Abstract

This doctoral thesis investigates the history of the constructive activity of the Society of Jesus in the Kingdom of Valencia from 1544 to 1767, the year when the Jesuits were expulsed. The work includes seven buildings, the colleges of Valencia, Segorbe, Alicante, Orihuela and Ontinyent, the university of Gandia and the casa profesa in Valencia. The ancient Jesuit colleges present an extensive constructive process from the 16th century. The investigation tries to improve the knowledge of its different historical phases revealing unknown information and contributing with unpublished documentation. This information includes the unpublished names of different architects that worked in the jesuit buildings, including several members of the order. The history of the different buildings is treated not only individually, giving a global vision of the construction of the seven valencian foundations. The work makes a compilation of the information that has been published until this moment, including the 18th century plans published by Guillermo Furlong in 1955. The doctoral thesis shows how the Jesuit architecture adopted the local constructive and ornamental uses. Some of their buildings also contributed to introduce modern plans and constructive techniques in a local architecture with an important medieval tradition. The investigation also tries to understand the relations of the Jesuits with the contemporary society, showing the importance of the aristocratic patronage and the royal support in the construction of their colleges. The teaching activity of the order, dedicated to the whole of the population, explains why Jesuits founded a big number of colleges in the center of the main valencian towns. The author contributes with several drawings including plans and elevations of the different buildings, showing their constructive phases and how their distribution was adapted to the Jesuit normative.