Poblet Abbey, also known as the Royal Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet (Catalan: Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet), is a Cistercian monastery. It was founded in 1151 by Cistercian monks from France. The monastery is located at the foot of the Prades Mountains in the region of Conca de Barberà, Catalonia, Spain. The main architect of the monastery was Arnau Bargués [ca; es].
This monastery was the first of three sister monasteries, called the Cistercian triangle, that helped strengthen control in Catalonia during the 12th century. The other two monasteries are Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus.
Significance
Poblet was one of the two royal burial places for the kings of the Crown of Aragon, starting with James I of Aragon (along with the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña). Important royal tombs have alabaster statues placed above them. Kings are shown with lion sculptures at their feet, and queens are shown with dogs.
Peter IV of Aragon (1319–1387) required by oath during his coronation that all future Aragonese kings be buried there. Only Ferdinand II of Aragon broke this rule after his kingdoms were united with the Crown of Castile and was buried in Granada instead.
At its peak, the monastery housed more than 300 monks and had many "Cistercian farms" managed by lay brothers who used the land and forests for farming. The monastery buildings cover about 12,000 square metres (129,000 sq ft).
Burials
The following kings and queens of Aragon are buried at Poblet Monastery:
- Alfonso II (1196)
- James I (1276)
- Peter IV (1387), and his first three wives, Maria of Navarre, Eleanor of Portugal, and Eleanor of Sicily
- John I (1396), and his wives, Martha of Armagnac and Violant of Bar
- Martin (1410), and his first wife, Maria de Luna
- Ferdinand I (1416), and his wife, Eleanor of Alburquerque
- Alfonso V (1458)
- John II (1479), and his second wife, Joana Enríquez
Other important people buried here include the Hungarian queen Beatrice of Naples (1508), Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton (1731), and Archduke Karl Pius of Austria, Prince of Tuscany, Carlist-Carloctavismo pretender to the throne as "Carlos VIII" (1953).
The tombs of these royal figures were restored by the Catalan sculptor Frederic Marés in 1948.
Ruin and rebuilding
The monastery, which had already been damaged during the First Carlist War, was closed in 1835 because of the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal under the rule of Isabella II of Spain. This process, called the Desamortización, ended monastic life at the site. On July 24 of the same year, the monastery was looted by government officials and groups of people causing trouble. During this event, valuable paintings and furniture were taken away, and parts of the building were burned.
In the years that followed, the monastery fell into disrepair and ruin. Some of the main roofs collapsed. The tombs of the rulers of the Crown of Aragon were damaged, and their remains were moved temporarily to the Cathedral of Tarragona. This was done with the help of Rev. Antoni Serret from the nearby town of L'Espluga.
The monastery was refounded in 1940 by Italian monks of the same religious order, and repairs began. Near the entrance of the church, one building was left in a ruined state to serve as a reminder of the past. The remains of the ancient Royal House of Aragon were later placed back in their tombs, but they are now mixed together.
Poblet belongs to the Cistercian Congregation of the Crown of Aragon, along with Santa Maria de Solius and convents such as Santa Maria de Vallbona and Santa Maria de Valldonzella. The Abbot of Poblet is the official leader of the Congregation. Today, the monastic community includes 29 monks, 1 regular oblate, 1 novice, and 2 familiars.
Poblet Monastery has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The altar, created in 1527, was sculpted by Damián Forment.
In 2010, Spanish architect Mariano Bayón designed the Poblet Monastery Guesthouse.
Abbots
The current abbot is the 105th abbot.
- 1954–1966: Edmon Maria Garreta i Olivella
- 1966–1970: Robert Saladrigues
- 1970–1998: Maurus Esteva Alsina
- 1998–2015: Josep Alegre i Vilas
- 2015–current: Octavi Vilà i Mayo
Gallery
- Layout of Poblet
- Entrance gate
- Main bell tower
- Tombs of Ferdinand I of Aragon and Eleanor of Albuquerque of Aragon inside the Reial Monestir de Poblet
- Tomb of James I of Aragon
- Part of the Royal Pantheon after restoration
- Fountain for washing in one of the cloisters
- Handrail shaped like a dragon by Ramon Martí i Martí
- Poblet Monastery Guesthouse in Tarragona. Architect: Mariano Bayón. Year: 2010