Poblet Monastery
Encyclopedia
The Royal Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet is a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1151, located at the feet of the Prades Mountains
, in the comarca
of Conca de Barberà
, in Catalonia
(Spain
). It was founded by Cistercian monks from France on lands conquered from the Moors
. The main architect was Arnau Bargués.
This monastery was the first of three sister monasteries, known as the Cistercian triangle, that helped consolidate power in Catalonia in the 12th century. (The other two are Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus
)
since James I of Aragon
. Some of the most important royal sepulchres have alabaster
statues that lie over the tomb. The kings have lion sculptures at their feet, while the queens have dogs.
Peter III of Aragon
(1239 – 1285) made it a condition, under solemn oath at the moment of crowning, that all the Aragonese-Catalan kings be buried there. Only Ferdinand II of Aragon
broke the oath, after his kingdom had been merged with the Kingdom of Castile
, and was buried in Granada
.
In 1731 Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton
was buried there.
, was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal
in 1835 during Isabella II of Spain
's rule. The Desamortización caused the exclaustration of the place and brought monastic life to an end.
On 24th July of the same year the monastery was plundered by representatives of the Mendizábal's government
and unruly mobs. During the events all valuable paintings and furniture were removed and dispersed. Also parts of the monastery were destroyed owing to fires.
In the years that followed the Poblet Monastery fell into disrepair and ruin, some of the main roofs having caved in. The tombs of the rulers of the Kingdom of Aragon were desecrated and the remains were transferred and kept for a while in the Cathedral of Tarragona
, thanks to the intervention of Rev. Antoni Serret from the neighboring town of L'Espluga
.
Finally the monastery was refounded in 1940 by Italian monks of the same order and rebuilding and repair began to take place. Close to the entrance to the church one building has been kept in a ruined state as a reminder. The remains of the ancient Royal House od Aragon were put back in the sepulchres, but they are now all mixed up.
Poblet belongs to the Cistercian Congregation of the Crown of Aragon, along with Santa Maria de Solius and nunneries such as Santa Maria de Vallbona and Santa Maria de Valldonzella. The Abbot of Poblet is the ex officio chairman of the Congregation. Today the monastic community of Poblet is composed of 29 professed monks, 1 regular oblate, 1 novice and 2 familiars.
Poblet Monastery has been a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
since 1991. The altar (1527) was sculpted by Damián Forment
.
Prades Mountains
Prades Mountains, also known as Muntanyes de Prades, is a large calcareous mountain massif straddling the comarcas of Alt Camp, Baix Camp, Conca de Barberà, Garrigues and Priorat, in Catalonia, Spain. These mountains have characteristic large and rounded rocky outcrops...
, in the comarca
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...
of Conca de Barberà
Conca de Barberà
Conca de Barberà is a comarca in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.-Municipalities:*Barberà de la Conca - pop. 434*Blancafort - pop. 412*Conesa - pop. 123*Espluga de Francolí - pop. 3,687*Forès - pop. 60*Llorac - pop. 128...
, in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
(Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
). It was founded by Cistercian monks from France on lands conquered from the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
. The main architect was Arnau Bargués.
This monastery was the first of three sister monasteries, known as the Cistercian triangle, that helped consolidate power in Catalonia in the 12th century. (The other two are Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus
Santes Creus
Monastery of Santa Maria de Santes Creus is a Cistercian monastery in the municipality of Aiguamúrcia, Catalonia, Spain.- History :The monastery's origins date to 1158, when the Lords of Montagut y de Albá donated the village of Santes Creus to the monks of Valdaura...
)
Significance
Poblet was the royal pantheon of the kings of the Crown of AragonCrown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
since James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
. Some of the most important royal sepulchres have alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
statues that lie over the tomb. The kings have lion sculptures at their feet, while the queens have dogs.
Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
(1239 – 1285) made it a condition, under solemn oath at the moment of crowning, that all the Aragonese-Catalan kings be buried there. Only Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
broke the oath, after his kingdom had been merged with the Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile
Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. It emerged as a political autonomous entity in the 9th century. It was called County of Castile and was held in vassalage from the Kingdom of León. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region...
, and was buried in Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
.
In 1731 Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton
Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton
Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton , powerful Jacobite politician, notorious libertine and rake, profligate, and alcoholic, was one of the few people in English history, and the first since the 15th century, to have been raised to a Dukedom whilst still a minor and not closely related to the...
was buried there.
Ruin and rebuilding
The monastery, which had already suffered damage during the First Carlist WarFirst Carlist War
The First Carlist War was a civil war in Spain from 1833-1839.-Historical background:At the beginning of the 18th century, Philip V, the first Bourbon king of Spain, promulgated the Salic Law, which declared illegal the inheritance of the Spanish crown by women...
, was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal
Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal
The Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizabal, more often referred to simply as La Desamortización, encompasses a set of decrees from 1835-1837 that resulted in the expropriation, and privatization, of monastic properties in Spain....
in 1835 during Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
's rule. The Desamortización caused the exclaustration of the place and brought monastic life to an end.
On 24th July of the same year the monastery was plundered by representatives of the Mendizábal's government
Juan Álvarez Mendizábal
Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, born Juan Álvarez Méndez , was a Spanish economist and politician....
and unruly mobs. During the events all valuable paintings and furniture were removed and dispersed. Also parts of the monastery were destroyed owing to fires.
In the years that followed the Poblet Monastery fell into disrepair and ruin, some of the main roofs having caved in. The tombs of the rulers of the Kingdom of Aragon were desecrated and the remains were transferred and kept for a while in the Cathedral of Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
, thanks to the intervention of Rev. Antoni Serret from the neighboring town of L'Espluga
L'Espluga de Francolí
L'Espluga de Francolí is a village in the province of Tarragona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain....
.
Finally the monastery was refounded in 1940 by Italian monks of the same order and rebuilding and repair began to take place. Close to the entrance to the church one building has been kept in a ruined state as a reminder. The remains of the ancient Royal House od Aragon were put back in the sepulchres, but they are now all mixed up.
Poblet belongs to the Cistercian Congregation of the Crown of Aragon, along with Santa Maria de Solius and nunneries such as Santa Maria de Vallbona and Santa Maria de Valldonzella. The Abbot of Poblet is the ex officio chairman of the Congregation. Today the monastic community of Poblet is composed of 29 professed monks, 1 regular oblate, 1 novice and 2 familiars.
Poblet Monastery has been a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
since 1991. The altar (1527) was sculpted by Damián Forment
Damián Forment
Damià Forment was a Spanish architect and sculptor, considered the most important Spanish sculptor of the 16th century.Forment studied in Rome and Florence before returning to his native town of Valencia...
.
External links
- Monestir de Poblet Official website
- Adrian Fletcher's Paradoxplace Poblet Pages (photos)
- Monestirs de Catalunya. Poblet (Catalan only)