A quiet corner with a past that screams

Sant Pere Square, in the heart of the Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera neighborhood, seems like a peaceful place today. But if you look up, you'll see a Romanesque church that has survived centuries of wars, fires, expulsions, and legends: the Monastery of Sant Pere de les Puel·les, founded in the year 945 by Count Sunyer of Barcelona and his wife Riquilda.

The name “de les Puel·les” refers to the noble maidens who were sent there to live a life of prayer… or forced confinement. Some entered out of vocation. Others, due to family pressure. And many, for political expediency.

The cursed monastery of Sant Pere de les Puel·les: destroyed, rebuilt… and destroyed again

From its very beginning, the monastery seemed to be cursed. In 985, the Muslim leader Almanzor sacked Barcelona and showed no mercy to the monastery. The nuns were either killed or enslaved, and the building was left in ruins.

Rebuilt in 1143 under papal and royal protection, it suffered further attacks in the 12th century by the Almoravids. In 1697, during the War of the Spanish Succession, the monastery changed hands eleven times between Catalan and Bourbon troops. In one of the assaults, part of the building was set on fire. A nun who tried to extinguish the flames was humorously nicknamed Sister Caught on Fire.

From convent to prison: nuns, always in the spotlight

During the 19th century, the monastery experienced its most unstable period. In 1814, the nuns were expelled during the War of Independence. They returned two years later, but in 1823 they were evicted again when the building was converted into a prison.

In 1835, with the Mendizábal confiscations, the nuns were definitively expelled. Between 1877 and 1879, they built a new monastery on Anglí Street in Sarrià. But the soul of the convent, its history and its legends… remained in Plaça de Sant Pere.

Tragic Week and Civil War: the fire returns

During the Tragic Week of 1909, the monastery was set ablaze once again. And in the Civil War, flames consumed it again. Some say that with each fire, something dark was unleashed. That the souls of the nuns who died in the attacks still wander the square. That if you pass by at night, you can hear whispers, footsteps, or see shadows in habits gliding among the trees.

The statue that comes to life: the legend of Saint Peter

On the tympanum above the monastery door stands a Romanesque sculpture of Saint Peter, the church's patron saint. But it's no ordinary statue. Legend has it that at midnight on Saint Peter's Day, the figure comes to life. It scratches the back of its neck, adjusts its seat, and returns to its position. All in silence. All in seconds. Only the most observant have ever witnessed it.

The Knight of the Sad Countenance: The Legend of Pere Pals

The most unsettling story is that of Pere Pals, a local nobleman who fell in love with a young novice from the monastery. She reciprocated his love, and they planned to elope one night. But fate had other plans.

On the night of the escape, Pere Pals witnessed a funeral ceremony inside the monastery. Looking inside, he discovered his own corpse in the coffin. Terrified, he interpreted the vision as a divine warning and decided to abandon his plan.

The following night, he returned. He climbed some scaffolding… and was attacked by four wolves. His body was found mutilated. At his funeral, the coffin was closed. Some say it was empty. That his body disappeared, that the wolves weren't wolves, and that the monastery took its revenge.

Do you dare to look beyond the facade?

The next time you pass through Sant Pere Square, stop. Look at the church. Listen to the silence. Observe the statue. Does it move? Do you feel a chill? A whisper? Perhaps you are closer to the story than you imagine.

Discover the hidden side of Barcelona with HistARy

In History, We take you beyond the stones and facades. On our private tour of El Born and Sant Pere, you will discover:

• The hidden legends of Barcelona's most cursed monastery.
• The stories of love, death, and resistance that marked this neighborhood.
• How history blends with humor, mystery… and the occasional scare.

Laugh at history, but with history. Book now at hlcomedytours.com either histary.es