Colegio de San Gregorio was formerly the College of Theology for Dominican Friars built in Isabelline Gothic style in Valladolid, Spain. Isabelline was the iconic architectural style of the Crown of Castile region between the late 15th century and early 16th century. The occupation of the Napoleonic troops in the early 19th century marks the institution’s end. Today the building houses the Museo Nacional de Escultura (National Museum of Sculpture).
The architecture of Colegio de San Gregorio known as Isabelline is actually a style representing a transition period from medieval to modern in Spain. Therefore, it is a hybrid style blending Gothic and Renaissance traditions and Flemish and Mudéjar decorative elements.
The building stands out with its intricate ornamentation on its façade as well as its interior design. The reliefs on the façade feature several symbolic figures, allegories, saints, and savage creatures. The façade leads to a courtyard called Patio de los Estudios which originally held the classrooms of Physics and Metaphysics. The other courtyard is the Patio Grande which is square in form and consists of two floors. The lower floor is decorated with slender pillars resembling Solomonic columns. Meanwhile, the second floor is one of the most ornamented Isabelline galleries.
There is only one staircase connecting two floors with decorated walls that have fleur-de-lis and Renaissance-inspired reliefs on them. Nevertheless, the most striking part of this section is its roof in Mudéjar style, a kind of art inspired by Islamic traditions but implemented by Christian craftsmen.
