Convent and Church of San Francesco

Founded by the Franciscans in the 13th century just outside the walls, the Convent of Sant Francesc is today an oasis of silence in the middle of the promenade that bears its name. The Gothic church (1349) — a large nave, pointed arches and chapels interspersed under buttresses — are preserved from the old monastic complex, the Renaissance cloister and several conventual buildings which, after the expropriation of 1835, served as a regional hospital.
The cloister, with elegant columns and lowered arches, houses a surprising noble necropolis with sarcophagi of the Penyafort, Avinyó or Cervelló. Among the vegetation, the sculptural tombstones explain the stately pride of the medieval town. Inside the temple stands out the Altarpiece of the Virgin and Saint George, an international gothic work attributed to Lluís Borrassà (14th-15th century), a major piece of Penedes' pictorial heritage.
Over the centuries, the monastery has witnessed royal courts — Peter the Ceremonious held Corts there in 1353 — and has suffered convulsive episodes (fires, looting). Today, under protection as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest, it houses a small lapidary museum and hosts concerts, exhibitions and guided tours that allow us to understand the essence of Catalan Gothic architecture.

Open to visitors: Yes
Cloister: 16/05-16/08 dc-dv 17-20 h; Saturdays and Sundays all year 11-14 h. Church: Saturdays 11-13 h
Accessible: Partial
More information: Link 1Link 2