The present beauty of the villages of Priorat—and the excellence of their wines—can be traced to the dream of a pious shepherd in the 12th century AD, who had a vision one night of a ladder reaching towards heaven, on which angels were busy ascending and descending. This important event reached the ears of King Alfonso the Chaste, and a Carthusian monastery was established on the spot, which was named Escala Dei (the ladder of God) in honour of the shepherd's dream. The monastery flourished and took over the administration of the surrounding villages, including Bellmunt, which came under its sway in 1218. The grape was re-introduced so the monks could celebrate the sacrament, and the villages were graced with ecclesiastical buildings in styles ranging from Gothic to Renaissance.