New Monastery of San Juan de la Peña

The New Monastery of San Juan de la Peña sits on the San Indalecio plateau, a short drive from Jaca in the Aragonese Pyrenees. It's the younger, Baroque counterpart to the famous medieval monastery carved into the cliffside nearby, built when monks had to abandon the old complex — and today it serves a completely different purpose than it did in Benedictine times.

Why was a new monastery built?

The old monastery of San Juan de la Peña, tucked under a rock overhang, had struggled for centuries with dampness, cramped space and difficult access. When a fire destroyed much of the old buildings in 1675, the Benedictine congregation of Tarragona decided to move the community to the nearby plain. The foundation stone of the new Baroque building was laid on April 13, 1676, and construction wrapped up in 1714. Monks lived here until 1835, when Spain's religious secularization laws ended monastic life at the site.

What you'll see on site

The complex is built of brick, enclosed by a low wall, arranged around a large plaza with two separate cloisters — a layout typical of large Baroque monasteries but unusual for this stretch of the Pyrenees. The Baroque church at its heart no longer holds services; it now houses the Interpretation Center of the Kingdom of Aragon, a multimedia exhibition explaining how the medieval Kingdom of Aragon came to be and the role the San Juan de la Peña community played in it. It's a good place to start before heading up to the old monastery, since it ties the history of both sites together in an accessible way.

After years of neglect, the complex underwent a full restoration — work began in 2000, and the renovated site reopened to visitors in June 2007. It's also worth walking the plaza and cloisters, which open onto views of the surrounding hills and wooded slopes.

How to get there

The new monastery stands on the road leading up to the old monastery of San Juan de la Peña, about 28 km from Jaca. Driving is the most convenient option — the route passes through Santa Cruz de la Serós, from where a scenic mountain road continues up to the rock-cut monastery. Parking is available right at the entrance to the complex.

When to visit

Spring and early autumn are the best seasons, with mild temperatures and fewer crowds than in July and August. In winter the mountain road can get tricky, so it's worth checking conditions beforehand. A visit to the new monastery alone usually takes 45–60 minutes, which makes it easy to combine with a trip to the old monastery, just a few kilometers further up the mountain.

Frequently asked questions

How is the new monastery different from the old San Juan de la Peña? The old monastery is medieval and built into a rock overhang, while the new one is Baroque, built on flat ground in the late 17th and early 18th centuries as a more practical home for the monks after the fire.

Do monks still live at the new monastery? No, the community left in 1835 when Spain secularized religious orders. The building now serves as a museum and visitor center.

What can you see at the Interpretation Center of the Kingdom of Aragon? A multimedia exhibition on the origins and history of the Kingdom of Aragon, housed inside the former Baroque monastery church.

How much time should I budget for visiting both monasteries in one day? Counting travel time, the new monastery and a proper visit to the old monastery and its surroundings, plan for at least half a day, ideally a full day.