Monestir de Pedralbes

Monestir de Pedralbes Review

This marvel of a monastery, named for its whitish stones (pedres albes), is really a convent for the Franciscan order of Poor Clares founded in 1326 by Reina Elisenda (Queen Elisenda). The three-story Gothic cloister, one of the finest in Europe, surrounds a lush garden. The day cells, where the nuns spent their mornings praying, sewing, and studying, circle the arcaded courtyard. Reina Elisenda's cell, the Capella de Sant Miquel, just to the right of the entrance, has murals painted in 1346 by Catalan master Ferrer Bassa. Look for the letters spelling out "Joan no m'oblides" (John do not forget me) scratched between the figures of St. Francis and St. Clare (with book and quill), written by a brokenhearted novice. Farther along, inscriptions over the tombs of nuns who died here can be seen through the paving grates. The nuns' upstairs dormitory contains the convent's treasures: paintings, liturgical objects, and seven centuries of artistic and cultural patrimony. Temporary exhibits are displayed in this space. The refectory where the Poor Clares dined in silence has a pulpit used for readings, while wall inscriptions exhort "Silentium" (Silence), "Audi tacens" (Listening makes you wise), and "Considera morientem" (Consider we are dying). Don't miss the fading mural in the corner or the paving tiles broken by heavy cannon during the 1809 Napoleonic occupation.