Historical chronology

Below is a chronology of the history of the monastery from its founding to nowadays.

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Before 1385, which is when Father Friar Francisco Castillo narrated that Alfonso the Old built a small and modest temporary monastery to house the friars coming from Xàbia, while the main monastery was built, the settlement of Cotalba or Tossalet de Cotalba already existed.

This temporary monastery still exists partially inside the complex of the Muslim settlement.

The origin of this settlement was a Roman settlement, which later became a small Moorish village, with its own Alcazaba fortress and residential buildings for noble people.

These buildings were partly used; therefore, they were integrated in the building of the monastery. These buildings are:

  • Moorish baths under the orange tree patio.
  • Moorish tower at the north-east end.
  • Moorish tower of the kitchen at the back.
  • Section of the hall of arms belonging to an ancient noble house.
  • Fortified tower at the north-east end.
  • Side Muslim settlement, Alfauir tower, washing place, pens and residential buildings.
  • Traces of the aqueduct of this time.
  • Tower connected to the aqueduct, used as a slaughterhouse.

More information

  • 1374: Visit by three monks, who were ancient hermits of La Plana de Xàbia, to Avignon to request Pope Gregory XI the founding of a monastery in that place. Approving bull from the above-mentioned Pope and start of the works.
  • 1375: Completion of the works.
  • 1376: Kidnapping and captivity of the monks by Berber pirates. Payment of ransom by Alfonso the Old.
  • 1385: Authorization of the bishop of Gata to move to Cotalba.
  • 1388: License from the bishop of Valencia to move the monastery from Plana de Xàbia to Cotalba. Payment of the lands to the Moors who lived in them. Start of the works by building a small adjacent monastery. Their founding prior was Friar Jaime Juanes. Preaching of San Vicente Ferrer in the monastery.
  • 1390: Donation of the site of Cotalba to the community, with all its foregrounds.
  • 1391: The rectory of Palma becomes part of the jurisdiction of the monastery.
  • 1392: Pope Clement VII confirms the authorization of the move to the site of the monastery.
  • 1393: Donation to the monastery of the spring at the foot of the castle of Palma, called Canelles spring.
  • 1399: Building of a pool for water collection from Canelles spring in the south area, next to the current battlemented wall of the access plaza.
  • 1401: Founding of the monastery of Santa María de la Murta, in Alzira, by Cotalba community.
  • 1406: Annexation of the barony of Palma and its foreground to Gandia.
  • 1412: Death of Alfonso the Old. Substantial donations.
  • 1415: Donation of 4,000 sous on the fruits of Alfauir and Rafelet de Bonamira (currently known as Lloc Nou de Sant Jeroni) by Alfonso the Young. First general chapter of the Hieronymite order in the Royal Monastery of Santa María, in Guadalupe (Cáceres). Alfonso the Young attends a performance at Cotalba.
  • 1424: Definitive donation of the inherited lands to the community. Alfauir and Rafelet de Bonamira are included.
  • 1475: Acquisition of Orriols, stemming from an inheritance from Pere d’Orriols. It was transferred from the testament of Pere d’Orriols in 1404, and these lands are fully assumed in 1489, upon completion of the inheritance lawsuits.
  • 1485: Start of the works in the aqueduct from the Batlamala spring.
  • 1491: Completion of the aqueduct works.
  • 1497: Building of the upper cloister, south gallery.
  • 1499: Economic contribution from Friar Cristóbal de Gradi so that the works in the refectory are completed in six years.
  • 1505: Expulsion of Muslims from Rafelet de Bonamira.
  • 1511: Substantial donations of the Duchess of Gandia, María Enríquez de Luna. The Gothic upper cloister in the south and east part is completed, and the cistern of the monastery in the orange tree patio is built.
  • 1512: Building of the upper cloister, east gallery.
  • 1515: Expulsion of moors from Alfauir. Leasing of Rafelet to Christians. Annexation to the hamlet convent of Tavernes Blanques.
  • 1534: The monastery of the rectory of Rótova, which includes Castellonet de la Conquesta and Almiserà, is annexed to the monastery.
  • 1538: Definitive settlement of inhabitants in Alfauir.
