Santa Maria de Gràcia

Inside the enclosure that houses the ruins of Empúries, in the municipality of l'Escala, we find the remains of the convent of Santa Maria de Gràcia.

The convent was founded in 1606 on the foundations of an existing hermitage, and was occupied by a community of Servite monks. The disentailments carried out from 1820 onwards led to the abandonment of the building.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in the context of the start of excavations in the ruins of Empúries, the archaeologist and historian Josep Puig i Cadafalch believed it necessary to create a space to store and exhibit the pieces found. Thus, on the remains of the old convent, the current Monographic Museum of Empúries was built, which today shows visitors some of the findings made during over a century of excavations, such as the imposing statue of Asclepius, the Greek god of Medicine.