11 juin 2007
Monestir de Poblet, the major cloister and the chapter house
Then comes the major cloister:
Its construction begins at the end from the XIII ème century. Its dimensions are rather imposing: 40 X 35 meters. It is divided between novel and Gothic.
The galleries are traversed benches of stones on which the monks sat down for reading, which is worth to him the nickname of “cloister of the reading”.
On the higher part, one built with the XV ème a second cloitre which was destroyed. There remains only the site of the columns about it.
The northern gallery gives on the kitchen and the 33 meters long
refectory, worked by the same stone mason as the temple of the Romance
wing, hexagonal, sheltering the fountain or wash-hand basin, where the
monks came to purify.
And I think, considering energies which are in
this place, that they were not to wash only their hands… There must
cross several networks with underground rivers. It is the endoit most
extremely of the monastery, and at the same time softest…
Then comes to chauffoir it of the XIII ème and the room of the monks, today library. With the top, the room of the Copons abbot.
Then the chapter house, square of 15 side meters divided into 9 covered compartments of a voute in intersecting ribs.
Monestir de Poblet, history
Located in a splendid site of the region of Conca de Barberà, Catalonia, inhabited since the prehistoric times, protected by the mountains from Prades, the monastery of Poblet one of most important and best is preserved world cistercian. If you want to familiarize yourselves with the world cistercian, a remarkable address: http://www.cister.net/disc_larmes.htm
In
the middle of the XII ème century, the count of Barcelona Raymond
Bérenger IV, which completed the reconquest of the Catalan territory,
gave the monks of Fondfroide Hortus populeti (planted ground of
poplars) in order to found a monastery there. Twelve monks began
grubbing and raised some buildings in 1153, according to the plan of
the Benedictines. The axis of the church is of course is/western.
During the last third of the XII ème century, one built the first monumental buildings such as the church, part of the cloister, the refectory, the temple of the fountain and the infirmary. The next century will see to be completed the whole of the regular dependences such as the chapter house, the room of the monks, it to chauffoir, the kitchen, the dormitory and the remainder of the zone of the convers.
Kings d' Aragon did not cease testifying their protection with the monastery. It was, with Santa Creus, their favorite stage between the two capitals of Saragossa and Barcelona, their place of retreat near the abbot, who had load of royal aumonier.
In
1835 the life monacale took brutally fine. The buildings were set fire
to, plundered and destroyed. The impressive ruins were protected by the
provincial commission from the monuments from Tarragone until creation
from royal patronage from Poblet in 1930.
On November 24, 1940, of the monks Italian cistercians took again the life monacale there.
Monestir de Poblet, the church
The
church has a plan of basilica with 3 naves and 7 spans and a broad
transept on which opens two apsidal chapels and the bedside formed by a
déambulatoire. It was built between 1166 and 1198, measurement 85
meters length on 28 top.
The
abbey church is long and narrow. The septentrional nave and the
déambulatoire preserved their original roof which is not yet of Gothic
style, contrary at the southernmost nave which has a splendid
intersecting ribs. In the déambulatoire, with the back of the furnace
bridge, beautiful éclatoirs which one finds a little everywhere.
Presence thus of an important energy.
of everywhere on the stones, the concise signs compagnonic.
With
the XIV ème century, the Copons abbot modified the southernmost side
aisle to add the 7 vaults. It is him also which made build the lantern
which is with the crossing of the transept.
The
abbey door tombs of 8 kings d' Aragon and counts de Barcelone on 13 who
éxisté, of 6 queens the, many ones infants and princes.
We will not finish the visit without speaking about what always made the size of the abbeys… I want to speak about that:
Benoit, when it made his rule, wanted to add the fact that the monks did not have the right to drink wine. It is the only time, under the pressure of his/her companions, whom it had to make reverse gear!
Monestir de Poblet, the refectory and the dormitory
The
old dormitory of the XIII ème preserved at the time the presses which
were used to make must (currently the visiting room where the statue of
Saint Bernard is).
The
refectory was transformed into storeroom (one lowered the level of the
ground to pose the tanks) who still carries the traces of the conduits
for the wine and a silo out of stone).
The royal abbey of Creus Health, the abbey one
Return to the abbey church. It is in the shape of Latin cross. With its bedside, only is detached the central, square apse. The 4 side apses do not have external projection, which vcontribue to support the provision in cross. There are 3 naves separated by solids pillars supporting the vaults from the central nave and the side ones. Its interior length is 71 meters, and the transept makes 35 of them. Everywhere of the eclatoirs of a particular form. I know that I already saw the similar ones, but I do not remember any more where….
The baptistry remains sober…
The
church has a great abundance of openings, unfortunately the large
rosette is hidden by a retable baroque. (good, I hope that they will be
quite cold and more wood to heat… more than the retable baroque… ohhh,
it is bundle!!!!) (not, it is a pretty nevertheless retable baroque)
(if if, I assure you good) (ah? is that seen as much as that that I do
not like? ) (but y' has some which likes, then good…)
Architecture
external of the church was modified by a turn-lantern capping the
transept since 1314, financed by… guess-which… Jacques II. This tower
is visible by far and seems foreign with the spirit of the abbey. On
the other hand, the spirit of the abbey is found, as in Poblet, in the
splendid vines which surround it.
The royal abbey of Creus Health, the chapter house and the second cloister
The
chapter house occupies a vast square space of 11 side meters and cover
of 9 vaults laid out on intersecting ribs supported by 4 columns.
Chapter house leaves a staircase which leads us to the dormitory. This immense room of 46 meters by 11 communicates to north with the church.
