FORMER CONVENT OF CARME

Founded in 1321, the Carmelite convent was the sixth to be founded in Catalonia by the Carmelite Order. At the end of the 14th century, the convent gained in importance and a church was built next to it. During the War of the Segadors (1640-1652), the building was partially destroyed and it was not until the 18th century that it underwent extensive restoration, giving it its current appearance. In 1835, the community of monks living there left the convent and the state took over the property to set up a military hospital, then, in 1868, a civil hospital. That same year, the Jesuits began restoration work, which unfortunately remained unfinished until the end of the 19th century. Between 1905 and 1968, the site was transformed into a school. There were several schools in succession, the Escola del Treball, the Col-legi Claret and the Escola Enxaneta. From 1968 onwards, the building underwent major renovations and finally regained its original religious stature.

The most notable architectural elements are undoubtedly the cloister with its medieval paintings, the adjoining chapel, the entrance door to the chapter house, the refectory and the monks' cells with their remarkable Gothic windows. The Carmelite church, dating from the 18th century, houses an image of the Virgin of Carmel sculpted by Josep Busquets. This is certainly one of the most important places to visit when discovering the heritage of Valls for the first time.