Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes
A wonderful example of Catalan Gothic architecture, Reial Monestir by Santa Maria de Pedralbes is located on the gentle slopes of the Sant Madir hill, on the outskirts of Barcelona.Queen Elisena de Montcada founded the monastery in 1326 for the Order of Clare.Dating at the beginning of the fourteenth century, the mural paintings were created by Ferrer Bassa in the Italian style (influenced by Italian masters like Giotto).A careful restoration project recently brought back the mural paintings to their original glory.The main buildings (the capitarous room, the refectory, the fireplace, etc.) of the monastery surround the monastery.In the center of the monastery there is a pleasant garden.This quiet green space is designed to inspire contemplation and spiritual meditation.The monastery was transformed into a museum.The monastery is open to the public throughout the year (except for Mondays) for an admission fee.Visitors are expected to respect the quiet atmosphere of the religious community.
