Món Sant Benet’s spaces
THE MONASTERY OF SANT BENET DE BAGES
A historical monastery
The Benedictine monastery of Sant Benet de Bages, located in the municipality of Sant Fruitós de Bages, is one of Catalonia’s best-preserved medieval monastery complexes.
Founded in 960 by the nobles Sal·la i Ricardis, it was consecrated in 972 with a first pre-Romanesque church that, in the 12th century, was replaced by the current Romanesque church, and a small cloister, made up of 64 capitals, all of them sculpted and that are still standing today. A large new Gothic cellar was built in the 14th century.
The 16th century turned out to be a time of splendour for the monastery with the abbot Pere Frigola, who pushed for major renovations throughout the monastery by erecting the cloister and the Abbot’s Palace.
In 1594, Sant Benet de Bages was annexed to the monastery of Montserrat and, in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was used as a school of arts and a residence for old monks, at which time the monastery continued to grow with the construction of the baroque-style Edifici de Migdia.
It was in 1835 with the approval of the so-called “Confiscation of Mendizábal”, that the monks of San Benet were forced to flee the monastery, and it was abandoned until 1907 when Elisa Carbó and Ferrer, mother of the modernist painter Ramon Casas, acquired the monastery with the intention of transforming it into a family summer residence.
In 2000, the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages was acquired from the heirs of the Casas family by Obra Social de Caixa Manresa, which studied, restored and integrated it into the Món Sant Benet complex, opening it to the public in November 2007.
Picture: arxiu de la Família Codina
The Monastery
The Monastery
today
Món Sant Benet is currently part of Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation, foundation with a social vocation that offers opportunities to those who need it most, fostering talent, creation, education, and preserving the natural and cultural heritage throughout the region.
The Monastery of Sant Benet can be visited. It has a more monumental part that dates back to the medieval period, and a modernist part that was the summer residence of the painter Ramon Casas. We offer different routes through the medieval and modernist part. The Monastery also has conference rooms.
THE SPACES OF SANT BENET
Hotel Món
Modern and comfortable 4-star superior hotel, located a stone’s throw from the Monastery of Sant Benet.
Alícia Foundation
Culinary research centre that promotes the improvement of eating habits, while enhancing the region’s food and gastronomic heritage.
The Factory
Old textile factory and basic colony at the foot of the river Llobregat. It is currently part of the Món Sant Benet cultural and gastronomic complex.
Owner's house
It currently houses conference rooms and offices, but was once the summer home of the factory owners when it was in operation.
Sant Benet Vegetable Gardens
They were created with a view to prioritising quality over quantity, teaching agri-food diversity and revaluing some local agricultural varieties by studying their commercial viability.