  • 1546: Leonor de Castro Mello y Meneses, wife of the fourth Duke of Gandia, Francisco de Borja, passes away after months of convalescence, and is buried in the crypt of the church.
  • 1578: Placement of the altarpiece of father Friar Nicholas Borrás with the current apse as background.
  • 1608: Building of a new “site”, replacing Rafelet de Bonamira. Lloc Nou de Sant Jeroni is born.
  • 1609: Expulsion of the moors. Letter where the duties and rights of vassals are defined.
  • 1614: Acquisition of molí d’Alfaç.
  • 1639: Strong earthquake in the area, which destroys different parts of the monastery.
  • 1644: Strong earthquake with destroys part of the building.
  • 1689: Building of the retrochoir and the main chapel, now demolished, by Francisco Padilla
  • 1729: Building of Rótova abbey.
  • 1734: Significant refurbishment in Palma abbey.
  • 1738: Leasing of the feudal rights of the monastic community.
  • 1743: “The steering control of the Monastery is transferred”.
  • 1745: Strong earthquake which ruins part of the building of the monastery, causing damages in the church, the main tower and in the upper vault, from which the first thread is detached.
  • 1753: Building of the chapel of the Virgin of Health in the south-east patio.
  • 1758: Building of the main chapel next to the Virgin of Health.
  • 1773: Refurbishment of the refectory and the choir of the church made by Italian monks.
  • 1785: Acquisition of the organ of the monastery.
  • 1791: Monk admission is closed.
  • 1802: The incorporation of new monks is admitted again.
  • 1819: The monastery community is limited to 30 monks.
  • 1820: First secularization of the monastery. An inventory of assets and effects is made.
  • 1834: The liberal government of Martínez de la Rosa prohibits the admission of new monks.
  • 1835: Leasing of the lands by the Trenor family.
  • 1846: Acquisition of the monastery, the annexed lands and the water rights by Tomás Trenor Keating.
  • 1890: In this decade, the chapel of the Virgin of Health and the main chapel caught fire, demolishing and damaging the church presbytery.
  • 1910: The romantic gardens, the coverage of the upper cloister with windows and other improvements inside the monastery are built in this decade.
  • 1936-1939: During the Spanish Civil War, the monastery is turned into and used as a military hospital, given the needs of the battle.
  • 1940-1950: Refurbishment of the monastery after the Spanish Civil War, when it was used as a military hospital, creating different damage in the entire building. The main actions were the restoration of the lower cloister, which had been seriously damaged, reverting it to the original state and eliminating the walled windows in order to use it as hospital rooms. The doors with wooden coffering in many of the rooms were stored and the monastery was furnished again, as a good share of the paintings and furniture that decorated it disappeared during the war.
    1994: The monastery is declared Asset of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural, BIC) on May 24, 1994 through the decree 93/1994 of Valencia Council.
  • 2004: Adaptation project of the visiting areas of the monastery, led by the architect María Domínguez Calabuig. Adaptation, signaling, safety and lighting works in order to open the monastery to the public.
  • 2005: Authorization of May 26, 2005 of the public visits regime by the Culture Council. The monastery is open to visits in May 2005 through an agreement with the Valencia Regional Government’s Culture Council.
  • 2008: Refurbishment of the grain storehouse or “garrofera room” section, which was restored to lodge the projection and interpretation room of the monastery.
  • 2014: Adaptation and opening of the refectory in order to open it to the public. The room is open to visits in June 2014.
  • 2014-2015: Complete refurbishment of the structural part of the prior’s tower. The tower is located in the southwest end, next to the agricultural pool and the romantic gardens, at the west side of the monastery.
  • 2015: Adaptation of the upper cloister, the “lions patio” and the hall of arms in order to open them to visits. These rooms are inaugurated and opened to the public in May 2015.
  • 2016: Location and archaeological salvage of the main crypts of the monastery; discovery of the crypt of the family of Ausiàs March.

