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Augustinian Convent of 16th Century

La Trinidad Convent, also known as the Las Augustinas Convent, inhabited by Augustinian nuns, standing outside the town walls, was founded around 1543 by sisters Bárbara, Catalina and Mari Juan de Asteasu, a surname perhaps referring to their place of birth, although some authors would have it that they came from Errenteria.

Its foundation was very poorly regarded given that it didn't have the consent of the municipal authorities, who weren't even consulted. The Town Council even brought action trying to have the building demolished, but failed in the endeavour. Years later, yet another conflict brought the convent into confrontation with the Town Council, due to the fact that the nuns chose not to use the services of the local priests, preferring to bring others from the Augustinian order, thus ignoring one of the articles of the agreement signed between both parties.

Between 1588 and 1604 they considered moving the convent to the place called San Bartolomé in Donostia-San Sebastián, after having rejected the first idea of installing the nuns in the La Magdalena Basilica. They even called Fray Miguel de Aramburu, the maestro whom, as we have seen, designed the Town Hall. He was to take charge of "giving whatever kind of an outline and order it takes to move the nuns to the site intended for transfer of the said monastery". This initiative however never saw the light.

The church, reformed only a few years ago, has a single nave with a barrel vault, little half-moon vaults beneath it and a choir above. Outstanding on the austere main facade is the classic doorway with a semicircular arch framed with columns of plinths supporting a little cornice.

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