The convent of Santa Maria de Jonqueres, a
beautiful Gothic building with a magnificent cloister, used to stand
next to the old city walls, near the Plaça d’Urquinaona. The necessary
expansion of Barcelona meant that this architectural
ensemble had to be demolished at the end of the 19th century. The
authorities decided that the convent should be dismantled and taken,
stone by stone, to the city’s new area of economic and residential
expansion: the Eixample.
The bourgeoisie, who were starting to move to the
area, needed a proper place of worship. This is the reason why the
church was moved to its current site. The cloister, with its two-tiered
gallery of stylised columns and beautiful pointed arches, is one of the
largest in Barcelona, together with the ones in the cathedral and the Monastery of Pedralbes.
The ensemble was completed with the bell tower from the former church
of Sant Miquel, which also had to be demolished to allow the expansion
of the densely packed network of medieval streets. The pinnacles and
several decorative elements were added to the top at a later date,
lending the ensemble the unique appearance it has today.
Elegant and
discreet, the Concepció is a true symbol of the neighbourhood.
Back : Quadrat d'Or- East Part
No comments:
Post a Comment