Sant Sebastià del Sull is a ruined

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

Saldes Saldes () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Berguedà in Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 20 ...

Berguedà Berguedà () is an inland Comarques of Catalonia, comarca in the Comarques Centrals, central region of Catalonia, Spain. It lies partly in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees, and partly in the Catalan Central Depression. The capital is the city of Berg ...

comarca,

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, Spain. Originally constructed in the 9th century in Romanesque style, the building was renovated several times. After it collapsed, it was rebuilt in the 15th century. Now in ruins, Dr.

Manuel Riu Riu Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name), a given name and surname * Manuel (''Fawlty Towers''), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manuel I of Portugal, king of Po ...

, made several excavations between 1971–77, which served to expose unique building architecture and important Catalan Romanesque necropolis.

History

The monastery was founded by Father Daniel and devotee Honesta in the early 10th century. They received the land for the formation of the monastery before the year 939. In that year,

Sunifred II of Cerdanya Sunifred II of Cerdanya (915–968) was count of Cerdanya (927–968), Conflent (927–968), and Besalú (957–968). Origins Son of Miró II of Cerdanya and Ava of Cerdanya, he inherited the county of Cerdanya from his father, and that of Besal ...

gave the land which then helped form a religious community with an abbot and six monks. Although the monastery increased its assets in 965, by the year 983, Count Cabreta Oliva gave the monastery

Sant Llorenç prop Bagà Sant Llorenç prop Bagà is a former Benedictine monastery in Catalonia, Spain. The Romanesque building is located near Guardiola de Berguedà in comarca Berguedà Berguedà () is an inland Comarques of Catalonia, comarca in the Comarques Cent ...

. Monks no longer resided at the monastery by the mid-11th century.

Architecture

The building has a round centralized midsection covered with a dome and a semicircular apse on the eastern side. The church door is opposite the apse. Constructed of small blocks, they were left unpolished. The blocks are arranged in rows and joined with mortar. It is believed that the structure was covered with a dome made of small blocks, arranged concentrically. The base of the walls is thick, with a bench that went around the entire structure, including the apse. At the back of the apse exists a loophole window.

References

* Junyent, Eduardo (1983) (en catalán). ''L'arquitectura religiosa a Catalunya abans del romànic''. Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat. p. 243. . * Riu, Manuel (1980). ''L'enterrament núm.66 de sant sebastià del Sull i la seva peça de ceràmica grisa'' (in Catalán). Acta historica et archaeologica mediaevalia (Departamento de Historia Medieval, Instituto de Historia Medieval,

Universidad de Barcelona The University of Barcelona (official name in ; UB), formerly also known as Central University of Barcelona (), is a public research university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was established in 1450. With 76,000 students, ...

edición). Edicions Universitat Barcelona. * Riu, Manuel; Bolòs i Masclans, Jordi (1982). ''Alguns costums funeraris de l'Edat Mitjana a Catalunya'' (in Catalán). Necròpolis i sepultures medievals de Catalunya. Edicions Universitat Barcelona.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sant Sebastia del Sull Benedictine monasteries in Catalonia Christian monasteries established in the 9th century