The austere, majestic monastery of Poblet – since 1991 a World Heritage site - is one of the most important, largest, most complete and most perfect medieval monastic complexes that exists in Europe. Poblet has also served as a massive military complex, and as a royal palace, residence and pantheon.
Lying midway between Tarragona and Lleida, in the comarca of the Conca de Barbera, the old Cistercian monastery was founded in 1150 to colonize the (re)conquered lands of New Catalonia - the last Moors were driven out in 1149 -, introducing agricultural and viticultural know-how into these lands. In the 14th century it was transformed into a military stronghold. The Real Monasterio de Santa María de Poblet is also a royal residence, directly associated with the history of the houses of Barcelona, Aragon and Castile. It houses a sumptuous dynasty burial place for several kings of the houses of Catalonia and Aragon (such as James I the Conqueror). Poblet was both the necropolis and the home of kings. In later centuries the monastery fell from being a seat of kings to the function of being a place of refuge. It is still nowadays a working monastery and draws over 150,000 visitors a year.
Lying midway between Tarragona and Lleida, in the comarca of the Conca de Barbera, the old Cistercian monastery was founded in 1150 to colonize the (re)conquered lands of New Catalonia - the last Moors were driven out in 1149 -, introducing agricultural and viticultural know-how into these lands. In the 14th century it was transformed into a military stronghold. The Real Monasterio de Santa María de Poblet is also a royal residence, directly associated with the history of the houses of Barcelona, Aragon and Castile. It houses a sumptuous dynasty burial place for several kings of the houses of Catalonia and Aragon (such as James I the Conqueror). Poblet was both the necropolis and the home of kings. In later centuries the monastery fell from being a seat of kings to the function of being a place of refuge. It is still nowadays a working monastery and draws over 150,000 visitors a year.
A great gallery of images of Poblet and the surrounding comarcas can be found on the website of a new magazine, entitled ´Cultura i Paisatge a la Ruta del Cister´, a spin-off of the now well-established ´Ruta del Cister´ or Cistercian Route, connecting Poblet with the other two Cistercian monasteries of Southern Catalonia (Santes Creus and Vallbona de les Monges): go to http://www.culturaipaisatge.com/
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