Between history and legend, this monastery perched in the pre-Pyrenees of Huesca at an altitude of over a thousand meters, is more than a witness to the past: it is the heartbeat of Aragonese history. Within its walls resonate the exploits of the first monarchs, the prayers of the monks and the echo of a kingdom in construction.
Located in a privileged area of Aragon, the monastery of San Juan de la Peña is one of the most emblematic in the region and a first-rate historical landmark. Its role in the consolidation of the Aragonese kingdom and its relevance as a royal necropolis make it a privileged witness to the evolution of the Crown of Aragon.
A sacred and legendary enclave
The history of San Juan de la Peña goes back to the early medieval period, when, according to the most deeply rooted legend, the knight Voto found the body of the hermit Juan de Atarés in a cave and decided to follow his example, founding a monastery. Historical reality tells us of an evolution from a primitive hermitage to an important Benedictine monastery, benefitting from the patronage of the first Aragonese kings and playing a key role in the introduction of the Cluniac reform in the Iberian Peninsula in the 11th century. The Director General of Cultural Heritage of the Government of Aragon, Gloria Pérez, points out that “San Juan de la Peña is one of the most important monasteries and icons, as it houses a pre-Romanesque church, the pantheon of nobles and a cloister, which are some of the greatest jewels of the Romanesque in Aragon”
“San Juan de la Peña is home to some of the greatest jewels of the Romanesque in Aragon”
The cradle of the Kingdom of Aragon
San Juan de la Peña is considered the cradle of the Kingdom of Aragon, as it was a nerve center in the organization and consolidation of Aragonese political and religious power. Ramiro I (1035-1063), the first king of Aragon, strengthened the relationship between the monastery and the monarchy, granting it privileges and ensuring its protection. His descendants, Sancho Ramírez and Pedro I, continued this work, making the monastery a benchmark for reformed monasticism and a meeting point between religion and politics. Gloria Pérez herself highlights the monastery “as the cradle and origin of the Kingdom of Aragon”.
Furthermore, Pérez adds, “few people point it out, but San Juan de la Peña was a key setting for the introduction of the Roman rite in the Iberian Peninsula”. The monastery was a pioneer in the changes of the Spanish Church in the 11th century. In 1071, under the impetus of King Sancho Ramírez, the Mozarabic liturgical rite was replaced by the Roman rite, aligning itself with the directives of the Papacy. This change began in San Juan de la Peña and San Victorián de Sobrarbe, and then spread to the rest of Aragon and Spain. Together with the introduction of the Benedictine rule, this monastery was key in the ecclesiastical transformation of the peninsula.
«San Juan de la Peña was a key setting for the introduction of the Roman rite in the Iberian Peninsula”
A royal pantheon
Photo: https://www.monasteriosanjuan.com
The monastery also became the burial place of the first Aragonese dynasty. Ramiro I, Sancho Ramírez and Pedro I rest in the royal pantheon, located in a cave under the Romanesque church. This necropolis, initially carved out of the rock, was remodelled in the 18th century by order of Charles III, preserving part of the original tombs.
The decision to bury the monarchs in this monastery was not only for spiritual reasons, but also for political ones. The link between the kings and the monastery reinforced their legitimacy and ensured that their memory would be honored through liturgical ceremonies and commemorations.
Decline and resurgence
From the 12th century onwards, with the expansion of the Kingdom of Aragon and the transfer of the center of power to Zaragoza, San Juan de la Peña lost some of its prominence. However, its symbolic importance remained. In modern times, it was declared a Natural Monument (1920) and a Protected Landscape (2007), which has allowed for its conservation and enhancement as part of Aragon’s heritage. The Director General of Cultural Heritage of the Government of Aragon recognizes the challenges they face in maintaining the site in perfect condition, “especially in the case of the Romanesque capitals of the cloister.” She also assures that “the Government of Aragon is working together with other administrations to guarantee the conservation of the monastery”
Currently, San Juan de la Peña has been recognized as the most valued monument in Aragon according to the 2024 Culture Observatory, highlighting its historical and cultural relevance. In addition, major renovations are being carried out in the New Monastery. Tourism of Aragon is the entity in charge of managing these interventions, which include the renovation of the drinking water, irrigation, spa and sanitation systems with a budget of 323,760 euros and an execution period of four months. Likewise, work has been awarded to adapt the towers of the church of the New Monastery, with an investment of 337,463 euros and an execution period of six months. These initiatives, which together exceed 3 million euros, seek to improve the conservation of the monastery and reopen its guesthouse in the fall of 2025.
A living legacy
Today, San Juan de la Peña remains a key destination for the history and culture of Aragon. Its architectural beauty, in which pre-Romanesque, Romanesque, Gothic and neoclassical elements coexist, together with its imposing natural environment, make it an unmissable point of interest. Furthermore, its status as the cradle of the Kingdom of Aragon and royal pantheon maintains it as a symbol of Aragonese identity.
San Juan de la Peña is not just a vestige of the past, but a living legacy that continues to tell the story of Aragon to those who visit it, recalling its crucial role in the configuration of the kingdom and its influence in medieval Europe.
Towards digital tourism
Turismo de Aragón has put out to tender a project worth 400,000 euros to digitize and renovate the exhibition spaces of the New Monastery of San Juan de la Peña. With a six-month implementation period, the initiative seeks to implement advanced technological solutions, such as virtual reality applications, interactive avatars and immersive experiences, to modernize the tourist offer and allow visitors to interact dynamically with the history and culture of the monastery. This project is part of a broader strategy to revitalize San Juan de la Peña, which includes ongoing renovation work and the reopening of the guesthouse in 2025.
On October 21, 1693, the first stone of the new monastery of San Juan de la Peña was laid
Future projects
Gloria Pérez herself says that work is also being done on other projects, such as the reopening of the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Sijena, which the President of the Government of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, announced a few months ago and said would take place in the first quarter of 2025, after more than two years closed. The Aragonese Executive has invested more than two million euros in the restoration and adaptation of various rooms in the monastery, including the conversion of the old bedrooms into a museum, where a selection of the 99 recovered works will be exhibited.
