Location: El Puig, Valencia
Tel. 96 147 02 00
Open: Tue- Sat
The monastery of Santa María del Puig or Royal Monastery of the
Mercedarian Fathers of Puig de Santa Maria is located in the
municipality of El Puig (Valencia) of the Valencian Community
(Spain), just 14 km north of the city of Valencia. Founded by the
will of King James I the Conqueror in 1240. Its historical relevance
comes from the fact that the definitive confrontation for the
conquest of Valencia, the Battle of Puig, was fought in this place
in 1237. The Virgin of Puig was considered for centuries the patron
saint of the Kingdom of Valencia.
The Monastery continues to
hold religious services, you can also visit some rooms of the
building such as the cloisters, the Royal hall, the Gothic hall of
Jaume I and the reproduction of the sword of King Jaume I. Inside is
the National Museum of the Printing and Graphic Work, with rooms set
in the small artisanal printing workshops of the 15th century.
As the «Llibre dels Fets» tells us, the hill in front of which the monastery is located was the site of the Enesa castle, a key Muslim fortress in the conquest of Balansiya (Valencia). The conquest of this castle, surrounded by an epic and religious legend, led the king to the desire to found a monastery precisely in this place, donating these lands to Arnau de Cardona, master of the Order of the Temple. Of this initial foundation, which was to be a simple chapel of Reconquista, there is no trace left, except for the doorway of the current church, but it is not in its original location. This monastery was originally fortified.
January 1 (Closed)
January 6: Visit at 12 noon (If it is Monday:
closed)
March 19: Visit at 12 noon (If it is Monday: closed)
Maundy Thursday (Morning visits only)
Good Friday (Closed)
June
24: Visit at 12 noon (If it is Monday: closed)
August 15 and 16:
Visit at 12 noon (If it is Monday: closed)
October 9 and 12: Visit at
12 noon (If it is Monday: closed)
November 1: Visit at 12 noon (If it
is Monday: closed)
December 6 and 9: Visit at 12 noon (If it is
Monday: closed)
December 24 (Morning visits only)
December 25
(Closed)
December 31 (Morning visits only)
Every holiday Monday
(Closed)
Approximate duration of the visit to the Royal Monastery: one hour.
Entrance donation
Basic Rate €4
General visitors. No prior
reservation is necessary.
Reduced Rate €3
Groups of more than
25 people, prior reservation. With free service for every 25 paying
people.
Free access
Children under 8 years old (accompanied by
their parents, legal guardians or family members)
Pay
Cash or
card at the beginning of the visit.
Guided visit
There is no
possibility of making a free visit.
Accessibility
The
Monastery is not adapted for the disabled.
Access is via the ramp
located between the two parking lots (Av. Verge de El Puig)