17th-century Baroque hospital for retired priests, now a museum housing the Focus-Abengoa Foundation art collection. The church interior is a masterwork of Sevillian Baroque, and the courtyard alone justifies the visit.
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The church is the reason to visit — Juan de Valdés Leal frescoes, gilded altarpieces, and Baroque intensity that borders on overwhelming. The courtyard with its Seville-tiled fountain is a Santa Cruz classic. The art collection includes Velázquez and Murillo. Small and manageable in under an hour.
Mid-morning or late afternoon when Santa Cruz is quieter. The building is small, so crowding is rare. Check for temporary exhibitions which often exceed the permanent collection.
Built in 1675 as a retirement hospital for elderly priests. The church was consecrated in 1689 and represents peak Sevillian Baroque. Restored by the Focus-Abengoa Foundation and opened as a museum in 1991. The building is easy to miss in the maze of Santa Cruz streets — look for the small plaza off Calle Jamerdana. One of the most beautiful interiors in the barrio, but far fewer visitors than the Cathedral or Alcázar.