Monasterio de Piedra

The Monasterio de Piedra is located in one of the most deserted areas of Aragon. It dates back to 1194 when Alonso II the Chaste and his wife Sancha donated a former Arabic castle to the monks of Poblet to construct a monastery and strengthen the Christian faith in the area. In 1840, Pablo Muntadas Campeny bought the monastery, retaining the agricultural and livestock activity that was carried out there. His son, Juan Federico Muntadas, developed the park by making changes, opening tracks and paths, and planting trees. In 1860, after discovering the Iris cave, it was opened to the public. The first pisciculture centre in Spain was then opened in 1867, naturalising the common trout and Iberian crab into waters of the river. This centre continues supplying the rivers of Aragon with species for repopulation. The result of these actions is the garden that we know today, which was declared a “Natural Scencic Area” in 1940.