Before 1385, which is when Father Friar Francisco Castillo narrated that Alfonso the Old built a small and modest temporary monastery to house the friars coming from Xàbia, while the main monastery was built, the settlement of Cotalba or Tossalet de Cotalba already existed. This temporary monastery still exists partially inside the complex of the Muslim settlement.

The origin of this settlement was a Roman settlement, which later became a small Moorish village, with its own Alcazaba fortress and residential buildings for noble people.

These buildings were partly used; therefore, they were integrated in the building of the monastery. These buildings are:

  • Moorish baths under the orange tree patio.
  • Moorish tower at the north-east end.
  • Moorish tower of the kitchen at the back.
  • Section of the hall of arms belonging to an ancient noble house.
  • Fortified tower at the north-east end.
  • Side Muslim settlement, Alfauir tower, washing place, pens and residential buildings.
  • Traces of the aqueduct of this time.
  • Tower connected to the aqueduct, used as a slaughterhouse.

More information

  • 1374: Visit by three monks, who were ancient hermits of La Plana de Xàbia, to Avignon to request Pope Gregory XI the founding of a monastery in that place. Approving bull from the above-mentioned Pope and start of the works.
  • 1375: Completion of the works.
  • 1376: Kidnapping and captivity of the monks by Berber pirates. Payment of ransom by Alfonso the Old.
  • 1385: Authorization of the bishop of Gata to move to Cotalba.
  • 1388: License from the bishop of Valencia to move the monastery from Plana de Xàbia to Cotalba. Payment of the lands to the Moors who lived in them. Start of the works by building a small adjacent monastery. Their founding prior was Friar Jaime Juanes. Preaching of San Vicente Ferrer in the monastery.
  • 1390: Donation of the site of Cotalba to the community, with all its foregrounds.
  • 1391: The rectory of Palma becomes part of the jurisdiction of the monastery.
  • 1392: Pope Clement VII confirms the authorization of the move to the site of the monastery.
  • 1393: Donation to the monastery of the spring at the foot of the castle of Palma, called Canelles spring.
  • 1399: Building of a pool for water collection from Canelles spring in the south area, next to the current battlemented wall of the access plaza.
  • 1401: Founding of the monastery of Santa María de la Murta, in Alzira, by Cotalba community.
  • 1406: Annexation of the barony of Palma and its foreground to Gandia.
  • 1412: Death of Alfonso the Old. Substantial donations.
  • 1415: Donation of 4,000 sous on the fruits of Alfauir and Rafelet de Bonamira (currently known as Lloc Nou de Sant Jeroni) by Alfonso the Young. First general chapter of the Hieronymite order in the Royal Monastery of Santa María, in Guadalupe (Cáceres). Alfonso the Young attends a performance at Cotalba.
  • 1424: Definitive donation of the inherited lands to the community. Alfauir and Rafelet de Bonamira are included.
  • 1475: Acquisition of Orriols, stemming from an inheritance from Pere d’Orriols. It was transferred from the testament of Pere d’Orriols in 1404, and these lands are fully assumed in 1489, upon completion of the inheritance lawsuits.
  • 1485: Start of the works in the aqueduct from the Batlamala spring.
  • 1491: Completion of the aqueduct works.
  • 1497: Building of the upper cloister, south gallery.
  • 1499: Economic contribution from Friar Cristóbal de Gradi so that the works in the refectory are completed in six years.
  • 1505: Expulsion of Muslims from Rafelet de Bonamira.
  • 1511: Substantial donations of the Duchess of Gandia, María Enríquez de Luna. The Gothic upper cloister in the south and east part is completed, and the cistern of the monastery in the orange tree patio is built.
  • 1512: Building of the upper cloister, east gallery.
  • 1515: Expulsion of moors from Alfauir. Leasing of Rafelet to Christians. Annexation to the hamlet convent of Tavernes Blanques.
  • 1534: The monastery of the rectory of Rótova, which includes Castellonet de la Conquesta and Almiserà, is annexed to the monastery.
  • 1538: Definitive settlement of inhabitants in Alfauir.
