Charterhouse of Aula Dei facts for kids
The Charterhouse of Aula Dei is a special kind of monastery. It's a home for Carthusian monks, who are a group of religious people. This monastery is found about 10 kilometers north of Zaragoza, a city in Aragon, which is in north-eastern Spain. It was officially named a national monument on February 16, 1983. This means it's a very important historical building!
Contents
A Look Back: 1500s to 1900s
The Charterhouse was started in 1563. A man named Hernando de Aragón founded it. He was the Archbishop of Zaragoza and the grandson of the famous Catholic Monarchs of Spain. The monastery was designed by Martín de Miteza. It was built to hold 36 monks, which was three times more than most Carthusian communities.
Like many monasteries in Spain, Aula Dei was closed in 1836. The monks had to leave. But in 1901, the Carthusians bought the monastery back. French Carthusian groups, who had been living in exile, moved into Aula Dei in 1902.
Goya's Amazing Frescoes
The inside of the monastery church has beautiful paintings. These are called frescoes. A famous artist named Francisco Goya painted them between 1772 and 1774. The frescoes show scenes from the Life of the Virgin. There were originally 11 large frescoes, but now only 7 of them remain.
For a long time, only a few special visitors could see these paintings. This was because it was a closed community. The church was only open for a few hours each month until August 2012. Because it was so hard to visit, Goya's early works here haven't been studied as much as his other art.
The Charterhouse Today
The Carthusian monks left the monastery in August 2012. They asked another group, the Chemin Neuf Community, to take over. This new community continues the tradition of prayer and welcoming visitors. Since the Chemin Neuf Community is not a "cloistered" (closed) group, they can offer more access. Now, visitors can see Goya's frescoes weekly, instead of just once a month!
External Links
- Description of the monastery
- Goyarestauracion.com: Website of the restorers of the Goya frescoes, with photos of the frescoes and of the monastery
See also
In Spanish: Cartuja de Aula Dei para niños
