Monestir de la Sagrada Família de les Dominiques, Burriana

The Monastery of the Sagrada Família de les Dominiques in Burriana welcomes visitors to a working convent church right in the heart of this coastal town in Castellón province, Spain.

What is the history behind this monastery?

The community was founded on 16 July 1890, becoming the first religious house ever established in Burriana. Two local priests, cousins José Ramón Monserrat Llopis and Juan Bautista Llopis Montoya, financed and organized the foundation. Their original plan was to bring Dominican friars to the town, but since the order was still rebuilding its male branch in Valencia and Barcelona at the time, they opted for a community of Dominican nuns instead. The date was chosen deliberately: 16 July marks both the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the anniversary of the Christian conquest of Burriana, and the convent was dedicated to the Holy Family in that spirit. Dominican nuns, unlike the active Dominican sisters of the same order, follow a contemplative life centered on prayer, and this community has kept that rhythm for well over a century.

What can you see inside?

The convent church dates from the final years of the 19th century and remains a functioning place of worship rather than a museum piece. Its best-known feature is a statue of Saint Martin de Porres, brought to the church in 1952. Devotion to the saint took root thanks to a Dominican friar, Father Antonio Huguet Montoro, born in Burriana in 1901, and the image is credited by locals with numerous healings and favours. It still draws steady visits from residents, including people on their way to nearby health centers who stop to pray. A local custom keeps the devotion alive: families who believe they received a favour through the saint's intercession hand out blessed bread to worshippers in thanksgiving. Outside the statue itself, the modest facade and the quiet square it faces are worth a slow look, since both sit within Burriana's older town fabric.

How do you get there and when should you go?

Burriana sits on the Costa de Azahar coastline in Castellón province, within easy reach of both Valencia and the city of Castellón de la Plana. Driving is the simplest option, using the AP-7 motorway or the CV-10 road that links Burriana to the rest of the coast. The convent stands on Plaza de las Monjas, in the historic core of town, an easy walk from the main shopping streets and the parish church. Because it is an active religious community, visits are best timed around Mass and prayer hours, when the church interior is open. Burriana itself is busiest in spring and summer thanks to its beaches, but the monastery and its church can be visited at any time of year, independent of the beach season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the church open to visitors during the day? The church opens to worshippers and visitors around Mass times; outside those hours access to the interior can be limited, since this is a working convent rather than a tourist site.

What is the main thing to see inside? The 1952 statue of Saint Martin de Porres, which remains the focus of an active local devotion tied to reported healings and favours.

Does the community do more than pray? Since its founding in 1890, the Dominican nuns of Burriana have also been known locally for charitable and welfare work in the town.

Can this stop be combined with the rest of a Burriana visit? Yes — the monastery sits in the historic centre, close to the old town and other landmarks, so it fits easily into a walking route around Burriana.