Monastery of Sant Cugat
Encyclopedia
The Monastery of Sant Cugat is a Benedictine
abbey in Sant Cugat del Vallès
, Catalonia
, Spain
. Founded in the 9th century, and built until the 14th century, it was the most important monastery in the county of Barcelona. It has its main feature in the large cloister
, in Romanesque style
.
(Catalan: Sant Cugat) to an annexed fortification. The monastery started to the expand its possessions from the 10th century onwards. In 985 it was damaged by an attack of Muslim troops led by al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
.
In the late 11th century, count Ramon Berenguer II of Barcelona decreed that the monastery would be subject to St Ponce de Tomieres, in Provence
, creating turmoil amongst the monks of Sant Cugat. The abbot of St. Ponce moved to the Catalan monastery and the monks who disagreed with his administration were expelled. However, the bishop of Barcelona claimed his rights over the monastery, which was returned to the diocese of Barcelona. At the time Sant Cugat was controlling the monasteries of Santa Cecília de Montserrat, Sant Llorenç del Munt, Sant Pau del Camp, Sant Pere de Clará and Sant Salvador de Breda.
In the mid-12th century the construction of a new monastery was begun. It was finished in 1337. In 1350 the fortification works started. In this period, however, the monastery started to decline. The nomination of the abbot, previously belonging to the monks, was switched to the diocese. During the War of Spanish Succession, it was occupied by troops of Archduke Charles
, causing damage to the structure. Restoration works were lated completed in 1789.
In 1835 the monastery was abandoned by the monks, remaining empty until 1851, when it was decided its restoration. It was declared a National Monument in 1931.
, a notable example of Romanesque art
, dating to the 12th century. In the 16th century a second floor was added, as well as an atrium and the entrance.
With a length of more than 30 meters, the cloister was designed by Arnau Cadell and his disciple Lluís Samaranch. It has a square plan with semicircular arches, supported by pairs of columns. Each of the latter has a finely decorated capital, with various details ranging from animals to biblical scenes.
The church is instead in Gothic style. It has a nave and two aisles. The façade has a large (8.2 diameter) rose window
, similar to those in the Cathedrals of Barcelona and of Tarragona
. The church houses a Gothic altarpiece, known as the retablo de Todos los Santos, executed in 1375 by Pere Serra
.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey in Sant Cugat del Vallès
Sant Cugat del Vallès
Sant Cugat del Vallès is a town and municipality north of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. In antiquity known as Castrum Octavianum, it is named after Saint Cucuphas, who is said to have been martyred on the spot now occupied by its medieval monastery.Sant Cugat has seen its population increase 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...
. Founded in the 9th century, and built until the 14th century, it was the most important monastery in the county of Barcelona. It has its main feature in the large cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
, in Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
.
History
The monastery's origin date back to the 9th century, when it was decided to unite the church (existing from the 5th century) housing the remains of St. CucuphasCucuphas
Saint Cucuphas is a martyr of Spain...
(Catalan: Sant Cugat) to an annexed fortification. The monastery started to the expand its possessions from the 10th century onwards. In 985 it was damaged by an attack of Muslim troops led by al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur , better known as Almanzor, was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al-Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries. His rule marked the peak of power for Moorish Iberia.-Origins:He was born Muhammad Ibn Abi Aamir, into a noble Arab...
.
In the late 11th century, count Ramon Berenguer II of Barcelona decreed that the monastery would be subject to St Ponce de Tomieres, in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, creating turmoil amongst the monks of Sant Cugat. The abbot of St. Ponce moved to the Catalan monastery and the monks who disagreed with his administration were expelled. However, the bishop of Barcelona claimed his rights over the monastery, which was returned to the diocese of Barcelona. At the time Sant Cugat was controlling the monasteries of Santa Cecília de Montserrat, Sant Llorenç del Munt, Sant Pau del Camp, Sant Pere de Clará and Sant Salvador de Breda.
In the mid-12th century the construction of a new monastery was begun. It was finished in 1337. In 1350 the fortification works started. In this period, however, the monastery started to decline. The nomination of the abbot, previously belonging to the monks, was switched to the diocese. During the War of Spanish Succession, it was occupied by troops of Archduke Charles
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
, causing damage to the structure. Restoration works were lated completed in 1789.
In 1835 the monastery was abandoned by the monks, remaining empty until 1851, when it was decided its restoration. It was declared a National Monument in 1931.
Overview
The main feature of the monastery is its cloisterCloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
, a notable example of Romanesque art
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
, dating to the 12th century. In the 16th century a second floor was added, as well as an atrium and the entrance.
With a length of more than 30 meters, the cloister was designed by Arnau Cadell and his disciple Lluís Samaranch. It has a square plan with semicircular arches, supported by pairs of columns. Each of the latter has a finely decorated capital, with various details ranging from animals to biblical scenes.
The church is instead in Gothic style. It has a nave and two aisles. The façade has a large (8.2 diameter) rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
, similar to those in the Cathedrals of Barcelona and of Tarragona
Tarragona Cathedral
The Cathedral of Tarragona is a Roman Catholic church in Tarragona, Spain. Located in a site previously occupied by a Roman temple dating to the time of Tiberius, a Visigothic cathedral and a Moorish mosque, it was declared a national monument in 1905....
. The church houses a Gothic altarpiece, known as the retablo de Todos los Santos, executed in 1375 by Pere Serra
Pere Serra
Pere Serra was a painter in Gothic-Italian style, who was active in Catalonia in 1357-1406.He was born into a family of painters, including his brothers Jaume, Francesc and Joan. Like most of the Catalan painters of the period, he was influenced by the contemporary Italian painting, especially...
.