Ripoll: Romanesque portal and the Forge Museum

The Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll was founded in 879 by Count Wilfred the Hairy, founder of Catalonia's ruling dynasty. While the church was rebuilt in the 19th century, the 12th-century portal survives as one of Europe's finest examples of Romanesque sculpture.

The portal is a "stone Bible" covering the entire west facade with carved reliefs depicting:

• Old Testament scenes: Creation, Noah's Ark, Jonah and the whale
• New Testament narratives: Life of Christ, miracles, parables
• Apocalyptic visions: Christ in Majesty, Last Judgment
• Months and seasons: agricultural calendar around the outer arch
• Geometric and floral patterns: intricate decorative bands

The level of detail is extraordinary - art historians can spend hours identifying the scenes. Unfortunately, the portal suffered damage over centuries, but enough survives to appreciate the artistry. Take binoculars to see upper details.

Entry to the monastery complex is 5 EUR (includes cloister). The portal is visible from the street, but the ticket allows close-up access and includes the cloister and museum.

Inside, the two-storey cloister dates from the 12th-15th centuries, combining Romanesque and Gothic elements. The capitals are carved with fantastic beasts, foliage and biblical scenes - a quieter complement to the flamboyant portal.

The monastery museum displays:

• Medieval manuscripts: Ripoll was a major scriptorium (copyist centre)
• Religious sculpture: Gothic wood carvings and altarpieces
• Tomb of Wilfred the Hairy: the founder's sarcophagus
• Excavated finds: archaeological material from the site

Allow 1-1.5 hours for a complete visit of portal, cloister and museum.

Ripoll was a centre of iron-working from medieval times through the 19th century, using ore from the Pyrenees and water power from the rivers. The Museu Etnogràfic de Ripoll preserves this heritage in an atmospheric former forge.

The museum includes:

• Working forge: original 19th-century equipment, with demonstrations showing traditional blacksmithing
• Water-powered hammers: massive trip hammers driven by water wheels
• Tool collections: pliers, anvils, bellows and specialized ironworking equipment
• Weapons and hardware: products made in Ripoll forges over centuries

The museum brings industrial history to life. Demonstrations (on weekends and holidays) show the deafening clang of the power hammers. Entry is 5 EUR, allow 1 hour.

Ripoll's old town preserves medieval streets and arcaded squares. The Plaça de l'Abat Oliba (named for the monastery's most important abbot) is the social centre, with cafés and shops.

Also visit the Church of Sant Pere, a smaller Romanesque church (12th century) with interesting capitals and frescoes. It's free to enter and often overlooked by visitors focused on the monastery.

For panoramic views of Ripoll and the surrounding valleys, climb to the Santuari de Sant Antoni, a chapel on a hill above town (20-minute walk).

Morning: Drive from La Tor de Montclar to Ripoll (1.5 hours via C-16 north through the Cadi tunnel). Arrive around 10am and head straight to the Monastery. Spend time studying the portal, then visit the cloister and museum.

Lunch: Ripoll has traditional restaurants serving Pyrenean cuisine: grilled meats, mountain stews, mushrooms, river trout. Set menus cost 15-20 EUR.

Afternoon: Visit the Forge Museum, ideally timing your visit for a blacksmithing demonstration (check schedule). Then explore the old town and Sant Pere church. If you have energy, walk up to Sant Antoni for views.

Optional addition: On the drive back, detour to Sant Joan de les Abadesses (10 km from Ripoll) to see another stunning monastery and the Gothic bridge.