If something is easy in Barcelona is to find historic buildings with an incalculable architectural and cultural value. What if Sagrada Familia, what if Casa Batlló, what if La Pedrera, what if El Recinto Modernista de Sant Pau… But what happens if we eliminate from the list the architecture of Catalan modernism?
Well, although it may seem surprising, even if we ignore the architectural movement with more presence in our territory, we are still left with real gems that are worth a visit and, moreover, are not so congested with tourism. The perfect example? The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes, which this summer will open its cloister to the public completely free of charge.
One of the largest Gothic cloisters in the world.
Editorial credit: Monestir Pedralbes
From June 4 until September 13, the Monastery of Pedralbes will open its cloister two afternoons a week so that anyone who wants to can visit it free of charge and without the need to book. These visits will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays in summer from 6 pm until 9 pm.
The aim of the monastery is to spread the heritage so that visitors can enjoy what is considered one of the largest Gothic cloisters in the world. This monastery has almost 700 years of history. It was founded in 1327 by Queen Elisenda de Montcada with the support of her husband, King James II.
For most of its history, until 1983, it was inhabited by the Poor Clare nuns and houses inside the tomb of Queen Elisenda, which offers two faces, the one facing the church, where her image appears dressed as a sovereign, and the one facing the cloister, where she is shown as a widow and penitent.
The monastery as a whole is one of the greatest exponents of Catalan Gothic and its cloister has a special relevance, partly because of its size. The interior of the monastery, as well as the medieval orchard of almost 3,000 m² of cultivation that accompanies it, are also open to the public and can be visited throughout the year, although they do require an entrance fee of 5 euros.