Nuestra Señora de las Fuentes, Secularized monastery in La Cartuja de Monegros, Spain
Nuestra Señora de las Fuentes is a monastery complex with symmetrical Baroque design centered around a church, cloisters, and connecting corridors. The grounds include former monk cells and service rooms that reveal how monastic life was organized and structured.
The Counts of Sastago founded the monastery in 1507, but early financial struggles forced the monks to leave for several decades. They returned in 1589 and remained there, shaping its ongoing development and use.
Friar Manuel Bayeu, a relative of Francisco Goya, left around 250 mural paintings throughout the monastery in the late 1700s, giving the interior spaces their distinctive artistic character. These works remain visible today and shape how visitors experience the rooms.
The site welcomes visitors through organized weekend tours arranged by the local provincial authority, which provide guided access to the restored sections. It is helpful to check current access information beforehand, as renovation work may affect visitor areas.
Natural springs beneath the monastery influenced its location and gave it its name, making water access a defining feature of this place. These underground sources sustained the community throughout its centuries of occupation.
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