philip IV. Relatives of the Dominican Mothers also donated many other works. The art collection had works by Alonso Cano, Rubens, Bassano, Tintoretto, Veronese and Michelangelo, among others.
In 1809 the collection was looted by General Horace Sebastiani de la Porta during the French invasion and many of these works were taken to France, where today they can be seen in museums such as the Louvre. Other paintings are now located in other museums such as the National Gallery of London or the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Florida.
Currently, the monastery is under the patronage of the House of Alba, current counts-dukes of Olivares.
Family pantheon of the House of Alba In 1909 Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, 17th Duke of Alba de Tormes and 13th Count-Duke of Olivares, founded a pantheon adding a chapel to the monastery for the House of Alba, which was the work of Juan Bautista Lázaro inspired by the chapel from El Escorial.
In the mausoleum rest – mainly – the remains of the heads of the House of Alba, from Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Ventimiglia, Duke of Alba de Tormes.
The mausoleum of María Francisca de Sales Portocarrero, sister of Eugenia de Montijo and empress of France, the work of Charles-Alphonse- Achille Gumery.
Commemorated in the Pantheon Name Year of Death María Francisca Palafox Portocarrero y KirkPatrick, Duchess of Peñaranda de Duero. 1860 Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Ventimiglia, Duke of Alba de Tormes. 1881 Carlos María Fitz-James Stuart y Palafox, Duke of Alba de Tormes. 1901 María del Rosario Falcó y Osorio, Countess of Siruela. 1904 María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay, Marchise of San Vicente del Barco. 1934 María del Rosario Gurtubay y González de Castejón, Duke consort of Híjar. 1948 Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, Duke of Alba de Tormes. 1953 Eugenia Sol María del Pilar Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, Countess de Baños. 1962 Hernando Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, Duke of Peñaranda de Duero. 1970 Luis Martínez de Irujo y Artázcoz, Duchess consort of Alba de Tormes. 1972 Jesús Aguirre, Duchess consort of Alba de Tormes. 2001 Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, Duchess of Alba de Tormes (half of her ashes). 2014
References https://monasterioloeches.org/