then occupied by the Minims and now disappeared
From a stereoscopic photograph by Eduard Royo, undated (early 20th century?)
Arxiu Fotogràfic Centre Excursionista de Catalunya
The earliest reference to the Friars Minor in Cervera dates back to a donation made in 1235 in their favor. Later, in 1245, King James I granted them the land where the convent was built, suggesting that the Franciscans had already been present in the city a decade before officially acquiring this site, located outside the city walls to the east. A tradition also claims that the convent was founded by Saint Francis himself in 1214 during his passage through Cervera.
Above, the first. Then Santa Maria de Jesús
On the left, the second. After the Mimims
Detail of the Planta de la Ciudad de Cervera y de sus Contornos (1712)
Biblioteca Virtual de Defensa
Construction of the new convent had already begun in 1246, when the Archbishop of Tarragona granted indulgences to those who supported the project. In subsequent years (1283, 1305, and 1332), the friars acquired neighboring lands, reflecting the community's favourable economic situation. Additionally, the Franciscans received numerous royal donations from monarchs such as Alfonso III of Aragon, James the Just, and Peter the Ceremonious. This initial convent was destroyed in 1465 during the Catalan Civil War: first due to the siege of the city, and later by explicit order of demolition. The community was forced to relocate within the city walls, where they were granted part of the Castelltort Hospital.
A papal bull issued by Pope Paul II in 1467 authorized the Franciscans to build a new convent on land near the hospital, using stones from the previous structure. A new church was constructed and consecrated in 1468, followed by the conventual spaces. Due to the destruction of the original convent, a dispute arose between the Observant and Conventual Franciscans over rights to the abandoned site and the remains of the old house. Although a ruling in 1500 in Barcelona favored the Conventuals, in 1516 the Observants obtained permission from the city to build the Convent of Santa Maria de Jesús on the same extramural site previously occupied by the old Sant Francesc convent.
built on the site of the first Franciscan convent in Cervera
With the first (15) and second (10) Franciscan convent
Detail of the Atlante español, ó Descripcion general geográfica, cronológica, è histórica de España (1778)
Biblioteca Nacional de España
Several provincial chapters were held at the new Convent of Sant Francesc de Cervera: the first in 1448 at the original convent, and later in 1501 and 1537 at the new establishment. The Conventuals remained there until 1567, when the house was assigned to the Observants, who apparently never occupied it and, in 1592, ceded it to the Minims of Sant Francesc de Paula. The latter resided there until the exclaustration in 1835. The convent was ultimately destroyed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War.
- BARRAQUER Y ROVIRALTA, Cayetano (1906). Las casas de religiosos en Cataluña durante el primer tercio del siglo XIX. Vol. 1. Barcelona: Imp. Fco. J. Altés
- BESERAN I RAMON, Pere (2002). El convent de Sant Francesc de Cervera. L’art gòtic a Catalunya. Arquitectura I. Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana
- BOADAS, Agustí (2014). Els franciscans a Catalunya. Història, convents i frarades (1214-2014). Lleida: Pagès Ed.
- COLL, Fray Jayme Coll (1738). Chronica Seráfica de la santa provincia de Cathaluña. Barcelona: Imp. Herederos Juan Pablo y Maria Marti
- MIRÓ, Ramon; VILA, Pep (2018). Festes, cuina i litúrgia en la celebració de Capítols Provincials dels frares de Sant Francesc a Cervera, anys 1448, 1501 i 1537. Blog: Vademècum
- SABATÉ, Flocel (1997). Convent de Sant Francesc. Catalunya romànica. Vol. XXIV. Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana
- SANAHUJA, Pedro (1959). Historia de la seráfica provincia de Cataluña. Barcelona: Ed. Seráfica
The first convent of the Friars Minor was located east of Cervera's historic center, where the Convent of Santa Maria de Jesús now stands. The second establishment, built near the University, has completely disappeared.