You probably know Monestir in Montserrat, but did you know that there is also a famous monastery in Barcelona: Monestir de Pedralbes. Have you ever visited it? Read on to know more about its history…
When was it founded?
The Pedralbes Monastery was founded by Queen Elisenda de Montcada in 1327, with the support of her spouse, King Jaume II.
Who inhabited this monastery?
Following the spiritual currents of the time, this monastery in Barcelona was initially inhabited by nuns ‘clarisses’, the female branch of the Order of Sant Francesc. They resided there almost continuously until the year 1983.
The cloister
The cloister of the Monestir de Pedralbes is considered one of the largest Gothic cloisters in the world. It is the central element around which the monastery’s space is structured. And it consists of two galleries with twenty-six columns on each side. They are made of nummulitic stone (limestone with traces of fossils) sourced from Girona. And a third floor added later as an attic floor.
When the monastery became a museum
From 1949 onwards, part of the monastery was opened to the public. And years later, in 1975, a new convent was built in the former large garden area. The objective of the new space was to allocate the majority of the old facilities to the Pedralbes Museum-Monastery. The museum was finally inaugurated in 1983.
Walking around the cloister…
Around the cloister and within the monastery, you can see a series of day cells where the nuns would retreat for their personal reflection. In addition to its architectural significance, the Pedralbes Monastery, through its exhibited objects and artworks, provides insight into the monastic life and helps to understand the enclosed life of the community until the year 1983, when the facilities were converted into the currently museum.
And who is currently living in the monastery?
Currently, a small community of eleven nuns ‘clarisses’ continues to reside in the new annexed dependencies of the monastery.
