Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Vallbona

An extraordinary space where the passage of time is shared with the female religious community. With eight hundred years of uninterrupted monastic presence, it is the most unknown and fascinating treasure on the Cistercian Route.

Santa Maria de Vallbona de les Monges is a Cistercian monastery located in the municipality ofVallbona de les Monges, in the Urgell region. The first references to the monastery date back to the year 1153, but it was not until 1176 when it was fully integrated into the Cistercian order.

This is the only female monastery on the Route and also the one that has maintained a monastic community uninterruptedly for more than 850 years, except during times of war, of course.

Vallbona is a beautiful monastery. Despite its small size, it stands out for its unique beauty and is a clear example of the importance of women during medieval times.

In its history we find a list of abbesses who came from the Catalan nobility. Inside the monastery, it is worth noting the two Gothic bell towers, the largest of which rests on the nave of the church. One of the most relevant characteristics of the monastery is the possibility of being able to stay thanks to its careful accommodation. It was declared a historical-artistic monument in 1931.

The church is a clear example of the transition from Romanesque to Gothic. It has a Latin cross plan with a single nave and three rectangular apses with sculptural decoration. Each gallery of the cloister presents a different style: Arabic, Romanesque and Gothic. The chapter house (14th century) houses an image of the Virgin of Mercy (15th century).

Guided tour hours:

• The monastery offers guided tours of the areas open to the public at various time slots. Check the calendar.
• There is the possibility of arranging visits for groups of 25 people or more outside of those days; To do so, contact the telephone number 973 33 02 66 or the mobile phone 639 759 442 or [email protected] in advance.

* Closed: non-holiday Mondays, December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 6. Good Friday closed only in the afternoon.