Diocesano Barbastro Monzon

Seo and Museum

The Diocesan Museum of Barbastro-Monzón is located in the city of Barbastro, the capital of the Somontano Region (Huesca, Aragón). It is hold in the historic Episcopal Palace that was erected next to the Cathedral, a splendid example of sixteenth century architecture.

The Museum and its architecture

The Museum is distributed over three levels, connected vertically through a wide-open central hall. A large skylight is the main source of natural light into the building.

The renovation of the old palace has transformed the interior of the Renaissance building into a stimulating contemporary space. The purity of the architectural lines and the neutral tones of the materials allow the viewer to focus on the art masterpieces and the light that bathes them.

The collection

The Museum holds a diverse collection of works of art from various localities throughout this Diocese, which covers a wide part of the eastern zone of the province of Huesca. A walk through its halls allows the visitor to take a journey through the last millennium of Western art. The collection is particularly rich in works from the Romanesque to the Baroque.

Floor 1

The first floor provides an overview of the rural medieval churches of the Alto Aragón. Wall paintings, such as those of the Villamana´s apse and evocative fragments of wood painting allow us to relive the transcendent spirituality that pervades the Romanesque art.

The magnificent collection of “lipsanotecas” (small wooden reliquary boxes) and the minutes of consecration, drafted at the beginning of the eleventh century and miraculously preserved until today, bear witness to the historical advance of the Kingdom of Aragon as it consolidated power during the Christian Conquest.

The centrepiece of this floor is a magnificent carved and polychrome stone Christogram (Crismón) of the late thirteenth century, a noteworthy piece of Romanesque art.

Here, a large display holds relevant pieces of medieval sculpture. From works like the Virgin and Child we can observe the transition of the Romanesque model of the seated Virgin to the Gothic model of the standing Virgin.

There are also excellent examples of Gothic paintings both in the International Style, such as the altarpiece from Oto by Blasco de Grañén, and the Hispano-Flemish Style, such as the altarpiece of Saint Michel by the Maestro de Viella. Other works from the sixteenth century transport us from the classicizing aesthetic of the Renaissance, to Mannerist sensitivities of the later sixteenth and early seventeenth century, and even to more popular visual expressions of religiosity, full of naivety and charm.

Archaeology room

Relevant objects obtained in Barbastro’s medieval sites are exhibited in this room, such us the beautiful capital (c. 1020) that survives from Barbastro´s old mosque. There is also an outstanding dragon vault pendant (pinjante), a piece of equestrian trapping (jaez) used to decorate the harnesses of the cavalry, loaded with apotropaic, or protective, symbolism.

In addition, we can admire an interesting collection of pieces called Santisteve bequeath (Mr. José and Mr. Marcelino Santisteve, brothers and priests in Binéfar (Huesca) from 1964 to 2013), which take us on a journey through the rich archaeological heritage of a part of this Diocese, from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages.

Floor 2. Gold (precios metal) work

Most of the objects exhibited in this room come from the Treasury of Barbastro Cathedral, which began to be enriched in the sixteenth century, when it regained its rank as a diocesan church.

The successive prelates, the canons, and the Cathedral Council itself offered donations to the Treasury, commissioning works of the highest quality to the most prestigious silversmiths from Barbastro, but also from cities like Barcelona or Zaragoza.

As a result, the silversmith’s guild experienced a remarkable rise. Judging by the quality of their production, it can be ranked among the best workshops of the Kingdom of Aragón.

Floor 3

On the top floor, the exhibition continues its exploration with the Baroque period. A highlight of the collection is the impressive apostolate: 14 medium figures with a great deal of expressive strength, inspired by the engravings of the Flemish artist Hendrick Goltzius (1558-1617).

A worthy colophon to the exhibition is the set of silver stairs and frontal (c.1740) for the High Altar of Barbastro’s Cathedral, fashioned in the Rococo style. The set is complete with reliquary busts and arms, large candelabra, and the beautiful image of the Pueyo Virgin, made in the twentieth century.

The visit is not complete without stopping to admire the interesting collection of copper paintings held in the museum, among which are two Flemish copper works from the school of the painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640).

Throughout the 900m2 exhibition space, we travel back in time from the dawn of the Romanesque to the dazzling decorative explosion of the Baroque and all the way to the twentieth century, guided by fine examples of artistic creation in the Pyrenees and Pre Pyrenees of the “Alto Aragón”.

Ticket fees

General: 4 €

Reduced: 2,5 € (groups, children from 11 to 14 years, over 65 years, young card, large family).

Joint ticket with the Cathedral: 6€