Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes: A Jewel of Gothic Architecture in Barcelona

An architectural marvel

The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes is one of the most representative architectural jewels of Barcelona. Founded in 1327 by Queen Elisenda de Montcada, the monastery has been preserved intact to this day, maintaining its charm and beauty. The monastery is built in the Gothic style, with a Baroque-style façade, and is located in the upper part of the city. The monastery has an impressive cloister, one of the greatest attractions of the place, which is surrounded by a gallery of columns.

Daily life of the Poor Clares

The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes was founded to support the order of the Poor Clare nuns. The museum, which opened to the public in 1983, allows visitors to see the daily life of the Poor Clare community, walking through their dormitories, the refectory and other rooms. The monastery enclosure, which has been declared a national historic site, constitutes a small redoubt in the city that maintains a village air.

In the upper area of ​​the city stands the Pedralbes Monastery, a jewel of Gothic architecture that hides an impressive cloister.

The community of the Poor Clares

The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes is one of the most representative and valued buildings of Gothic architecture in Barcelona. Founded in 1327 by Queen Elisenda de Montcada to support the order of the Poor Clare nuns, in 1983 it was opened to the public as a museum and space of cultural interest. Currently, one of the most special attractions of the monastery is the access that the museum allows to the daily life of the community of the Poor Clares, walking through their dormitories, the refectory and other rooms.

Medieval splendor

The monastery enclosure, which has been declared a national historic site, constitutes a small redoubt in the city that maintains a village air. The church, with a single nave, houses the tomb where Queen Elisenda rests, with a recumbent statue that shows her asleep in the peace of the surroundings. The cloister, three stories high and around which the monastery is built, is considered the largest Gothic cloister in the world, and houses a beautiful medieval garden in the one that emphasizes medicinal herbs. The monastery, one of the most significant examples of Gothic architecture in Catalonia, allows anyone who wishes to get closer to history and enjoy a mystical environment in the city.

Other attractions

The Monastery of Pedralbes also has a church, a library, an exhibition hall and a garden with a fountain. The garden is one of the main attractions of the place, with a wide variety of plants and flowers that make it an ideal place to walk. In addition, there is a picnic area with tables and benches where visitors can stop to rest.

How to get to the Pedralbes Monastery

The Pedralbes Monastery is located in the upper part of the city, about a 15-minute walk from the center of Barcelona. You can also get there by bus or metro. To get there by bus, there are several lines that stop near the monastery, such as line 22 or line V21. To get there by metro, line L3 stops at the Palau Reial station.

Schedule and rates

The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Entrance fees are 10 euros for adults, 5 euros for children 6-16 and free for children under 6. On Mondays the monastery is closed to the public.

Conclusion

The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes is one of the most representative and valued buildings of Gothic architecture in Barcelona. The monastery is an architectural marvel, featuring an impressive cloister, a church, a library, an exhibition hall, and a garden with a fountain. The museum allows visitors to see the daily life of the community of the Poor Clares, walking through their bedrooms, the refectory and other rooms. The Pedralbes Monastery is located in the upper part of the city and is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.