What clothes to wear to the Monastery of Stone

talk to you about What clothes to wear to the Piedra Monastery requires a prior explanation. When we ask this question, we are not referring to a mere cultural visit to this beautiful monastery founded by the Cistercian order in the year 1194.

Going to the Monasterio de Piedra also means visiting the historic park or garden that surrounds it and that we will talk about later. That is, perform a route of approximately four kilometers through nature. And this affects not only the clothing you should wear, but also to footwear. For this reason, we are going to explain what clothes to wear to the Monasterio de Piedra and then we will show you everything you need to know to visit this wonderful place.

Climate and comfort: what clothes to take to the Monasterio de Piedra

Two factors are the most important when choosing what to wear to the Piedra Monastery. The first is the weather. The monastery is in the Calatayud region, in the municipality of New them. Therefore, it is to the south of the province of Zaragoza.

All this presents a Continental weather. This means that the temperature differences between winter and summer are very large. The former are usually very cold, with many days below zero degrees Celsius. On the other hand, the summer is usually very hot, often exceeding thirty above zero.

Part of the blame for this lies with winds like the north wind, which sometimes exceeds a hundred kilometers per hour and is cold. On the other hand, the rains are scarce and irregular. The climate of the Monasterio de Piedra area is due to the fact that it is inland and close to large mountain ranges. In your case, especially that Pyrenees to the north, but also the Iberian System to the south.

Therefore, if you are going to the Piedra Monastery in winter, you will have to bring ropa shelter. You must also take into account that it is located a height of more than eight hundred meters above sea level and this intensifies the cold. But that same altitude also influences when it is hot in summer. Consequently, if you visit it in the hot season, you should bring fresh garments.

As for footwear, it is a very important element. As we told you, the visit to the monastery includes a tour of its magnificent park. It is a route of about four kilometers through paths, bridges and even stairs that has a medium-low difficulty. However, you will need a Comfortable shoes to do it. Therefore, you should bring some sports or beach shoes in summer, while in winter, it would be better hiking boots. But, once we have explained what clothes to wear to the Monasterio de Piedra, we are going to talk to you about what you are going to find in this wonderful place.

The Stone Monastery: what to see and do

This Cistercian monastery consists of three parts: the aforementioned park, the hotel and the monastery itself. Next, we will talk to you in detail about the first and the third, but we must also do it about the hotels. If you stay in it, you will feel something special, since it is located inside the XNUMXth century monastery itself.

Therefore you will find yourself like the ancients Cistercian monks who inhabited it in the past, but enjoying comforts that they never dreamed of. For example, a complete spa, rest rooms, restaurants, bars and even gardens with terraces.

The hotel is located in the so-called new cloister, built in the XNUMXth century. The entrance is in its patio, in the Plaza de San Martín and you will immediately access the spectacular renaissance style staircase. Conceived by sections, its steps are low and protected by a wrought iron railing. But this leads us to talk about the monastery as a monumental building.

The monastery, a monumental marvel

The construction of this monastery began at the end of the XNUMXth century to be completed in the following century. Therefore, they were the years of transition from the Romanesque to the Gothic. But it responds more to the latter. Specifically, the call cistercian gothic for being characteristic of the order that founded the monastery. This is characterized by being more austere, sober and bright than the classic.

However, later, added renaissance and even baroque elements. The monastery is located within a walled enclosure. You will access it by medieval keep, Mudejar style, and the iglesia, which is in ruins. It communicates with the cloister, which leads to other rooms such as the chapter house, the stalls or store, the kitchen, the refectory or dining room and the heating.

The church responded, however, to the Romanesque, with a Latin cross plan, transept and polygonal apse. Among its remains, a late Romanesque portico consisting of a semicircular arch with five flared archivolts that are supported by columns with capitals. For his part, he primitive cloister It stands out for its pointed arches and its capitals decorated with plant decoration. It has a square floor plan and the other rooms of the monastery are distributed on its sides. Likewise, parallel to one of its galleries is the so-called black alley, which is believed to belong to a castle prior to the monastery.

But one of the most beautiful estancias in Piedra is the chapter house, which was the center of life for the monks. Its central doorway, its enclosure supported by four webbed columns and its side windows stand out. Also, in the refectory you have a beautiful reliquary triptych. Finally, you must see in the monastery the carriage room and, above all, two museums. One is dedicated to wine from the Designation of Origin Calatayud and the other one that shows the history of chocolate in the kitchen of the monastery. After enjoying these wonders, you still have to visit the no less spectacular park.

The monastery park

The first thing we must tell you is that, although it takes advantage of the wonderful surroundings of the monastery, it was designed by the writer and poet Juan Federico Muntadas, who lived his last times in the monastery itself. He took advantage of the course of the stone river, which passes through the nearby lands and which forms in the area several waterfalls.

Among these, those of the Baños de Diana, the Fresnos Altos and Bajos, the Chorreaderos or the Fuente del Señor stand out. But two are the most famous. It is, on the one hand, the call Horse tail, which is more than fifty meters high. And, on the other, of the La Caprichosa waterfall, to which, since the fourteenth century, miraculous properties have been attributed. There is even a legend about her. He says that, since Fate is fickle, whoever asks him for a favor will see his wish fulfilled.

Along with them, there lakes like the Mirror and the one of the Ducks, as well as numerous caves that were discovered by Muntadas himself. Between these, those of the Panther, the Bacchae, the Artist, Iris or the Carmela. Another important element is the elevation of the Devil's Rock and the park also has a garden called the Orchard by Juan Federico Muntadas. Bars, rest areas and viewpoints complete this natural wonder.

Likewise, lately, they have been making shows with birds of prey in the area such as eagles, vultures or owls. Finally, as an anecdote, we will tell you that one hundred and fifty years ago the first fish farm in Spain. To access the park you will have to get a ticket. However, with it you can leave and re-enter as many times as you want. For example, to eat, since it is not allowed to introduce food. Precisely, in the access area you have restaurants and even a children's play area.

Nuévalos, the perfect complement to your visit to Piedra

We have already explained what clothes to wear to the Piedra Monastery and also everything you can see in this wonderful place. But, as a complement to your visit, we advise you to visit the town of New them, in whose municipal term the monastery is located.

This small town of about three hundred inhabitants has several monuments. remains of his medieval castle, located on a hill, are the walls and, above all, the tower of tribute, XNUMXth century. Equally high on a cliff is the church of san julián, Romanesque style. And close you have the Commanders' Palace, built in the XNUMXth century and currently used as a Town Hall.

Also, already in the outskirts you have several hermitages. That of San Sebastián It was built in the XNUMXth century and corresponds to the late Gothic style. They are also those of Cristo del Valle and Nuestra Señora de los Alvares. For its part, that of the DiegosCurrently in ruins, it was a beautiful Mudejar temple. Similarly, on the outskirts of town are the salt flats of Nuevalos, whose exploitation began in the XNUMXth century, and the Tranquera Reservoir, which has great ecological value.

In conclusion, we have explained What clothes to wear to the Piedra Monastery. But we have also told you about everything that this marvel located in the province of Zaragoza. We have even told you what you can see in the surroundings. Regarding these, we also recommend that you visit the historic Calatayud, the Roman Bilbilis, which is about thirty kilometers away. We can only encourage you to visit this area and enjoy everything it offers you.