Celda de las Emparedadas

The Celda de las Emparedadas is located between the Chapel of San Esteban and the Church of Santa Marta that is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, and was inaugurated in 1741. The arches of the church are abundantly decorated with geometric and figurative plasterwork. In the interior a set of tables made by Gaspar de Palencia can be seen, partner of Gaspar Becerra. The Chapel of San Esteban belongs to the Brotherhood of the Cinco Llagas, dating back to the 14th century when the union of all the urban guilds takes place.

During the Middle Ages, voluntarily and as an extreme expression of religious mysticism, there were women who entered individually and for the rest of their lifes in this cell to perform penance and prayer, the access to the cell was walled leaving only two windows facing the exterior of the street, which can be seen today, and another that would communicate with the main chapel of the adjacent church and allowing the walled women to hear the masses and other sacred offices. The guilds and bortherhoods of the city donated annually a sum of money for living support of these walled women, also the faithful in their wills made donations to cover the needs of these women. The inscription of the Eclesiatés, visible even today on the small exterior window keeps the memory of these walled women in the small cell: Remember my judgment, for so shall yours be. To me yesterday, to you today.