In the Early Middle Ages the term canonici referred to clerics (almost always priests) who shared a religious rule, a place to rest and another to eat as well as a prayer carried out in what were called canonical hours. They were not monks who lived in isolation like the Benedictines but had some daily contact with the parishioners. They depended largely on the nobility who had the power to appoint positions and prebends. For this reason, in the Catalonia of the centuries and the aristocracy demonstrated a clear preference for the ordo clericalis rather than the ordo monasticus of the Benedictines who did not depend at all on them but directly on Cluny.[9]​.

Following a community life required the construction of collective spaces. These spaces largely imitated the Benedictine arrangements of their cloisters and their dependencies in the different pandas. Later there was a second phase that came to imitate the Cistercian cloister; In short, it can be said that there is no purely canonical model, except for the rooms sometimes built on a second floor, for storage, food, meetings, etc.[10]​.

But in general the canonical cloisters did not have the same prominence as the Benedictine ones because the congregations ended up living in other houses and the canons of the cathedrals too, without doing much community life.[11] After the expensive work of building a cloister with all its rooms, the members of the congregation hardly went to them. A good example is given in the cloister of the cathedral of Gerona, which has a bedroom to the east that was not used, a chapter house that was outdated from the beginning, a refectory in which meals were not given and that was used only to receive the "portions" and other perks. According to the historical studies carried out on these cloisters, it was concluded that the space was necessary for processions and liturgical performances. The liber processionarius monasteri stagnensis speaks on this topic and clarifies many doubts about the use of these spaces: processions, meetings, reflection walks by clerics, diocesan or state meetings were held. According to Yves Esquieu") in Autour de nos cathedrales[d]​, the canonical cloisters were granted a symbolic nature that demonstrated prestige and power and this is precisely what gave rise to so many patios being built in the last years of the century.[12]​.

The great Cistercian monasteries were built by carefully choosing the location, taking into account its topography and the existence of water currents that were as close as possible. A series of spaces necessary for community life were then provisionally erected and later, when it was certain that the place was suitable, the large carved stone building was built. This step generally took place ten or twenty years after its foundation. While the final building was being built, the friars lived in rooms previously built for the occasion, which generally consisted of a small chapel and some surrounding areas. This primitive church was later used as a chapel for the infirmary, which could even have a small cloister attached to it, as occurs in the monastery of Poblet where this complex is preserved, whose cloister is called that of San Esteban. In the monastery of Santes Creus, this primitive church is today the chapel of the Trinity, unrecognizable and greatly modified.[13]​.

Meanwhile, the major works began, starting with the head part of the church and continuing through the rooms necessary for community life: chapter house, common dormitory, refectory, monks' room, to continue with the infirmary, area for converts (laymen) and other spaces that in the end would make up the closure of the cloister.

One of the cloister groups always leaned against a wall of the church, generally on the south wall, although in Poblet it was placed on the other side, on the north wall. Sometimes topographical conformity was imperative and could not be changed.[13]​.

In the second half of the century, a major renovation took place in the Cistercian cloisters, significantly expanding the space at the expense of the area for converts (laymen who would never become friars), because throughout that century, the number of converts became smaller. Thus in the cloister of Poblet, the old dormitory for laymen became a cilla "Cilla (architecture)") in 1302.[14]​.

As for the ornamentation of these cloisters, they generally offer a simple structure, using local repertoires, sometimes with influence from Languedoc and with an undoubted relationship with the cathedral of Tarragona in many cases. However, the Catalan Cistercian cloisters may seem rich in ornamentation when compared to the bareness of the French cloisters of the same style. In the Catalan cloisters of Vallbona, Poblet and Santes Creus there is no historic ornamentation, although human or animal figures can be seen in the corbels of the cornices. Plant and interlacing motifs from the native repertoire are preferred for the capitals, except in the Bellpuig monastery where absolute austerity is evident.

In Catalonia there are three Cistercian monasteries: Poblet, Santes Creus and Vallbona, and one Premonstratensian: Bellpuig de les Avellanes. All four have vestiges of Romanesque cloister elements, all four were founded in the third quarter of the century and were chosen as the pantheon of various kings, queens and nobles. Although they have much in common, their cloisters are worthy of study and description separately, bringing to light their individual characteristics.[15]​.

