Santa Maria de Jerusalem

Santa Maria de Jerusalem is a Poor Clares convent in Barcelona whose story begins in the 15th century, even though the nuns' current home sits at the foot of the Collserola hills.

Where does the name come from?

The convent was founded in 1453 by Rafaela Pagès, a Barcelona townswoman returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On her way back she stopped in Rome, where Pope Nicholas V granted a bull authorising a new Franciscan community. In memory of her journey, the house was named Santa Maria de Jerusalem. The community of nuns has existed without interruption ever since — though its buildings have had a much rougher ride.

What will you actually see?

The original convent stood in the Raval district, right next to the Hospital de la Santa Creu, on the spot now occupied by Plaça de la Gardunya. Life was not kind to the building: it was sacked in 1809 and again in 1814, and in 1835 the nuns were forced out under Spain's church-property secularisation laws. For over a decade afterwards the building served as army barracks before finally being demolished. Only the cloister survived — it was dismantled stone by stone and rebuilt in 1885 as the inner courtyard of the Sant Miquel school on Carrer Muntaner, between Còrsega and Rosselló. That cloister is now listed as a local cultural heritage asset; only the original arcades remain, since the beams, roof and interior walls date from the 19th-century adaptation.

The nuns themselves never disappeared. In 1970, three years after the foundation stone was laid, they moved into a new, modern monastery at the foot of Collserola — the community's third home since 1453, since neither of the previous two could be kept.

What's worth knowing before you visit?

The Collserola monastery is a living religious community, not a museum piece, so visiting is in practice limited to the church and the entrance area. One recent highlight is that the pastries baked by the nuns there earned recognition from Catalonia's Repsol food guide — the first such distinction in the convent's history, making it an unusual but charming stop for anyone interested in local flavours. If you're more drawn to history and architecture, pair the visit with a short walk to the former Sant Miquel school on Carrer Muntaner, where the surviving cloister still stands.

How do you get there?

The current monastery sits on the edge of the city at the foot of Collserola, so public transport connecting central Barcelona with the neighbourhoods near the hill is the most practical option, while the cloister on Carrer Muntaner, in the denser Eixample district, is easily reached on foot or by metro.

When should you go?

Since this is an active religious community rather than a conventional sight, quieter times of day work best — morning or early afternoon, when the convent gate is open, away from any crowds.

Frequently asked questions

Is Santa Maria de Jerusalem a single building? Not really — the name refers to a community of Poor Clares that has existed continuously since 1453, but its physical home has changed: the original convent in Raval was demolished, its cloister now stands on Carrer Muntaner, and the nuns themselves have lived at Collserola since 1970.

Why did the original convent disappear? It fell victim to typical 19th-century Spanish upheavals — looting during the Napoleonic wars, followed by the 1835 secularisation of church property, after which the building was turned into barracks and eventually torn down.

What should history-minded visitors see? The surviving cloister of the old convent, built into the Sant Miquel school on Carrer Muntaner in 1885 — the only fragment of the original architecture still standing today.

Can you buy anything directly from the nuns? Yes — the Poor Clares at the Collserola monastery bake pastries that caught the attention of Catalonia's Repsol food guide, an unusual, local attraction for anyone chasing authentic Barcelona flavours.