Liturgical Landscapes
Whether once a temple, monastery or convent, each carries the cultural imprint of a faith that shaped its architecture. From opulence to restraint, religious buildings follow aesthetic principles that transcend time, lending them a distinct identity. Even when they return to their original purpose: offering shelter to others. From a pilgrimage through Peru or the Italian Alps to the palaces of Rajasthan, monastic hospitality takes on an altogether different dimension when practised to the highest standards.
Monasterio
Built into the stonework of the Inca emperor Amaru Qhata’s palace, the aptly named hotel has its roots in the monastery of San Antonio Abad. In the late sixteenth century, Antonio de la Raya, the sixth Bishop of Cusco, established a seminary here to train Catholic priests. The centuries that followed brought a Baroque chapel, its walls adorned with paintings from the Cusco School, while the cloisters retained their unshakable calm and a century- old cedar took root at the heart of the secluded courtyard. Today, under Belmond’s stewardship, the former monastery has found a new expression of hospitality: meals are served in a refectory steeped in history, while venerable monastic cells have been recast as suites.
MONASTERIO, A BELMOND HOTEL, CUSCO
Calle Plazoleta Nazarenas 223, Cusco, Pérou
Castel Badia
High in South Tyrol, perched on a rocky outcrop, Castel Badia began life as a fortress built by Count Otwin von Lurngau. In the eleventh century, his son Volkhold transformed it into a powerful Benedictine convent. Today, Alpine heritage meets contemporary design, most notably in the warm timber chalets, where modern lines sit comfortably alongside centuries of history. Overlooking the Rienza Valley, the castle offers a world apart: intimate and deeply restful, yet steeped in its monastic past, from the crypts and frescoes to the medicinal gardens. As with the religious communities that once called it home, a stay here is almost an act of devotion.
CASTEL BADIA
Frazione Castelbadia, 38, 39030 San Lorenzo di Sebato BZ, Italy
Six Senses Fort Barwara
Set within the heritage wing of a fourteenth-century Zenana Mahal, the Hindu temple at Six Senses Fort Barwara is dedicated to Radha and Krishna. Each evening, the sanctuary is given over to puja, the daily act of worship, as the aarti flame is raised and the air fills with sacred bhajans. Devotees receive a tika blessing, accompanied by a thread tied around the wrist as a token of good fortune and water from the Ganges offered in welcome. Here, the exuberance of Holi prayers and the age-old wisdom of Ayurveda, practised in the restored spa, belong to the same living tradition.
SIX SENSES FORT BARWARA
Chauth Ka Barwara, Rajasthan 322702, India