Sant Pere, Besalú

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Sant Pere de Besalú

Sant Pere de Besalú is a Benedictine monastery in Besalú, Garrotxa, Catalonia, Spain. The building was renovated in 1160.

History
- Founded in 977 by Count Besalu of Girona, Bonfill Miró.
- Placed under the protection of the Holy See and received relics of Saints Primus and Felician.
- In 979, Pope Benedict VII granted the monastery the privilege to choose its abbot.
- The complex expanded during the 12th and 13th centuries.

Architecture
- Built in a basilica style with three naves and a large central apse.
- The nave is covered by a barrel vault with side vaults.
- The outer edge of the apse has a double deck with blind arcades and a sawtooth frieze.
- The main façade features a portal arch, a window with geometric and plant carvings, and decorative columns. Lion heads, a snake, and a monkey appear on either side of the window.

Ambulatory
- The ambulatory has eight columns in pairs, supporting five arches around the apse.
- Capitals show varied themes, from acanthus leaves to human figures, including a scene with Herod the Great advised by the devil and the Massacre of the Innocents.

Bibliography (short)
- Antoni Pladevall (1999). Guies Romànica Catalunya, La Garrotxa.

External links
- Monestir de Sant Pere de Besalú (Monestirs de Catalunya)
- Wikimedia Commons pages for Monestir de Sant Pere de Besalú