The Cloister of the former Carmen Convent in Olot, located at no. 3, Carrer Padre Antoni Soler, is a formation of impressive Renaissance galleries that is of the most unique and symmetrical in the whole of Catalonia. With an enclosed courtyard of over a thousand square metres and two levels of arcades, this architectural work is an artistic wonder that has been listed as a Monument of Historic and Artistic Interest. The original cloister bears features of the late Renaissance style, and is considered one of the most important monuments of the Catalan Renaissance.
The former Carmen Convent was built in the late 16th century, as a residence for Carmelite friars. It was designed by Llàtzer Cisterna, a master residential architect, who devised two floors for the day-to-day activities of the friars. The four galleries on the ground floor and one of the first-floor galleries date back to the Renaissance era. The other three wings were built at a later date, and with less valuable materials. Although some partial reforms were made to the cloister, a lack of financial resources meant that these were also undertaken with poorer quality materials. The original garden that adorned the centre of the cloister has been paved.
The cloister’s galleries were last restored between 1996 and 1998, under the orders of the architect Lluís Bayona Prats. The flooring of the ground and first floors was remodelled; the roofing, eaves and drainpipes were replaced and new lighting was installed.
Olot’s Convent of Carmen was founded in 1565 by friars of the Carmelite order, who arrived when the town was undergoing a period of expansion. The convent’s church, built in the Gothic style between 1569 and1572, was later restored during the Baroque period, when it was also extended with the addition of the Christ chapel, which lies parallel to the main nave.
Now, the Convent of Carmen building is home to the Olot School of Art, something which gives this historic building an active function and means it is well used. This school is the only official art and design academy in the whole province of Girona, and boasts a history that dates two centuries, from when the School of Fine Arts was first founded – something that left a profound mark on the history, art and architectural landscape of Olot.
Visit the Trincheria House Museum, one of the most important ancestral homes in Olot, located at no. 29, Carrer de Sant Esteve. The house-museum is quintessential of how a well-off family lived in the first half of the 18th-century.
The Malagrida neighbourhood (L’Eixample Malagrida in Catalan) is the most emblematic urban treasure in Olot. Built between 1916 and 1925, it is an example of the Noucentista “garden city” movement that took hold in the early 20th century.
The Mare de Déu de Tura Church is highly significant to the city of Olot. Its origins can be traced back to the 9th century, and over its lifetime the building has been reconstructed and reformed several times, while also managing to withstand a great deal of adversity.