Outstanding Universal Value. Decaled World Heritage by the UNESCO in 1991.
The monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet is located is the south of Catalonia, in the municipality of Vimbodí i Poblet, in the south-east of the Conca de Barberà and at the foot of the Prades Mountains.
It is an impressive architectonic ensemble and it is the biggest inhabited Cistercian monastery in Europe. This Cistercian monastery was built from 1150 onwards and it combines different architectonic styles and has royal pantheon from the old Aragon Crown, restored by Frederic Marés in 1948. The visit to the monastery can be guided or by yourself and includes the church, the refectory, the cloister, the chapter room, the dormitory, the writing room, the old cellar or the converts room, the royal palace, among other rooms. About thirty monks currently live in Poblet.
Poblet Monastery, along with the Cistercian monasteries of Santes Creus (Alt Camp) and Vallbona de les Monges (Urgell), make up La Ruta del Cister, an expression that identifies a specific territory formed by the regions of Alt Camp, the Conca de Barberà and Urgell and their 65 municipalities. It was created in 1989 with the aim of giving a tourist and economic boost to these three regions. The name is due to the fact that the artistic and cultural heritage of each one of these regions includes a Cistercian monastery: Santes Creus, Poblet and Vallbona de les Monges.
Poblet Natural Site of National Interest is a protected area that is especially linked to the history of Poblet Monastery. Among other natural values the only community of Pyrenean oaks (Quercuspyrenaica) in Catalonia has been found here. It offers many possibilities for excursions and walks or to simply stroll along enjoying the landscape and some fifty or so natural fountains, some with ferruginous water.
The agricultural landscapes, mainly crops of vines, contrast with the eminently forestry landscapes with their great changes in colour depending on the season of the year.
Visiting hours: http://www.poblet.cat
Audio Guide: Download to your mobile phone from the App Store or the Play Store “Poblet, official guide” app and make the most of your visit. Headphones required. The app is available in 5 languages.
