Sant Pau del Camp

Sant Pau del Camp

Sant Pau del Camp (IPA: [ˈsam ˈpaw ðəɫ ˈkam]) (Catalan for "Saint Paul of the countryside" or "in the fields") is a church and former monastery in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. While the monastery now stands within the El Raval district in central Barcelona, it once stood outside the city (before 14th century); its rural location gave the church its name.

History

There are no sources about the monastery's origins, although it is generally thought that it was founded in the late 9th century, probably by count Wilfred II of Barcelona. The monastery is documented from 977; in 985 it was attacked and nearly destroyed by the Muslim troops of al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir, and abandoned by the monks.

Restorations were begun in 1096 and a new monastic community arrived. The new monastery was again attacked in 1114; three years later it became a priory of the monastery of Sant Cugat, and again restored. It was defended by the city's new line of walls in the 14th century. The monks were driven from the monastery in 1835.

It was declared National Monument in 1879.

Architecture

Scale model of Sant Pau del Camp, at the Catalunya en Miniatura park

The monastery has a small cloister, built in the 13th century. It features lobular arcades supported by double columns, whose capitals are decorated by biblical and daily life scenes, animals, monsters and vegetable motifs. The abbots' house was built in the in the 13th-14th and early 18th century.

The church is on the Greek cross plan, with a single aisle. It has a transept with three apses, and the interior is covered by barrel vaults. The entrance doorway has two columns with ancient marble Visigothic capitals, while in the tympanum is depicted Christ in Majesty with Saints Paul and Peter.

The chapter house (14th century) houses the tomb of the supposed founder of the monastery, Wilfred II.

Sources

• Pladevall, Antoni (1970) (in Spanish). Los monasterios catalanes. Barcelona: Ediciones Destino. ISBN 84-233-0511-2. 

External links

• Images, informations and curiosities about the monastery (Catalan) (Spanish)
• Sacred-Destinations.com: Sant Pau del Camp

Coordinates: 41°22′35″N 2°10′10″E / 41.37639°N 2.16944°E / 41.37639; 2.16944