The visiting room or corridor linking the Gothic cloister with the second cloitre, is followed entry to the room of the monks transformed at the time modern into vault Saint Bernard. The room of the monks makes 17 meters by 11; it is covered with 6 vaults supported by 2 columns. It is one of the most beautiful rooms of the architecture of Creus Health, with the chapter house. Unfortunately, I could not take it in photograph.
The
second cloister is built on a rectangular level of 25 meters by 37. It
is considered by many researchers a work of the first period of the
abbey.
It
would be thus former to the principal cloister. It played a part of
hyphen between spaces by integrating the royal palate. One can see on
the ground the remainders of the first wash-hand basin.
Guillem de Ferrera intervened in this space to reorganize it in the more functional plan. It made carve its weapons in the court of the palate. This palate was built by Jacques II when it decided to fix his residence at Santes Creus.
The
palate was independent of the abbey and one could y entreret leave
without obstructing the monks. The structure of the palate is Gothic: a
court surrounded by a centre of population. Of royal, it became abbey
and was refitted.
The
zone located behind the cloister was organized around a vault, which
was the first church of the abbey before becoming vault of the
infirmary to the XIII ème century: it is the vault of the trinity.
It is built on a rectangular level de10 meters by 5. It reproduces the typical model of the churches of the end of the XII ème century. There is no apse being detached from the unit, the door is directed in the south, have regard with the functionality of the vault and not to the model. (functionality includes telluric networks)
These
first dependences of Creus Health were not only modified, but also
dismembered mainly. Only some sections of wall remain today which
testify to their existence. There remains to us a marvellous fountain…
It is here that I felt best.
The royal abbey of Creus Health, the cloister
The
cloister forms a rectangle of 35 meters by 40. The original plan
envisaged a square of 35 on side. The new layout includes the small
temple with the wash-hand basin, located at the place indicated in the
ideal plan of a cloister cistercian. Of course, water is present in
this place, as well as powerful telluric networks. The monks were to
purify…
The capitals are of any beauty and represent an impressive bestiary.
I saw only seldom as many winged characters, bat, monkeys, of asses, all this small world being represented with large ears.
In
the negative aspect, the bat is the image of hypocrisy and duplicity.
It is it which leads the evil geniuses which haunt the nights. But it
is also the symbol of the contemplative spirit which studies the texts
crowned in order to discover the hidden direction of them. It is the
evocation of the heart to the research of the light. (seen in Saint
Bertrand de Comminges)
Even
an angel holds in hand a vine shoot of vine while its feet are turned
over the made-to-order of the acrobats. It is not any more this world,
the feet do not touch any more the ground. Skilful way to say to us
that the wine was the “drink of the gods” in our Western Europe?
The royal abbey of Creus Health
The
abbey of Creus Health has one of the shémas of construction the most
succeeded of architecture cistercian. The distribution of spaces
marries perfectly the ideal plan of the monastery Bernardin. The church
is leaned with the northern wing of the cloister, as in the majority of
the cistercians abbeys.
We penetrate in the first enclosure by a gate decorated in the style baroque It is in this enclosure that lived the major part of the laic servants of the abbey.
Royal porch we accèdons with the second enclosure. Inside, the fountain and the frontage of the principal church, the abbey one.
The
visit of the abbey starts directly with the principal cloister. It is
of Gothic style and its construction of made on the site of an old
Romance cloister whose only galleries is and northern were finished.
Work started in 1313 on order of the king Jacques II, eager to enrich the monastery which was going to be its mausoleum.
But its construction advanced really only since 1331, under the
direction of an important architect and sculptor of English extraction,
Reinard of Fonoll.
It
was to finish its work later 10 years, and vraissemblablement let us
retrrouvons we it represented on one of the capitals, holding company
with an ox/bull (Mithra?)
The royal abbey of Creus Health, history
The abbey of Valldaura-Santa Creus was founded on December 4, 1150, date of the transfer by the large seneshal Guillem Ramon de Montcada of a field which it had with the Cistercian abbey of Grandselve, located near Toulouse.
Once arrived at Valldaura, Guillaume of Montpellier, delegated of the abbot of Grandselve, gave a negative appreciation, the grounds not being fertile enough for the correct operation of an abbey. The first community settled by seeking other grounds. They arrived via the gifts of the count Raymond Berenguer IV and Guerau Alemany.
The
first stage of the construction of the abbey of Creus Health lasted a
hundred years, the parts most characteristic being built between the
end of the XII ème century and the beginning of the XIII ème.
Father of Valldaura (1158-1184), the first abbot born in the country, was the true founder. Between 1158 and 1174, it approves the plan which takes again the shéma traditional cistercian and is copied head office of Grandselve, ruined during the revolution.
The work of abbey of Creus Health were begun in September 1174. Then came, after some vexations, one century of splendour. The abbey became from now on the tomb of the count-kings who multiplied the gifts. Work was financed by the sovereigns. The only problem, it is that they forgot some-little the Bernardins ideals… The transformation with the Gothic followed.
1835, the community gives up the abbey in August. The legal suspension of the activities intervenes on October 11. The church is set fire to and the abbey is devastated.
1870, the bagne of Tarragone is transferred to Santes Creus. 700 convicts are installed in its walls.
1921, the abbey is declared monument national on July 13.
I allow myself an intervention perso… The name of the one of the named abbots with life with Creus health challenges me. I will not dare to say at the level of my lived, but… almost?
This man was called Guillem de Ferrera, abbot of 1347 to 1375. If parmis you somebody can give me further information on him, I thank it in advance.