Sobrado Abbey
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Sobrado Abbey, ( or ) is a
Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
monastery in the province of La Coruña, Galicia,
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. It is situated in the municipality of Sobrado, about 9 km east of Corredoiras and about 46 km southeast of Betanzos, at an altitude of 540 m above sea level.


History

The abbey was founded around 951 by Bishop Sisnando Menéndez, son of Counts
Hermenegildo Alóitez Hermenegildo Alóitez ( – before 10 December 966), was a magnate and member of the highest nobility of Galicia in the 10th century. His parents were Count Aloito Gutiérrez and Argilo Alóitez, daughter of Alóito and Paterna, the founders of th ...
and his wife Paterna, who in the following years give it several properties. The abbey was inherited by his descendants and it was abandoned by them. Nearly two centuries later, in January 1142, the brothers
Fernando Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa and Asia (like the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka). It is e ...
and Bermudo Pérez, two of the most distinguished members of the House of Traba, handed it over to the
Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
monks from Clairvaux. The abbey flourished during the 12th and 13th centuries and was able to undertake the foundations of its own daughter house, Valdedios Abbey in
Asturias Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
. Sobrado was also given the supervision of
Monfero Abbey Monfero Abbey (; ) is a former Cistercian monastery dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus, in the province of A Coruña in Galicia, Spain. It is located in Monfero in Ferrolterra in the ''comarca'' of Eume, about 22 km to the north-east of Betanzos ...
after it joined the Cistercian Order. After a period of decline, in 1498 Sobrado was the first abbey in Galicia to join the Castilian Cistercian Congregation. The monumental new
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
abbey church was dedicated in 1708. Most of the conventual buildings were also rebuilt at this time. The dissolution of the monasteries enforced by the government of Mendizábal in 1835 put an end to the abbey, and the abandoned buildings fell into decay. In 1954 the Cistercian (
Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a Religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious o ...
) monks of Viaceli Abbey in Cóbreces, west of Santander, began reconstruction, having already refounded and restored
Huerta Abbey A huerta () or horta (, ), from Latin ''hortus'', "garden", is an irrigated area, or a field within such an area, common in Spain and Portugal, where a variety of vegetables and fruit trees are cultivated for family consumption and sale. Typical ...
in 1929, and were able to resettle the monastery with a new community in 1966.


Buildings

The present abbey church, now roofed with a number of domes and cupolas, was built at the end of the 17th century, although the Magdalene Chapel (''Capela da Madalena'' or ''Capilla de la Magdalena'') dates from the 14th century. The sacristy was built by
Juan de Herrera Juan de Herrera (1530 – 15 January 1597) was a Spanish architect, mathematician and geometrician. One of the most outstanding Spanish architects in the 16th century, Herrera represents the peak of the Renaissance in Spain. His sober style re ...
. The monastery has three cloisters. The kitchen and the chapter house remain of the medieval monastic buildings.


References


Bibliography

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External links


Website of Sobrado Abbey
roken link
Website of the Municipio de Sobrado, with information on and pictures of the abbey
{{Coord, 43.05, N, 8.03333, W, source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Christian monasteries established in the 10th century 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Spain Christian monasteries established in the 20th century Monasteries in Galicia (Spain) Cistercian monasteries in Spain Benedictine monasteries in Spain Baroque architecture in Galicia (Spain) Trappist monasteries in Spain Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Province of A Coruña