Sant Benet de Bages, Catalonia, Spain - a Travel Guide

The monastery of Sant Benet de Bages is located in the Catalonia region of Spain and was previously a Benedictine monastery, which means a Catholic religious order which follows the rules of Saint Benedict. The monastery is built in the Romansque style prevent during the time and was restored in the last century to it's former glory by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, a famous architect from Barcelona.

Entrance to the Sant Benet de bages

Beautifully lit up interiors 

The monastery has also undergone some significant changes now, and this includes a fantastic audio-vusla 3D projection show inside the church itself. It gives a really good overview of the history of the monastery as well as that of Catalonia as well.

Brief history of Sant Benet de Bages

The first Church of Sant Benet was consecrated in 972, shorty after the monastery was founded in 950 by the noble Salla and his consort Ricarda. Over the 12th and 13th centuries, a new church was built in the style of Romanesque architecture. It features a Latin cross floor plan, a single nave with a pointed barrel vault, a semi-circular apse and two apse chapels that cannot be seen from the outside.

The Romanesque style of entrance to the church 

Ceiling of the church

View form the Bell Tower

At the intersection of the nave and transept stands a two-storey bell tower (sometimes considered a lantern tower, though strictly speaking it is not).

How to reach from Barcelona?

By car: C-58 to Terrassa, once there follow the C-16 until exit 54 (St. Fruitós de Bages - Navarcles) and from there take the N-141 towards Navarcles. At 450 meters there is the indicator of the Monastery of St. Benedict, go right and follow the road to St Benet World.

By Public transport: There is a  combined ticket Railways  which includes roundtrip journey to Manresa FGC halt, the bus ride to Transbages Navarcles and the entrance to the monastery.

We reached just at sunrise and the light was lovely :)

Map for reference:

When to visit?

Saturdays and Sundays. Check the opening times by telephoning 93 875 94 01 or writing to info@monstbenet.com. Advance booking is recommended.

The monastery from outside 

Where to stay?

Hotel Món Sant Benet is located in the Bages region, in the center of Catalonia, near Barcelona, surrounded by magical places such as a medieval monastery, the old summer house of the artist Ramon Casas, and the Alicia Foundation among others.

More than 80 spacious rooms with great views equipped with great detail, latest technology, outdoor pool, gardens, service beauty treatments, massages and many leisure and free time alternatives.

Read more: Hotel Món Sant Benet

View from the bell tower

Looking down at the monastery from the bell tower

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Disclaimer: I was in Spain on invitation of the Catalan Tourism Board. All views expressed above are unbiased and based on personal experiences.