  • 1546: Leonor de Castro Mello y Meneses, wife of the fourth Duke of Gandia, Francisco de Borja, passes away after months of convalescence, and is buried in the crypt of the church.
  • 1578: Placement of the altarpiece of father Friar Nicholas Borrás with the current apse as background.
  • 1608: Building of a new “site”, replacing Rafelet de Bonamira. Lloc Nou de Sant Jeroni is born.
  • 1609: Expulsion of the moors. Letter where the duties and rights of vassals are defined.
  • 1614: Acquisition of molí d’Alfaç.
  • 1639: Strong earthquake in the area, which destroys different parts of the monastery.
  • 1644: Strong earthquake with destroys part of the building.
  • 1689: Building of the retrochoir and the main chapel, now demolished, by Francisco Padilla
  • 1729: Building of Rótova abbey.
  • 1734: Significant refurbishment in Palma abbey.
  • 1738: Leasing of the feudal rights of the monastic community.
  • 1743: “The steering control of the Monastery is transferred”.
  • 1745: Strong earthquake which ruins part of the building of the monastery, causing damages in the church, the main tower and in the upper vault, from which the first thread is detached.
  • 1753: Building of the chapel of the Virgin of Health in the south-east patio.
  • 1758: Building of the main chapel next to the Virgin of Health.
  • 1773: Refurbishment of the refectory and the choir of the church made by Italian monks.
  • 1785: Acquisition of the organ of the monastery.
  • 1791: Monk admission is closed.
  • 1802: The incorporation of new monks is admitted again.
  • 1819: The monastery community is limited to 30 monks.
  • 1820: First secularization of the monastery. An inventory of assets and effects is made.
  • 1834: The liberal government of Martínez de la Rosa prohibits the admission of new monks.
  • 1835: Leasing of the lands by the Trenor family.
  • 1846: Acquisition of the monastery, the annexed lands and the water rights by Tomás Trenor Keating.
  • 1890: In this decade, the chapel of the Virgin of Health and the main chapel caught fire, demolishing and damaging the church presbytery.
  • 1910: The romantic gardens, the coverage of the upper cloister with windows and other improvements inside the monastery are built in this decade.
  • 1936-1939: During the Spanish Civil War, the monastery is turned into and used as a military hospital, given the needs of the battle.
  • 1940-1950: Refurbishment of the monastery after the Spanish Civil War, when it was used as a military hospital, creating different damage in the entire building. The main actions were the restoration of the lower cloister, which had been seriously damaged, reverting it to the original state and eliminating the walled windows in order to use it as hospital rooms. The doors with wooden coffering in many of the rooms were stored and the monastery was furnished again, as a good share of the paintings and furniture that decorated it disappeared during the war.
    1994: The monastery is declared Asset of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural, BIC) on May 24, 1994 through the decree 93/1994 of Valencia Council.
  • 2004: Adaptation project of the visiting areas of the monastery, led by the architect María Domínguez Calabuig. Adaptation, signaling, safety and lighting works in order to open the monastery to the public.
  • 2005: Authorization of May 26, 2005 of the public visits regime by the Culture Council. The monastery is open to visits in May 2005 through an agreement with the Valencia Regional Government’s Culture Council.
  • 2008: Refurbishment of the grain storehouse or “garrofera room” section, which was restored to lodge the projection and interpretation room of the monastery.
  • 2014: Adaptation and opening of the refectory in order to open it to the public. The room is open to visits in June 2014.
  • 2014-2015: Complete refurbishment of the structural part of the prior’s tower. The tower is located in the southwest end, next to the agricultural pool and the romantic gardens, at the west side of the monastery.
  • 2015: Adaptation of the upper cloister, the “lions patio” and the hall of arms in order to open them to visits. These rooms are inaugurated and opened to the public in May 2015.
  • 2016: Location and archaeological salvage of the main crypts of the monastery; discovery of the crypt of the family of Ausiàs March.