The main entrance to this extraordinarily austere convent, with its simple tile roof and wooden beams lined with cork (to keep in what little warmth there might be), sets the tone for the severity of the ascetic living conditions. From 1560 until 1834, when it was abandoned, seven monks—never any more, never any less—inhabited the bare cells; prayed in the tiny chapel hewn out of the rock; and perhaps found some comfort in the washroom, kitchen, and refectory. Impure thoughts meant a spell in the Penitents' Cell, an excruciatingly small space. The 45-minute tour is obligatory, but, to their credit, the guides bring the history of the place to life with zest and humor. No vehicles are allowed close to the convent, so the peace is disturbed only by birdsong.
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