15. The Monastery’s Rose Window

Now raise your eyes towards the large rose window on the façade.

Measuring more than eight metres in diameter, it is one of the most striking features of the monastery’s architecture and a true symbol of the identity of Sant Cugat.

Rose windows can be admired both from the outside and from within.

Seen from outside, it is probably the feature that catches our attention most as we approach the Monastery, as it looks like a great diamond set into the façade of the church. But when viewed from inside, it becomes a jewel of light. Sunlight passes through the stained glass and fills the space with ever-changing shades of colour, creating an atmosphere of great tranquillity and spirituality.

A rose window is not simply a round window: it is the result of the coming together of three arts: architecture, sculpture and stained glass.

The internal structure of a rose window is a true stone filigree, made up of highly complex geometric forms, intertwined with extraordinary symmetry and precision. But this stone tracery is not merely decorative: it forms the framework that supports the stained glass panels occupying the spaces left open by the stone. These coloured panes are the pieces from which the artist creates religious images or intricate geometric patterns. When the light passes through them, the rose window comes alive with a multitude of colours, creating an effect that captivates the heart.

Now look carefully at its basic structure. At the centre is a circle with six flower-shaped lobes, from which twelve large ribs radiate outwards like the petals of a flower. These petals rest upon an outer ring made up of twenty-four curved triangles.

The rose window of Sant Cugat is the fourth largest in Catalonia, and its design is very similar to that of one of the great rose windows of Notre-Dame in Paris.

It was completed in 1343, at the height of the Gothic period. Sadly, the original stained glass has not survived. In 1428, the Candelmas earthquake destroyed a significant part of it. But this was not the only cause of its deterioration: historical events and the fragility of the glass have made numerous repairs and replacements necessary over the centuries. Much of the stained glass you see today dates from the major restoration carried out in 1979.

One surprising feature is that, unlike many other medieval rose windows, ours is not decorated with images of the Virgin Mary or other biblical figures. Its decoration consists entirely of geometric motifs.

Look closely at the stained glass and you will discover numerous stars in different colours, as though you were looking up at a star-filled sky.

Now take a moment to notice the colours… As you can see, blues and violets predominate, with touches of emerald green. This choice of colours helps to create a peaceful atmosphere that evokes the mystery of God.

But this is not the only rose window in the Monastery. To the right and left of the great rose window, there are two smaller ones. For many years they were bricked up, but in 1944 new stained-glass windows were installed, and these are the ones you can see today. They are in the Neo-Gothic style and, unlike the large central rose window, they are entirely figurative.

From where you are standing, the scenes are rather difficult to see, but if you look for them in the audioguide’s image gallery, you will be struck by their beauty and will be able to recognise several episodes from the childhood and Passion of Jesus.

But there are still six more small rose windows to discover. You will find them if you stand in the central nave and look towards the openings along the sides.

So, what at first sight might seem to be simply a large window reveals itself as a true symphony of stone, glass, colour and light.