Cartuja de Montalegre
TianaBarcelone Founded in 1901
Photo credit
- Cartoixa de Montalegre - entrada · Photo: daniel julià lundgren from barcelona, catalonia · cartoixa de montalegre · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Images may be cropped for display.
The charterhouse of Santa Maria de Montalegre is located in Tiana, in the comarca of Maresme, on the heights overlooking Barcelona. It belongs to the Carthusian Order, founded by Saint Bruno in 1084. It is today the only charterhouse in Catalonia inhabited by a community of monks.
In 1415, the Carthusian community of Vallparadís acquired the estate; that of Sant Pol de Mar joined them in 1434, and construction was completed around 1464. The 19th century was difficult: departure during the Napoleonic invasion, then suppression in 1835. In 1901, a new community from France settled there. In 1936, during the Civil War, several monks were killed; the community returned in 1939.
The buildings are arranged around two adjoining Gothic cloisters, which contain thirty cells. The church, of great simplicity, is reserved for the community: no outsiders are admitted to the offices. The house has no novitiate.