San Jeroni de la Murtra

San Jeroni de la Murtra is a late medieval monastery complex nestled in the hills northeast of Barcelona. The site contains a church, dormitories, kitchen, and cloister with intricate stonework that reveals how the monks organized their spiritual and daily lives.

A wealthy Barcelona merchant founded this monastery in 1416 and later relocated it to the Sierra de Marina foothills near Badalona. The community flourished there over the following centuries, becoming an important religious center in the region.

The cloister shows how monks decorated their spaces with carvings of saints and important figures from their time. Walking through these areas, visitors can sense the daily rhythms of monastic life that shaped this place for centuries.

The monastery is generally accessible only on certain days and typically requires advance notice to visit. It makes sense to check opening times before traveling and plan your route, since it is located in a hilly area outside the main town.

The monastery received important royal visitors in 1493 who were celebrating a major geographical exploration that had just returned to Europe. This event links the site to a moment that would reshape world history.