2 Euro - Monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet - Spain - 2026 - UNC

2 euro commemorative coin dedicated to the Monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet, in Catalonia, UNC.
It was founded in 1151 by Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, and entrusted to the Cistercian monks. It played a fundamental role in the religious, cultural, and political life of medieval Catalonia and the Crown of Aragon.
Poblet became the burial site of the monarchs of the Crown of Aragon, thereby strengthening its ties to the royal power; the church houses the sarcophagi of eight kings and six queens of Catalonia and Aragon.
The architecture of the complex is a harmonious blend of Romanesque and Gothic elements, characterized by the austerity and simplicity typical of the Cistercian order, where the value lies in the light and the relationships between the masses. The church, built between 1166 and 1181, has three naves, a transept, and a choir with an ambulatory and seven apsidioles. The central nave has a barrel vault, while the side naves and the ambulatory feature cross vaults. The high altar is adorned with a rich alabaster altarpiece carved by Damián Forment (from 1527). The cloister is among the largest and best-preserved of the Cistercian cloisters, featuring elements ranging from Romanesque to Gothic, and is famous for its galleries and finely carved capitals.