Written by: Christian P. Benotto
A Unique Place to Visit
On January 25th, I had the pleasure of going to the Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach, Florida. When I arrived, the monastery was preparing for a wedding that was about to take place. After speaking with the staff, I was informed that this was a common occurrence at the monastery, which now serves as a center for both religious events and Sunday mass. It is a monastery with the appearance of a fort, surrounded by beautiful gardens and within, it is filled with viscerally religious spaces. Its architecture is similar to Romanesque monasteries and churches commonly seen in 12th century Spain.
Its incomparable History
Beyond its beautiful architecture, the monastery carries with it memories of the past. The construction of the Ancient Spanish Monastery began in 1133 AD. It consists of over 35,000 stones, which were disassembled during a period of political instability in Spain and later reassembled in the United States. The process began when a businessman by the name of Willian Randolph Hearst, bought the monastery, and prepared it to be brought to America in the 1920s. He did not succeed completely though, for during that time the hoof-and-mouth disease epidemic broke out in Spain which did not allow for the crates to be taken to the United States effectively. Soon after, William Randolph Hearst went bankrupt, and the whereabouts of the crates fell into the hands of two businessmen (William Edgemon and Raymond Moss) in 1952 with plans to make it a tourist attraction. This resulted in a project that ended up becoming the Ancient Spanish Monastery that we know today. The monastery holds a rich and extensive history, exhibiting remarkable medieval Spanish monastic architecture that offers an unparalleled glimpse into the past. While its architectural and spiritual essence remains unchanged its purpose has evolved to fit modern times, now serving as a venue for weddings and other events. Open to the public, the monastery invites visitors to explore and experience its remarkable historical and cultural significance.