Monastery of Santa Maria de Vallbona

The monastery Vallbona de les Monge (Santa María de Vallbona de Les Monge, not to be confused with the Cistercian abbey in Valbonne Roussillon ) is a still existing Cistercian monastery in the region of Catalonia in Spain. It is Vallbona de Les Monge in the province of Lleida. With the monk abbeys Santes Creus and Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet, it forms the Catalan Ruta del cittern.

History

The monastery was founded on the site of a Benedictine system for monks and nuns from the year 1055 in 1173 donated by Ramón Berenguer IV. It was declared a National Monument in 1932. The monastery is rapidly gaining influence and put on aristocratic women from Catalonia. In the years 1198 and 1200 he was called by Pope Innocent III. conferred immunity. Since 1380, the abbess was also mistress of the county Vallbona. In its heyday, the monastery counted 150 nuns. In the 15th century saw the beginning of the decline. The disentailment in Spain, the monastery repeal in the reign Juan Álvarez Mendizábal interrupted the monastic life for a short time. In recent years, the Generalitat de Catalunya has undertaken restoration work.

Buildings and plant

The nave as often in Frauenzisterzen, cruciform church has a rectangular main apse and two einjochige cross arms and a vierjochiges longhouse on. The octagonal bell tower is erected above the second Langhausjoch. The exam is to the right of the church; the western arm of the cloister with arcades low offset on the south side to the west. The property is built in a total of Romanesque- Gothic style.

The Cloister

Church portals

Grave of Violante of Aragon

Tombs of the royal house of Aragon

In Vallbona several members of the royal family are buried (See Article Ruta del cittern ).