Hidden off of Miami’s busy U.S. 1, there’s an Ancient Spanish Monastery that seems worlds away from the city’s famous beaches and fast-paced vibe. Miami local and University of Miami alum Alicia Marley described her recent visit as “very serene in an otherwise loud, busy area,” adding that it “felt like you were in Spain.”
According to historians, the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux, as it’s also known as, is the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere. But why is there an ancient Spanish monastery in Miami? How did it travel all the way from medieval Europe to South Florida? And why do none of the locals know about it? Well, this is truly a story for the ages.
Why is an Ancient Spanish Monastery in Miami?
Originally built in 1133 AD in Sacramenia, Spain, the Monastery of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels, served as a place of worship for centuries before it fell into disrepair. “Cistercian monks occupied the Monastery for nearly 700 years,” the monastery’s website explains.
In 1925, American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst decided to buy it all. “The structures were dismantled stone by stone, bound with protective hay, packed in more than 11,000 wooden crates, numbered for identification and shipped to the United States,” the website writes.
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But Hearst’s grand plan to ship the monastery to the U.S. was derailed by U.S. customs officials during the height of a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Spain in 1926. Every one of the monastery’s 35,000 stones was quarantined, disinfected, and carefully numbered. Time magazine famously described the project as “the biggest jigsaw puzzle in history.”
Rebuilding the Puzzle
After Hearst’s death, the monastery sat in storage for years until two entrepreneurs bought the stones and reassembled them in North Miami Beach in 1952. It wasn’t an easy feat. Though each stone was numbered, some markings had faded or disappeared altogether, making it a painstaking process.
“Though we tend to save the phrase ‘work of art’ for museums, it’s really the best way to describe this wondrous structure—especially when you understand how much time, dedication, and precision it took to reassemble it,” Condé Nast Traveler writes.
Marley agrees, adding, “The Mason marks were so cool. You could see their marks in the rock on the walls.”
Visiting the Monastery Today
Despite its proximity to one of Miami’s busiest roads, Marley noted that the monastery feels “very tucked away.” Visitors can stroll through peaceful courtyards, admire medieval architecture, and soak in the serene atmosphere. “The interior courtyards and surroundings did feel like you were in Spain,” Marley, who lived in Europe for four years before moving back to the States, added.
Today, the monastery hosts events like weddings and quinceañeras, and offers regular tours. Located at 16711 West Dixie Highway, North Miami Beach, FL 33160, it’s often closed for private events, so check the website before visiting.
So if you’re driving around Miami and looking for its quieter, more spiritual side of the 305, then stop by this hidden landmark. Just be sure to keep an eye out for it. “I almost missed the turn in for it,” Marley warned with a laugh.