In the Early Middle Ages the term canonici referred to clerics (almost always priests) who shared a religious rule, a place to rest and another to eat as well as a prayer carried out in what were called canonical hours. They were not monks who lived in isolation like the Benedictines but had some daily contact with the parishioners. They depended largely on the nobility who had the power to appoint positions and prebends. For this reason, in the Catalonia of the centuries and the aristocracy demonstrated a clear preference for the ordo clericalis rather than the ordo monasticus of the Benedictines who did not depend at all on them but directly on Cluny.[9]​.

Following a community life required the construction of collective spaces. These spaces largely imitated the Benedictine arrangements of their cloisters and their dependencies in the different pandas. Later there was a second phase that came to imitate the Cistercian cloister; In short, it can be said that there is no purely canonical model, except for the rooms sometimes built on a second floor, for storage, food, meetings, etc.[10]​.

But in general the canonical cloisters did not have the same prominence as the Benedictine ones because the congregations ended up living in other houses and the canons of the cathedrals too, without doing much community life.[11] After the expensive work of building a cloister with all its rooms, the members of the congregation hardly went to them. A good example is given in the cloister of the cathedral of Gerona, which has a bedroom to the east that was not used, a chapter house that was outdated from the beginning, a refectory in which meals were not given and that was used only to receive the "portions" and other perks. According to the historical studies carried out on these cloisters, it was concluded that the space was necessary for processions and liturgical performances. The liber processionarius monasteri stagnensis speaks on this topic and clarifies many doubts about the use of these spaces: processions, meetings, reflection walks by clerics, diocesan or state meetings were held. According to Yves Esquieu") in Autour de nos cathedrales[d]​, the canonical cloisters were granted a symbolic nature that demonstrated prestige and power and this is precisely what gave rise to so many patios being built in the last years of the century.[12]​.

The great Cistercian monasteries were built by carefully choosing the location, taking into account its topography and the existence of water currents that were as close as possible. A series of spaces necessary for community life were then provisionally erected and later, when it was certain that the place was suitable, the large carved stone building was built. This step generally took place ten or twenty years after its foundation. While the final building was being built, the friars lived in rooms previously built for the occasion, which generally consisted of a small chapel and some surrounding areas. This primitive church was later used as a chapel for the infirmary, which could even have a small cloister attached to it, as occurs in the monastery of Poblet where this complex is preserved, whose cloister is called that of San Esteban. In the monastery of Santes Creus, this primitive church is today the chapel of the Trinity, unrecognizable and greatly modified.[13]​.

Meanwhile, the major works began, starting with the head part of the church and continuing through the rooms necessary for community life: chapter house, common dormitory, refectory, monks' room, to continue with the infirmary, area for converts (laymen) and other spaces that in the end would make up the closure of the cloister.

One of the cloister groups always leaned against a wall of the church, generally on the south wall, although in Poblet it was placed on the other side, on the north wall. Sometimes topographical conformity was imperative and could not be changed.[13]​.

In the second half of the century, a major renovation took place in the Cistercian cloisters, significantly expanding the space at the expense of the area for converts (laymen who would never become friars), because throughout that century, the number of converts became smaller. Thus in the cloister of Poblet, the old dormitory for laymen became a cilla "Cilla (architecture)") in 1302.[14]​.

As for the ornamentation of these cloisters, they generally offer a simple structure, using local repertoires, sometimes with influence from Languedoc and with an undoubted relationship with the cathedral of Tarragona in many cases. However, the Catalan Cistercian cloisters may seem rich in ornamentation when compared to the bareness of the French cloisters of the same style. In the Catalan cloisters of Vallbona, Poblet and Santes Creus there is no historic ornamentation, although human or animal figures can be seen in the corbels of the cornices. Plant and interlacing motifs from the native repertoire are preferred for the capitals, except in the Bellpuig monastery where absolute austerity is evident.

In Catalonia there are three Cistercian monasteries: Poblet, Santes Creus and Vallbona, and one Premonstratensian: Bellpuig de les Avellanes. All four have vestiges of Romanesque cloister elements, all four were founded in the third quarter of the century and were chosen as the pantheon of various kings, queens and nobles. Although they have much in common, their cloisters are worthy of study and description separately, bringing to light their individual characteristics.[15]​.