Monasterio de Santes Creus
Key facts
- Type
- Monastery
- Religious order
- Cistercian
- Era
- 12th Century
- Architectural style
- Romanesque-Gothic
- Founded
- 1160
- Current status
- Museum
- Location
- Aiguamúrcia, Tarragona
- Province
- Tarragona
- Region
- Catalonia
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.
Highlights
- Part of Catalonia's Cistercian Triangle
- One of Spain's finest Gothic cloisters
- Royal tombs of Peter III and James II
- 14th-century stained glass
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.
- 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.
- Monasterio de Ripoll — Benedictine, 9th Century. Known as the 'cradle of Catalonia', its Romanesque portal — the 'Bible in Stone' — is one of the finest examples of medieval sculpture in Europe. Founded by Count Wilfred the Hairy.
Explore nearby: Catalonia guide · Tarragona province · Castles of Tarragona