Sant Joan de les Abadesses: monastery and the Santissim Misteri

The Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses was founded in 887 AD by Count Wilfred the Hairy (founder of Catalonia) as a Benedictine convent for noblewomen. His daughter Emma was the first abbess, giving the town its name: Sant Joan de les Abadesses (Saint John of the Abbesses).

The monastery functioned as a powerful religious and economic centre for centuries. After secularization in the 19th century, it fell into disrepair but has been carefully restored.

The church combines Romanesque and Gothic elements:

• Romanesque apse: semi-circular with Lombard arcading, dating from the 12th century
• Gothic nave: rebuilt in the 14th century after an earthquake
• Cloister: Gothic cloister with elegant pointed arches

Entry to the monastery complex costs 5 EUR and includes the church, cloister and museum.

The monastery's greatest treasure is the Santissim Misteri (Most Holy Mystery), a 13th-century polychrome wooden sculpture group depicting the Descent from the Cross. This is one of the finest examples of medieval sculpture in Spain.

The composition shows:

• Christ on the cross: with articulated arms that could be lowered during Easter ceremonies
• The Virgin Mary and Saint John: grieving figures on either side
• Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus: taking down Christ's body
• Angels: holding chalices to catch the blood

The figures are life-sized and remarkably expressive. The original polychrome (paint and gold) is largely intact, making this an extraordinary survivor from the Middle Ages.

The sculpture was hidden during various wars and persecutions, which helped preserve it. It now stands in a dedicated chapel in the monastery church, dramatically lit.

The village is dramatically situated where the Ter river narrows between cliffs. The Pont Vell (Old Bridge) is a magnificent Gothic bridge with a high pointed arch spanning the gorge, dating from the 12th-13th centuries.

The bridge was the main route north into the Pyrenees for centuries. Today it's pedestrian-only, offering spectacular views up and down the river gorge. Walk across for photos, or descend to the riverbank for shots of the bridge with the village and mountains behind.

The bridge is free to visit and particularly photogenic in late afternoon light.

The old town of Sant Joan de les Abadesses preserves its medieval layout, with narrow streets radiating from the monastery. Key sites include:

• Plaça Major: arcaded square with the former town hall
• Casa de l'Abat: medieval abbot's residence, now a museum of local history
• Medieval Palace: 14th-century noble house with Gothic windows
• Town walls: fragments of the medieval fortifications

The village has a pleasant, unhurried atmosphere. It's popular with Catalan tourists but rarely crowded with international visitors, making it a peaceful discovery.

Sant Joan de les Abadesses is only 10 km from Ripoll, making them perfect to combine in a single day trip.

Morning: Drive from La Tor de Montclar to Ripoll (1.5 hours via C-16 north through Cadi tunnel). Arrive around 10am and visit the Ripoll Monastery with its famous Romanesque portal and cloister (allow 1.5 hours).

Midday: Drive 10 minutes to Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Visit the monastery and Santissim Misteri (allow 1 hour).

Lunch: Eat in Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Restaurants serve Pyrenean mountain cuisine: grilled lamb, river trout, wild boar stew, mushrooms (autumn). Set menus 15-20 EUR.

Afternoon: Stroll the medieval village, walk across the Gothic bridge, and explore the Casa de l'Abat museum if interested. If you have time, return to Ripoll to visit the Forge Museum.

Drive back to Montclar via the same route (1.5 hours).