Day 433 - 18/11/2014 : Santa Maria Garden's Cloister

The construction of the cloister began perhaps around 1194, although other scholars assign it from 1214 onwards. Located northeast to the cathedral, it has a rectangular plan, measuring 47 by 46 meters. It has a large central courtyard and four galleries divide by pilasters. Some of them include gutters discharging rainwater to the Roman sewer, which was still in use. The vault covering of the galleries follows the model of the monasteries of Poblet and Vallbona de les Monges.

The arcades of the galleries are organized in groups of three smaller circular arches, surmounted by couples of small rose windows and, above them, a large ogival arch. Above the latter is in turn a frieze in Moorish style. The capitals of the columns are sculpted with religious scenes, such as the visit of the angels to Abraham, Cain and Abel an others. At the corner of the northern gallery are scenes from the Genesis and the New Testament, St. Thomas' incredulity and the legend of St. Nicholas. The wall of the eastern gallery includes an Arab inscription from the year 960, belonging to the former mosque.