Architectural Heritage near Barcelona

Don't miss these varied heritage sites that showcase the skills and mastery of the finest medieval workshops and the imagination of such singular artists as Antoni Gaudí. Crypts, cloisters and monasteries that hold secret treasures that won't fail to amaze you.

Montserrat Monastery

A unique religious site that has become a symbol for an entire nation. Set against the backdrop of one of the world's most curious mountain formations, its influence is key to understanding the history of Catalonia. A visit is a must for lovers of art, spirituality and nature.

Gaudí Crypt at the Colònia Güell

A combination of creativity and nature stemming from the imagination of the genius architect Antoni Gaudí. The crypt is an unfinished church that is an absolute must place to visit in order to understand the building techniques he used. A place that won't fail to impress.

Sant Cugat del Vallès Monastery

This town near Barcelona has one of the most accomplished medieval ensembles in Catalonia and consists of Romanesque cloisters, a church with a Gothic façade, the abbot's palace and a defensive wall that forms a boundary around the complex.

Sant Miquel del Fai

Against a backdrop of stunning natural scenery, just 50 kilometres from Barcelona, this Romanesque church is the only surviving example in Catalonia built inside a grotto that uses the rocky structure as the ceiling of the church.

Sant Benet de Bages Monastery

This is one of the most interesting monastery complexes in Catalonia and is located in the village of Sant Fruitós de Bages, not far from the town of Manresa and Mount Montserrat. The ensemble still retains the spirit of the Benedictine order that founded the monastery.

Basilica of Santa Maria de Mataró

We find one of the finest examples of Catalan baroque architecture close to Barcelona in the coastal town of Mataró. It was built at the end of the 17th century and is the fruit of the imagination of the Italian architect Ercole Torelli. An architectural gem that is the centrepiece of a town that was to become the cradle of industrialisation and a station on the first railway on the Iberian Peninsula in 1848.

Basilica of Santa Maria de la Seu de Manresa

This Gothic basilica in the town of Manresa in the heartland of Catalonia is a wonderful architectural showcase where building and contents come together. The splendour of the nave conceals some of the finest Catalan altarpieces of the period.

Churches of Sant Pere de Terrassa

The town of Terrassa is home to one of the best-preserved early-Christian ensembles in Europe. It is made up of three buildings: the one known as the See of Ègara (or cathedral of Santa Maria) and the churches of Sant Miquel and Sant Pere. A journey back in time to the origins of Christianity just a short distance from Barcelona.