Sant Sebastià dels Gorgs facts for kids
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Sant Sebastià dels Gorgs is a very old monastery located in a town called Avinyonet del Penedès in Catalonia, Spain. A monastery is a special place where monks, who are religious men, used to live and work together. This one was built by Benedictine monks. In the year 2000, it was recognized as a really important historical building for the country.
Exploring the Monastery's Design
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This monastery was built in the Romanesque style. This style was popular a long time ago, around the 11th and 12th centuries. You can see its age in the main door, which is from the 12th century. Above the door, there's a special carved stone area called a tympanum. It shows a figure of Christ surrounded by an oval shape called a mandorla.
Over time, parts of the building needed to be rebuilt. In the 14th century, some sections were updated in the Gothic style, which has taller, more pointed features.
The Bell Tower and Its Look
The monastery's bell tower was also rebuilt. It has a unique Lombard style, which means it has specific decorative elements. This tower is square and has three levels. It's decorated with special arches and flat columns called pilasters. The top of the tower has a pointed roof.
Inside the tower, the bottom floor has a rounded ceiling, known as a barrel vault. The top floor has windows with two openings, separated by small columns with carved tops.
The Ancient Cloister
One of the most interesting parts of the monastery is its old cloister. A cloister is an open area, usually a courtyard, surrounded by covered walkways. This one has three walkways, but one of them isn't complete anymore. It was built between the 11th and 12th centuries.
All the columns in the walkways have carved tops, called capitals. These carvings show cool designs of plants and animals. Some of the carvings on the second floor even show human figures being "eaten" by animals, which might sound a bit scary but was a common artistic theme back then!
See also
In Spanish: Monasterio de San Sebastián dels Gorgs para niños
