Santa Maria, Roses Explained

Santa Maria de Roses is a ruined Benedictine monastery in the municipality of Roses, Alt Empordà comarca, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated within the Ciutadella de Roses, a fortification in the Province of Girona. It is the earliest known example of Lombard architectural style in the country.

History

The origin of this monastery is in a church, Santa Maria de Rodes, belonging to the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes. The monastic activity was affected repeatedly by attacks from Saracen pirates. In 960, the monastic community received protection Gausfred I, Count of Ampurias and Roussillon. In 976, it received fishing rights as well as shipwreck rights in local waters and for various goods. A foundation charter dates to 1022. There were several subsidiaries such as Santa Maria de Pedardell and Santa Maria del Camp.

The monastery began to decline in the 15th century. In 1588, because of a plague epidemic, the monastic houses were abandoned and the monastery was looted. In 1592, by papal order, it was joined to the monastery of Santa Maria d'Amer. In 1792, it was abandoned by the monks and in 1793, Napoleon's troops destroyed the building. A restoration occurred in 1966-69.

Architecture

Constructed in a basilica plan, it has three naves with a transept and three apses. There is a barrel vault in the nave. Lombard decoration of the interior walls is still visible. There is a series of blind arches. They are also remnants of a cloister and some monastic buildings. A restoration project began in the late 20th century.

Abbots

Number	Name	Period
1	Llunesi	960?
2	Guifré	976
3	Sunyer	976-995
4	Sunifred	1008
5	Adalbert	1020-1022
6	Ponç	1040
7	Ecard	1046
8	Ramon Hug	1050-1064
9	Deodat	1070-1083
10	Adalbert	1093-1095
11	Bernat	1109-1111
12	Berenguer	1117-1122
13	Bernat	1137-1154
14	Guillem	1157
15	Pere	1157-1167
16	Gaufred	1174
17	Guillem de Fortià	1177-1205
18	Bernat	1211
19	Ramon de Garriga	1211-1214
20	Pere de Narbona	1217-1228
21	Ponç	1228-1229
22	Ramon	1231
23	Ponç	1232-1251
24	Berenguer	1261-1265
25	Ramon	1279-1296
26	Bernat	1296
27	Dalmau de Fortià	1304-1318
28	Jaume de Guixà	1320-1322
29	Dalmau de Tresvalls	1322-1348
30	Francesc Gic	1348-1362
31	Arnau	1369
32	Francesc de Raset	1372
33	Bernat	1373-1381
34	Guillem	1384
35	Bernat de Pontons	1392-1396
36	Bernat Estruc	1401
37	Hug de Reixac	1416-1426
38	Jaume	1428
39	Joan	1444-1448
40	Nicolau Desllor	1472-1512
41	Bernat Desllor	1512-1543
42	Joan Ortells	1545?-1553
43	Joan Caldes	1553-1572

References

Bibliography

• Book: Collins, Roger. Spain: An Oxford Archaeological Guide. 1998. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-285300-4.
• J. Badia i Homs, L'arquitectura medieval a l'Empordà, 2a ed., 2 vols., Girona, Diputació Provincial de Girona, 1985, vol. II-B, pp. 224–236, 246-247, 253-257 [il.], 605 i 607-612.
• G. Barraquer i Roviralta, Las casas de religosos en Cataluña durante el primer tercio del siglo XIX, 2 vols., Barcelona, Impr. F. J. Altés, 1906, vol. 1, pp. 72–76.
• Catalunya Romànica, 27 vols., Barcelona, Enciclopèdia Catalana, 1984-1998, vol. 9.
• J. M. Marquès i Planagumà, El cartoral de Santa Maria de Roses (segles X-XIII), Barcelona, Institut d'Estudis Catalans, 1986.
• F. Monsalvatje i Fossas, Los monasterios de la diócesis gerundense: rectificación á los abaciologios publicados por Jaime Villanueva en su Viaje literario á las iglesias de España, dins Noticias históricas, vol. 14, Olot, Impr. J. Bonet, 1904, pp. 53–67.
• M. Oliva Prat, Arquitectura románica ampurdanesa. Santa María de Roses (Gerona): su obra de restauración, primeros trabajos, Revista de Gerona, 61 (1972) i 63 (1973).
• Hug Palou i Miquel, El temple de Santa Maria de Roses: noves aportacions als primers documents, Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Empordanesos, 24 (1991), 31-54.
• M. Pujol i Hamelink, La vila de Roses (segles XIV-XVI): aproximació a l'urbanisme, la societat i l'economia a partir dels capbreus del monestir de Santa Maria de Roses (1304-1565), Figueres, Brau, 1997.
• Jaume Villanueva, Viage literario a las iglesias de España, vol. 14, Madrid, Real Academia de la Historia, 1850, pp. 233–239.
• E. Zaragoza Pascual, Catàleg dels monestirs catalans, Barcelona, Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, 1997, pp. 195–196.

External links

• Monestir de Santa Maria de Roses - Monestirs de Catalunya