Monastery of Sant Daniel, Girona facts for kids
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The Monastery of San Daniel is a very old religious building in Girona, a city in northern Spain. It's a special place that has been around for over 1000 years!
A Look Back: The Monastery's History
This monastery was started way back in the early 1000s. A powerful lady named Ermesinde of Carcassonne, who was a countess, wanted to create a place for nuns to live and pray. So, she decided to build this nunnery right here.
The church building itself was designed to look a bit like another famous monastery nearby, the monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants. However, the San Daniel church added a special part called a transept, which is like the arms of a cross shape in a church. Over time, parts of the monastery were updated and made new.
What Does It Look Like?
The Monastery of San Daniel has a beautiful area called a cloister. A cloister is an open space, usually a garden, surrounded by covered walkways. This monastery's cloister has two levels!
The lower part of the cloister was built in the 1200s. It has amazing Romanesque decorations, which is an old style of art and building from that time. The upper part of the cloister is newer, from the 1400s, and is built in the Gothic style. Gothic buildings often have tall, pointed arches and lots of light.
You'll notice that the cloister has double columns. These columns have special tops called Corinthian capitals. These capitals are fancy and often decorated with carvings that look like leaves.
Cool Art Inside: St. Daniel's Tomb
One of the most important things inside the monastery is the sepulchre (or tomb) of a person called St. Daniel. People believe that St. Daniel's remains were brought here from a place called Arles.
The tomb itself is a work of art! It was made in the year 1345 by a talented sculptor named Aloi de Montbrai.
