Sant Jeroni de Cotalba Monastery

The Monastery of Sant Jeroni de Cotalba with Valencian Gothic, Mudéjar, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical styles was constructed between the 14th and 18th centuries, located in the municipal area of Alfauir, (Valencia), Spain, about 8 km. from the well-known city of Gandia.

Alfonso of Aragon founded the monastery on current site in 1388. In 1388 Alfonso of Aragon and Foix, Royal Duke of Gandia, constructed a fortress to protect the monastics from attacks by Berber pirates.

In the 16th century the monastery came under the protection of the House of Borgia. They financed the monastery's enlargement such as the upper cloister of late Gothic style or the medieval cistern of the Orange Tree Patio.

The Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal sold off the religious buildings to pay state debts. The monks left the monastery in 1835. In 1843, it was acquired by the Trénor family and remains in their bands until today. The Trénor family has owned it since 1843, although it became a military hospital temporarily during the Spanish Civil War.

In 1994, the monastery was declared as an item of cultural interest (BIC), and is now being restored. The doors were opened to the public on May 26, 2005. The restoration work has been carried out on the area behind the church's retable and Nicolas Borrás painting gallery. Nowadays, most of the monastery is open to visitors.

Architecture

The construction of the monastery began in the 14th century and continued through the 16th century, though its current layout dates from reconstruction in the 17th and 18th centuries. The main facade is overlooked by the main and priory towers. The gothic church has a rectangular ground plan with one aisle and chapels between buttresses, as well as Baroque elements from the 18th-century renovation. The most significant areas on the upper floor are the presbytery and the choir.

The bell tower's facade features 17th-century blue and white carvings, and includes the founder's date and name in Valencian. The cloister is arranged in four galleries on two floors encircling a garden. The lower cloister includes arches and vaults in two-coloured Mudéjar style reminiscent of the Córdoba mosque. The sala capitular houses the remains of Prince John and Princess Blanche of Aragon, children of the mediaeval Duke Alfonso the Old.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Partida Convent 99, Alfauir, Spain

Details

Founded: 1388
Category: Religious sites in Spain