This school, which was founded by the Society, was created outside the city in 1553. It was built over the primitive parish of San Gil at the initiative of Fernando Álvarez de Águila and Luis de Medina, who were born in Ávila. Some years later, in 1623, the institution was moved inside the city. It happened in the exact moment in which the Bishop Diego de Guzmán had acquired some medieval buildings that have been reformed in the 16th century. These buildings were placed within the palace complex of the Dávilas and connected to the southern stretch of the wall. A series of elements remain in the northern façade such as a solid tour for defensive purposes, double windows and a door with a great "dovelaje"*: a group of elements that show their civil origins. The Jesuits settled there and turned the buildings into a church, school and lodging. The college was dedicated to San Gil. When the Society of Jesus was expelled by Charles III in 1767, the building's rooms started to be used as headquarters for the Episcopal Palace. It is still used for the same purpose. The church, which was dedicated to San Ignacio by then, became the church of Santo Tomé el Nuevo. It became inoperative as well as the rest of Jesuit schools after the Decree of expulsion issued on 1767 by Charles III (1759-1788).

*Group of keystones of an arch or a vault.