Founded by Elvira de Zúñiga, the convent became the spiritual retreat of the first Count of Belalcázar, Gutierrez II, who professed here under the name of Brother Juan de la Puebla.
In 1490 the convent was occupied by nuns, and took on the name of Santa Clara de la Columna, forming part of the province of Los Angeles.
Catalogued as one of the most important monasteries in the Province of Cordoba, it covers a constructed area of over 7,000 square meters, including halls, corridors, stairs and patios, all built using local granite.
Wooden ceilings and artistic coffering are amongst the most characteristic elements of this building.
The chapel façade was built in a late flamboyant Gothic style, with a tri-lobed arch that boasts a series of Gothic sculptures from the latter half of the 15th century that represent Jesus standing before the kneeling forms of Saint Clare and Mary Magdalene.
The series of mouldings of this arch include a Franciscan cord, which reinforces the fact that this temple belonged to the order, along with the coats of arms of the Sotomayor and Zúñiga families.
