Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses

The monastery features a Latin cross layout with a single nave, three apses, and a central chapel surrounded by an ambulatory at 773 meters elevation.

Count Wilfred the Hairy established this monastery in 885 for his daughter Emma, who became the first abbess of the only female monastery in the region.

The Santíssim Misteri, a preserved Romanesque sculptural group from 1250, stands as the sole remaining in-situ piece of its kind in Catalonia.

Visitors can explore the monastery museum's collection of religious artifacts, including paintings, sculptures, and textiles dating from the 8th to 20th centuries.

The monastery maintains its 16th-century clock mechanism, which rings hourly and features a wooden clapper used during Holy Friday and Saturday ceremonies.

Location: Sant Joan de les Abadesses

Inception: 9 century

Architectural style: Romanesque art in Catalonia

Elevation above the sea: 773 m

GPS coordinates: 42.23265,2.28634

Latest update: March 15, 2025 10:05