Kerrington & Justin
About Our Venue
OUR BEAUTIFUL VENUE: THE ANCIENT SPANISH MONASTERY
The Ancient Spanish Monastery, now known as St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church, is located in North Miami Beach, Florida. Originally built in 1133 in Sacramento, Spain, it was a Cistercian monastery. By the 1920s, wealthy businessman William Randolph Hearst bought it with plans to move it to California, but due to financial troubles, he abandoned the project, leaving it in crates in Miami. In 1952, a group of investors purchased the pieces and reassembled it in Florida, taking great care to restore the original Romanesque-style architecture, which includes intricate stonework and rounded arches.
Today, the monastery is one of the oldest buildings in the U.S. and a historical landmark. It serves as a functional Episcopal church, a venue for events and weddings, and a tourist attraction. The monastery's unique journey from Spain to Florida and its beautiful, peaceful grounds make it a fascinating place to visit.
For all the days along the way