Monasterio de Sant Cugat
Key facts
- Type
- Monastery
- Religious order
- Benedictine
- Era
- 9th Century
- Architectural style
- Romanesque-Gothic
- Founded
- 878
- Current status
- Active
- Location
- Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
- Province
- Barcelona
- Region
- Catalonia
One of the great Benedictine monasteries of Catalonia with the largest Romanesque cloister in Europe. Its 144 carved capitals tell stories from the Bible and medieval daily life.
Highlights
- Largest Romanesque cloister in Europe
- 144 carved capitals
- Near Barcelona
- 9th-century origins on Roman site
More Monasteries in Catalonia
- Monasterio de Montserrat — Benedictine, 11th Century. Catalonia's most sacred site, perched high in bizarre serrated mountains. Home to the Black Virgin (La Moreneta) and the world-famous Escolania boys' choir, one of Europe's oldest.
- Monasterio de Poblet — Cistercian, 12th Century. The greatest Cistercian monastery in Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Royal pantheon of the Crown of Aragón, with magnificent Gothic cloisters and a fortified precinct.
- Monasterio de Santes Creus — Cistercian, 12th Century. One of three great Cistercian monasteries in Catalonia (the 'Cistercian Triangle'), with the finest Gothic cloister in Spain. Royal tombs of Peter III and James II lie in its magnificent church.
- Sant Pere de Rodes — Benedictine, 10th Century. A spectacularly sited Benedictine monastery perched on a mountaintop above the Cap de Creus peninsula, with panoramic views to the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees.
Explore nearby: Catalonia guide · Barcelona province · Castles of Barcelona