What to do · Alcalá de Henares: university, Cervantes and Complutum
Monumental staircase of the Escolapias
Information
- Price
- 3
- Duration
- 30 min
- Season
- Saturdays at 12:30 and 18:30; Sundays at 12:30; booking required
- Who it's for
- Adults
At number 29 Calle Santiago, in the school of the Madres Escolapias, is preserved a Baroque imperial staircase with a dome, from the early 18th century. It cannot be seen from the street: you can only enter on a guided visit of about half an hour for €3, booked by phone or WhatsApp (626 418 082 or 680 524 185). It fits well between Cervantes's house and lunch.
What it is
The building was a Baroque palace built in 1725 by a Navarrese nobleman settled in Alcalá, around the time of his wedding. He used part of an earlier 17th-century house and added a doorway with his coat of arms, an entrance hall, a courtyard and this monumental staircase, a great 'façade staircase' that combines the Baroque idiom with a carefully worked study of proportions. Light, colour and shapes were conceived as a single space that envelops whoever climbs.
Between 1863 and 1882 the French photographer Jean Laurent lived here, repainting and gilding the staircase dome and adding his own symbolism, while keeping almost everything that was there before. Today the building is a school of the Madres Escolapias, and the staircase, because of its acoustics, is often used for concerts and theatre.
Hours and booking
Visits are on Saturdays at 12:30 and 18:30 and on Sundays at 12:30, according to the November 2026 timetable leaflet of the Tourist Office. Booking is necessary: call or message by WhatsApp on 626 418 082 or 680 524 185, numbers that also serve for groups. The visit costs €3 per person, lasts about 30 minutes and ends in the back courtyard, with a little free time to take photos. It is organised by the Congregation of the Madres Escolapias, Province of Paula Montal.
The tourism listing gives no accessibility information: if you have reduced mobility, ask when booking.
How to fit it in
Calle Santiago is in the historic centre. A Saturday or Sunday morning works like this: Cervantes Birthplace first thing, the staircase at 12:30 and lunch afterwards. Also in the centre, on Plaza de las Bernardas, the Regional Archaeological Museum is free and opens until 15:00 on Sundays.
For a nearby lunch, La Cátedra and Mesa 12 are in the centre. If you stay overnight, the Hotel El Bedel is on Plaza de San Diego.
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the staircase without booking?
No: only on a guided visit with prior booking.
How much does it cost?
€3 per person, about 30 minutes.
Which days is it open for visits?
Saturdays at 12:30 and 18:30 and Sundays at 12:30.
