Vallbona de les Monges (l'Urgell), with its 143 inhabitants, is the main settlement in a municipality that also includes a group of houses at Montblanquet, 13 km away, and the other mini settlement known as the Entitat Municipal Descentralitzada de Rocallaura, 10 km from Vallbona. In just a few years, this hamlet has become quite an important tourist attraction, mainly on account of the monastery of Santa Maria. This establishment, which was once the most important female Cistercian monastery in Catalonia, has been a centre of monastic life for more than 850 years. The monastery, which in 2007 celebrates its 850th year of monastic life, has had a very strong influence upon the development of the neighbouring hamlet. The private trust "Santa Maria de Vallbona 850 anys" (850 years of Santa Maria de Vallbona) has been established with the aim of restoring and maintaining the cultural heritage of the monastery. The hamlet is one of the tourist attractions highlighted on the Cistercian Route which runs through the comarques (local districts) of L'Alt Camp, La Conca de Barbera and L'Urgell. The Cistercian monasteries that can be visited along this route are those of Santes Creus, Poblet and Vallbona de les Monges.

History

The municipal area, or "terme", of Vallbona was created around the year 1573 when the nuns, led by their abbess Estefania de Piquer, asked the inhabitants of Montesquiu to establish a settlement around the monastery. In exchange, the abbess offered to give them land and goods located within the first enclosure of the monastery, next to the first walls. The inhabitants of Montesquiu accepted the proposal and this resulted in the creation of Vallbona de les Monges.

The Monastery

The monastery church is built in a style that is a transition between Romanesque and Gothic. It is relevant to highlight its two domes; one is the lantern dome and the other is the belfry dome. There is a sarcophagus on either side of the sanctuary. One is the tomb of Violant d'Hongria, the second wife of King Jaume I, the Conqueror, and the other is that of her daughter, Princess Sança d'Aragó.

The cloister, which dates from the early 12th century, has wings built according to different architectural styles. At present, thirteen nuns combine their prayers with traditional crafts, doing manual work, giving guided visits of the monastery and running the monastery guest house and the St. Bernat shelter. In the year 1931, the building was declared a Cultural Value of National Interest.

The Hamlet

On arriving at Vallbona de les Monges the first thing to strike the visitor is the sight of the monastery of Sta. Maria de Vallbona.

Vallbona de les Monges also has streets and small squares full of cosy, peaceful, little corners that invite visitors to walk through them and to lose themselves for a short while in the peace and quiet of the hamlet. Places to see in and around the hamlet include the former municipal washing tanks, the municipal cross, the parish church, the fountain in the monastery square and the stone-vaulted shelters.

Festivals and Traditions

JANUARY: final Saturday, festival of "La Pigota".
APRIL: around 23rd, pilgrimage to Rocallaura.
MAY: 15th, festival in honour of Saint Isidre.
SEPTEMBER: third weekend, Festa Major (Main Festival) of Saint Cosme and Saint Damia.

Routes

GR-3 LONG DISTANCE WALKING ROUTE

This walking route crosses inland Catalonia, passing through numerous settlements and interesting landscapes. It connects the Vic Plain with the Lleida Plain via the woods of El Bages and El Solsonés and has a total length of 226.9 km.

Comarques (local districts) crossed: el Bages, la Noguera, Osona, el Ripollès, el Solsonès and l'Urgell.

In the comarca of L'Urgell, the GR-3 long distance walking route runs for 60 km from north to south and offers a general perspective of the area's beautiful physical and monumental scenery. There are four parts of the route:

FIRST SECTION: DONZELL D'URGELL-AGRAMUNT
Distance: 5,45 km - Time: 1 h 28'on foot - Variation in altitude: -100 m

SECOND SECTION: AGRAMUNT-TÀRREGA
Distance: 22,63 km - Time: 5 h 33' on foot - Variation in altitude: +150 m

THIRD SECTION: TÀRREGA-VERDÚ-GUIMERÀ
Distance: 12,10 km - Time: 3 h 10' on foot - Variation in altitude: +240 m

FOURTH SECTION: GUIMERÀ-CIUTADILLA-ROCAFORT DE VALLBONA-VALLBONA DE LES MONGES
Distance: 15,43 km - Time: 3 h 43' on foot - Variation in altitude: +160 m

Ask for a brochure: Camins de l'Urgell a peu i amb BTT (Pathways of L'Urgelll on foot and by mountain bike):
Oficina Comarcal de Turisme del Urgell

GR-175 AND THE CISTERCIAN ROUTE

GR-175 joins the three monasteries of the Cistercian Route: Poblet, Santes Creus and Vallbona de les Monges. It is possible to follow this itinerary on foot, by mountain bike or on horseback. The route is described in the book "LA RUTA DEL CISTER A PEU I AMB BTT" by Edicions Cossetania.

More information GR- 175

Where to eat

RESTAURANT EL TALLAT

C/ Raval del Tallat, 79
25268 Vallbona de les Monges
973 33 02 70

Opening hours: all year, open from 09:00 onwards.
Services: play area with children’s games, access for the disabled, credit cards accepted, private dining rooms, car park, and coaches accepted by previous reservation.
Specialities: veal with mushrooms, pigs’ trotters and barbecued meats. Calçots (scallions), in season.
Capacity: 100 places.

CAFÈ DEL SINDICAT
Passeig Montesquiu
25268 Vallbona de les Monges
Tel. 973 33 05 04
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 08.30 onwards
Services: bar, car park and sale of products from the Vallbona de les Monges rural cooperative.

Specialities: menus and main dishes.
Capacity: 35 places.