Sant Miquel del Fai

Sant Miquel del Fai
Native name
Spanish: Sant Miquel del Fai

Sant Miquel de Fai
Location Bigues i Riells, Spain
Architectural style(s) Romanesque
Gothic
Official name: Sant Miquel del Fai
Type Non-movable
Criteria Monument
Designated November 8, 1988[1]
Reference no. RI-51-0005209

Sant Miquel del Fai is a cenobitic Benedictine monastery in Bigues i Riells, Catalonia, Spain. The 11th-century building was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural landmark in 1988.[1]

Location

The monastery is located in a well-preserved natural environment framed by rocky cliffs called Cingles de Bertí in the Catalan pre-coastal mountain range which geographically separates the region of Vallès Oriental in the subregion of Moianès. The Natural Area Sant Miquel del Fai is located in the municipality of Bigues i Riells.

Architecture and fittings

Interior view

The church has a Romanesque doorway formed by a semicircular arch. A pair of columns are topped with capitals decorated with plant motifs. Only a few traces remain of the high altar. It has a small crypt which is accessed via a staircase located near the entrance. On the floor of the church, the headstones of the old abbots are visible. In side chapels, there are two graves. One, dating to the 13th century, is believed to correspond to Guillem, Earl Osona and brother of Ramon Berenguer I, who, after waiving his rights, was a monk of Sant Miquel. The other tomb may be that of Andreu Arbizu, a monk from Navarre, who provided goods to the monastery. The old priory house style is Gothic and dates to the 15th century. For many years, it has served as a hostel, but retains its original layout.

References

  1. 1 2 Database of protected buildings (movable and non-movable) of the Ministry of Culture of Spain (Spanish).

Bibliography

External links

Media related to Sant Miquel del Fai at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 41°42′58″N 2°11′26″E / 41.71609°N 2.190473°E / 41.71609; 2.190473

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, August 25, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.