Museu d’Art de Girona
In a grand episcopal palace next door to the cathedral, this wonderful museum contains some 8,500 pieces of Catalan art, from vivid 12th century Romanesque panels through Baroque polychrome sculpture to contemporary paintings of Girona’s famous riverside houses. One fascinating exhibit focuses on Pere Mates, a master of the Catalan Renaissance. Three pieces attributed to the artist were acquired in 2010, then in 2016 another six panels came up for auction. Two were identical to those bought a few years earlier. This admirably transparent exhibition deals with the issue of artistic deception—fakes and originals hang side by side. The 10th- to 11th-century altar stone of Sant Pere de Roda is another prized objects in the museum. Made of wood and stone, it depicts both religious stories and Catalan legends.
Do not miss the shaded gardens behind the museum, the Jardins de la Francesa. A staircase in the gardens lets you ascend to the ancient city walls, where you can walk for a considerable distance to gain a unique perspective on the medieval city.
The museum also manages the heritage spaces at the Antic Hospital de Santa Caterina, a 17th-century hospital on the west side of the river.
The museum is a 15-minute walk from the cathedral, but worth the effort.
In a grand episcopal palace next door to the cathedral, this wonderful museum contains some 8,500 pieces of Catalan art, from vivid 12th century Romanesque panels through Baroque polychrome sculpture to contemporary paintings of Girona’s famous riverside houses. One fascinating exhibit focuses on Pere Mates, a master of the Catalan Renaissance. Three pieces attributed to the artist were acquired in 2010, then in 2016 another six panels came up for auction. Two were identical to those bought a few years earlier. This admirably transparent exhibition deals with the issue of artistic deception—fakes and originals hang side by side. The 10th- to 11th-century altar stone of Sant Pere de Roda is another prized objects in the museum. Made of wood and stone, it depicts both religious stories and Catalan legends.
Do not miss the shaded gardens behind the museum, the Jardins de la Francesa. A staircase in the gardens lets you ascend to the ancient city walls, where you can walk for a considerable distance to gain a unique perspective on the medieval city.
The museum also manages the heritage spaces at the Antic Hospital de Santa Caterina, a 17th-century hospital on the west side of the river.
The museum is a 15-minute walk from the cathedral, but worth the effort.
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