The Ancient Spanish Monastery, the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere, has a rich and fascinating history that spans centuries and continents. Originally constructed in 1133 AD in Sacramenia, (present day Segovia) in northern Spain, the monastery was a Cistercian abbey dedicated to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.

The monastery flourished for nearly 700 years.

In 1925, newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery's buildings and had them meticulously dismantled, stone by stone. Each stone was numbered, packed in hay, and shipped to the United States in over 11,000 wooden crates. Unfortunately, due to a combination of financial difficulties brought on by the Great Depression and a plague scare that led to the hay being burned by customs officials, the stones remained in a Brooklyn warehouse for decades.

It wasn't until 1952 that entrepreneurs William Edgemon and Raymond Moss purchased the stones and began the monumental task of reassembling the monastery in Miami. The reconstruction took 19 months and required the expertise of craftsmen and architects to faithfully restore the monastery to its original glory. Time magazine called it “the biggest jigsaw puzzle in history.” By 1953, the work was completed, and the monastery was opened to the public.

Today, the Ancient Spanish Monastery stands as a unique and treasured landmark in North Miami Beach.

The Ancient Spanish Monastery is not just a relic of the past; it is a living piece of history that continues to inspire and captivate all who visit.

C&T