Podcast Summary: Acontece que no es poco

Episode: Un monasterio cisterciense del siglo XII en Miami
Host: Nieves Concostrina (SER Podcast)
Date: March 2, 2023

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the curious story of how a 12th-century Spanish Cistercian monastery from Segovia ended up reconstructed in modern-day Miami. With Nieves Concostrina’s characteristic wit and engaging storytelling, the conversation traces the monastery's improbable journey—from medieval Spain, through New York’s quarantine and the Great Depression, to sunny Florida—tying in the eccentric collecting habits of media mogul William Randolph Hearst, who inspired the iconic film "Citizen Kane."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Monastery That Shouldn’t Be There

• Setting the Scene
  The episode starts with a reflection on previous stories about Spain's history in Florida, leading to the question: "How does a 12th-century Spanish monastery end up in Miami, centuries before the conquest of the Americas?"
  (00:23 - 00:45)

• Link to William Randolph Hearst
  The hosts connect the oddity of the Miami monastery to William Randolph Hearst, the infamous American publishing tycoon and obsessive art collector.

  • "Hearst tenía un peculiar síndrome de Diógenes acaparador, no de basura, sino de obras de arte." — Random Hearst (00:45)

• Art Collecting Mania
  Discussion of how Hearst’s wild spending and art hoarding led to buying not only paintings and sculptures but entire buildings—including castles and monasteries.
  (01:13 - 02:12)

2. How Do You Move a Monastery? (Like IKEA!)

• Disassembly in Spain
  The original monastery in Sacramenia, Segovia, built in 1141 and expropriated during the 19th-century desamortization, was repurposed as a barn before Hearst's team purchased and dismantled it—stone by stone, in over 35,000 numbered blocks.

  • "Todo se desmonta: los muros, corredores, el claustro, las bóvedas, la sacristía…" — Random Hearst (03:00)

• Packing & Shipping
  The stones were packed in more than 10,000 crates and shipped to New York, intended for California.
  (03:00 - 04:31)

3. A Monastery in Quarantine and the Wall Street Crash

• U.S. Customs Blockade
  Because Spain had an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and the monastery stones were packed in Spanish straw, U.S. authorities quarantined the shipment for three years in Brooklyn warehouses.

  • "Vieron que esas piedras venían embaladas en cajas con paja…prohibieron desembarcar el monasterio." — Random Hearst (04:43)

• Aftermath and Auction
  Hearst, distracted by financial ruin after the 1929 crash, forgot about the monastery. When he died in 1951, his heirs tried to sell the pile of stones—at first piecemeal but ultimately by auction, where Miami businessmen bought it for $19,000.
  (05:00 - 06:35)

4. Rebuilding in Miami—Assembly Nightmare

• Restoration Challenges
  Despite having “instructions” and numbered stones, reconstruction took two years and cost $1.5 million, as the markings and records were insufficient and some pieces had gone missing.

  • "Dos años se tiraron montando el monasterio y a mí me parecen pocos…Lo barato salió muy caro." — Random Hearst (06:49 - 08:01)

• Modern Use
  Since 1964, the monastery has been owned by the Catholic diocese for religious and touristic purposes, attracting some 15,000 visitors annually.

  • "Lo compró la diócesis de Florida…pero también pasan por allí unos 15,000 turistas al año." — Random Hearst (08:04)

5. Hearst’s World of Extravagant Collecting

• Beyond Monasteries: Castles and Art
  Hearst also bought a Norman castle in Wales and countless Spanish art pieces and architectural elements, many installed in his San Simeon “castle” in California.

  • "Hay una anécdota…le dijo: 'Querida, acabamos de comprarnos en Gales un castillo normando.' Y preguntó ella: '¿Normando? ¿Quién es Normando?'" (08:45)

• A Legacy on the Screen
  Both "Citizen Kane" and "Mank" portray the overwhelming scale of Hearst’s acquisitions.

  • "La escena final…cuando se va abriendo el plano con lo que tenía acumulado este hombre, eso ya es historia del cine." — Random Hearst (09:40)

• Specific Loot from Spain
  The castle in San Simeon features Spanish ceilings, choir stalls, and facade medallions from various historical sites, such as San Marcos de León and the cathedral of La Seo de Urgel.
  (10:02 - 10:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hearst's Compulsiveness:
  "Era un tipo sin escrúpulos, un manipulador obsesivo, con un peculiar síndrome de Diógenes acaparador, no de basura, sino de obras de arte."
  — Random Hearst (00:45)

• Monastery as IKEA Furniture:
  "En plan IKEA has dicho. Lo del monasterio te lo tienes que montar tú. Pero primero habría que desmontarlo."
  — Carla (02:49), playful banter about the logistics of moving a monastery.

• Customs Disaster:
  "Prohibieron desembarcar el monasterio. En España había una epidemia de fiebre aftosa del ganado y en esa paja podía venir el virus."
  — Random Hearst (04:43)

• The Final Cost:
  “Dos años se tiraron montando el monasterio…y millón y medio de dólares…Lo barato salió muy caro.”
  — Random Hearst (06:49)

• Surprise for Miami Visitors:
  “Pasen por allí unos 15,000 turistas al año…Presumiendo de un monasterio español medieval, seguramente ante la sorpresa de alguien que pensará, pero esto es que dice o qué bien se les daba el románico en Florida.”
  — Random Hearst (08:04)

• On Hearst’s Shopping List:
  “El comedor está la sillería de la catedral de la Seo d’Urgel, la de Lleida. Impresionante.”
  — Random Hearst (10:36)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro and premise: 00:23–00:45
• Hearst’s obsession and "Citizen Kane": 00:45–01:57
• The “IKEA” analogy and the logistics of dismantling: 02:49–03:30
• Journey of the stones and New York quarantine: 04:31–05:44
• Auction and Miami reconstruction: 06:35–08:01
• Modern uses and tourism: 08:01–08:37
• Other eccentric purchases & film portrayals: 08:37–10:48

Tone & Style

The conversation is lively, humorous, and fast-paced, reflecting Nieves Concostrina's style of making history both enlightening and entertaining. The casual banter—peppered with jokes, playful metaphors, and pop culture references—makes for an engaging exploration of a truly bizarre historical episode with contemporary implications.