Route of the Cistercians
This itinerary commemorates the monastic renewal that took place during the 11th century, when a movement known as the Order of the Cistercians reacted against the refined lifestyle indulged in by some monasteries, and cried for a return to the figure of the monk as a humble person devoted to prayer and hosting of pilgrims.
The Route of the Cistercians comprises three monasteries: - Monastery of the Santes Creus: founded 1150, it knew several epochs of splendour before the monks were finally secularised and expelled in 1835. Now that monastic life has worn off, visitors can look into every nook and corner of this monastery steeped in legend, where every stone preserves a vivid record of its history.
- Monastery of Poblet: it is the largest monastery of the Route, and it's also the largest inhabited Cistercian complex in Europe. In 1991 it was declared World Heritage by UNESCO. Back in 1940 an ambitious project had already set out to restore and preserve it, with an aim at returning it to its majestic past.
- Monastery of Vallbona de les Monges: the earliest references date back to 1153, but it was not until 1176 that it gained full entry into the Cistercian order. It is the only monastery for women on the Route, and the only one that has been kept uninterruptedly for over 800 years by the community (excluding wartime periods, of course). Two interesting things about it are that it was declared historical monument in 1931, on the one hand, and that thanks to its well-preserved area guests can be lodged there.
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Peace and relaxation; anything within a stone's throw
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