THE CHAPEL OF SAINT MARY OF VALLDIGNA (easily mistaken for the monastery itself as it is the biggest building left standing. The earliest beginnings were 14th century. The present chapel has stood since 1648, as a place dedicated to common prayer.  There is an atrium, six lateral chapels, a cross transept and a presbytery. The chapel is the biggest building on the monastery site, evidence suggests that there were two previous chapels, the earliest is 14^th Century and it was rebuilt in the 15^th century …both fell down in the earthquakes of 1396 and 1644, respectively. The construction of the present church began in the second half of the 17th century, work on the bell tower began in 1652, the atrium was added to the church in the year 1697 and work concluded in 11699.

You would be forgiven for thinking there was nothing of Simat except the monastery. It's not exactly like as being in the same room as an elephant (hard to avoid seeing it), but the rest of the town is a little, well, ordinary! The fountain (left) is just outside of the monastery.

Apart from the annual fiestas the town also has a medieval market during the spring (held in the street pictured to the right). Naturally, I took some photos of this and they are on another part of this web site ...click here!

Apart from this there is a village "pond" (below) ...not really a pond at all, more like a small river basin in the middle of the town. It has some quite big fish!