El Trotamundos Curioso
Guide · 5 monuments

Monasteries steeped in history

Retreat, power and art came together in Spain's great monasteries. From El Escorial to Guadalupe, a journey through some of the country's most important monastic complexes.

1
Monastery of El Escorial
Monastery
Madrid

Monastery of El Escorial

Palace, basilica, royal pantheon, library and monastery all in one: Philip II's great Renaissance dream, dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World, set in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

2
Monasterio de Piedra
Monastery
Aragon

Monasterio de Piedra

A former 12th-century Cistercian monastery beside the River Piedra in Nuévalos, where Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles sit side by side in one of the most visited spots in Aragon.

3
Monastery of Yuste
Monastery
Extremadura

Monastery of Yuste

In the heart of the La Vera district, the monastery and palace residence where Charles I of Spain and V of Germany spent the last two years of his life in retirement after abdicating.

4
Poblet Monastery
Monastery
Catalonia

Poblet Monastery

The archetypal Cistercian abbey and former burial place of the kings of Aragon, Poblet is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is still home to a community of monks in the heart of the Conca de Barberà.

5
Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe
Monastery
Extremadura

Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe

Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Extremadura, this World Heritage monastery brings together six centuries of history and art, from Gothic to Neoclassical.