The Discalced Carmelite Fathers of the Province of San Joaquín de Navarra They have donated to Villafranca their convent and church, built in the first half of the 18th century in this riverside town, as well as the walled garden and uncovered patios of the aforementioned convent complex. This donation is made indefinitely, although it is conditional on the completion of works that make the church independent from the rest of the properties, as well as the conservation of the temple.
The Mayor of the municipality, Mª Carmen Segura, and Lázaro Iparaguirre, representing the Carmelites, were in charge of signing this donation recently before a notary. In the same, it is also established that if the floor of the convent building or that of the church were requalified in whole or in part within 30 years from the date of this donation “so that, ceasing to be land intended services or public buildings serve as a settlement for one or more buildings or constructions for profit (housing) ”, the Carmelite Fathers They will participate in said effectiveness with a 25% participation in its use.
This convent complex was built between 1734 and 1765, and the church was inaugurated in 1762. The building has an area of 3,120 square meters -between the convent, the temple, the garden and the patios- and, as reported from the Villafranca Town Hall, “Is included within the cataloging of buildings subject to Architectural Heritage of the Department of Culture and Tourism (Príncipe de Viana Institution)Therefore, all the works that are to be carried out in it must be subject to the norms established by said institution ”.
The decision of the Order of the Carmelites Donating this convent of Nuestra Señora del Carmen to the town was motivated by the departure of Villafranca, on March 2, 2020, of the last two members of the congregation that remained in the municipality.
LACK OF SPECIFIC USE
Mª Carmen Segura explained that although this decision to donate the convent complex was adopted a year ago, it has not been made effective until now due to the pandemic. Regarding the use that will be given to the building, he said that “it has not yet been decided, but the idea is that it serve the people, as did the previous school of the Marist Brothers, that now it is the house of culture”. “Now, what we have to do is rehabilitate the highest priority, such as a part of the roof, which is not much, and then decide the use. It is a listed building, so you also have to see what can be done. Depending on what we do, it will have to be rehabilitated from the inside in one way or another, “he said.
As for the church, “its property will belong to the town, where there is enormous devotion to the Virgen del Carmen, and it will continue to have worship through the archbishopric,” he said, while considering “practically unfeasible” the possibility of requalification of the floor that collects the donation document “because the building and the church are protected by Príncipe de Viana”.
Segura thanked the Carmelite Fathers, on behalf of Villafranca, “this generous act”, as well as the former parish priest José Mª Jaúregui “his work to make this donation possible.”
Lázaro Iparaguirre, provincial of the Carmelites of San Joaquín de Navarra, pointed out that it is “a privilege to be able to give back to Villafranca so many things that the Carmelites have given us throughout the more than 200 years that we have been in the town.” “It has been an exchange of services and of affection and acceptance. The Carmelite Fathers have given a lot to the people, but the people have also given a lot of love and support to all the Carmelites who have passed through there ”, he commented. He said he had the illusion that the municipality could use the building “in a service that really benefits the inhabitants of Villafranca.”
In Villafranca. The convent complex of the Carmelite Fathers in the town of Villafranca was built between 1734 and 1765. It consists of a convent, church, orchard and open courtyards and has an area of 3,120 square meters. The facade of the building is built in brick and divided into two sections. In the lower body is the portico, which is formed by 3 semicircular arches and on which a niche opens that houses the image of the Virgen del Carmen. On this niche there is a window and, on the sides, two coats of arms can be seen. The conventual complex is crowned by a curved tympanum between fins. On the side you can see a belfry (bell tower) with two semicircular arches.
Church. The temple was inaugurated on October 17, 1762, the date on which the Blessed Sacrament was moved, although, nevertheless, the works finished three years later. It preserves three altarpieces from the Rococo period made by the masters of Estella Lucas de Mena’s workshop and her father-in-law Dionisio de Villodas, who made them between 1769 and 1772.
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