About this place
Ermita de Sant Francesc is a small chapel in the municipality of Sant Climent de Llobregat, in the Baix Llobregat comarca, Barcelona province. Built in 1798 as the private chapel of the Can Colomer de les Valls farmhouse, it is now listed in Catalonia's architectural heritage inventory, even though the building itself stands in an advanced state of disrepair.
When was the chapel built?
The construction date, 1798, is carved into an inscription that still survives above the entrance on the main façade. The chapel was raised as a private place of worship tied to the Can Colomer de les Valls masia, one of the rural farmsteads scattered across what is today the municipality of Sant Climent de Llobregat. Its dedication honors Saint Francis of Assisi, known in Catalan as Sant Francesc.
What does the building look like?
The hermitage has a rectangular floor plan and sits on sloping ground. Because the land drops away in front of the entrance, a small retaining wall was built to level the approach and support the structure — a solution common to rural chapels built on the uneven terrain of Baix Llobregat.
What was kept inside?
The original devotion centered on an image of Saint Francis, the chapel's patron. Later, believed to be around the mid-19th century, the building was restored and fitted with a new altar; at that point images of Saint John and the Virgin of the Rosary were added alongside Saint Francis, broadening the range of devotion associated with the site.
Were Mass services held here?
Yes. The parish archive of Sant Climent keeps a record, dated 2 August 1998, granting permission to celebrate Mass at the chapel. That document shows the hermitage still carried an active liturgical role as recently as the late 20th century, despite its modest size and rural setting.
What condition is the chapel in today?
The building is currently in very poor condition, described in heritage sources as nearly ruined. Despite this, it remains listed in the Inventori del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya (Catalonia's architectural heritage inventory), a formal recognition of its historical and architectural value even as the structure itself awaits restoration.
Where exactly is it located?
The chapel stands within the municipality of Sant Climent de Llobregat, a small town in the Baix Llobregat comarca, Barcelona province, close to the city of Barcelona. Its approximate coordinates are 41.3278 N, 1.9679 E.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Ermita de Sant Francesc built? In 1798, a date confirmed by an inscription above the entrance on the main façade.
Who is the chapel dedicated to? Saint Francis of Assisi, though images of Saint John and the Virgin of the Rosary were added during a later restoration.
Was the chapel privately owned? Yes, it originally belonged to the Can Colomer de les Valls farmhouse and served as a private place of worship.
Is Mass still celebrated there? Documentation confirms permission for Mass as recently as 1998; the building's current poor condition, however, limits its use today.
Is the chapel a protected heritage site? Yes, it is included in Catalonia's Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
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