Sobrado Abbey
Encyclopedia
Sobrado Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, now a Trappist
monastery, in the province of A Coruña
in Galicia in Spain
. It is situated in the municipality of Sobrado, about 9 km east of Corredoiras and about 46 km south-east of Betanzos
, at an altitude of 540 m above sea level.
In 1142, it was re-founded as a Cistercian monastery from Clairvaux
. During the 12th and 13th centuries it flourished and was able to undertake the foundations of its own daughter house, Valdedios Abbey in Asturia. Sobrado was also given the supervision of Monfero Abbey after it joined the Cistercian Order.
After a period of decline Sobrado was the first abbey in Galicia, in 1498, to join the Castilian Cistercian Congregation.
The monumental new Baroque
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 Trappist monks of Viaceli Abbey in Cóbreces, west of Santander
, began reconstruction, having already refounded and restored Huerta Abbey in 1929, and were able to resettle the monastery with a new Trappist community in 1966.
. The monastery has two cloisters. The kitchen and the chapter house remain of the medieval monastic buildings.
TRAPPIST
TRAPPIST is Belgian robotic telescope in Chile which came online in 2010, and is an acronym for TRAnsiting Planets and PlanetesImals Small Telescope, so named in homage to Trappist beer produced in the Belgian region. Situated high in the Chilean mountains at La Silla Observatory, it is actually...
monastery, in the province of A Coruña
A Coruña (province)
The province of A Coruña is the most North-western Atlantic-facing province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia...
in Galicia in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It is situated in the municipality of Sobrado, about 9 km east of Corredoiras and about 46 km south-east of Betanzos
Betanzos
Betanzos is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the Province of A Coruña. In Roman times Betanzos was called Carunium or Brigantium. During the Medieval period the settlement was known as Carunio....
, at an altitude of 540 m above sea level.
History
A monastery is believed to have been founded on the site in the 10th century by the Benedictines. By the beginning of the 12th century it had been abandoned.In 1142, it was re-founded as a Cistercian monastery from Clairvaux
Clairvaux Abbey
Clairvaux Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in Ville-sous-la-Ferté, 15 km from Bar-sur-Aube, in the Aube département in northeastern France. The original building, founded in 1115 by St. Bernard, is now in ruins; a high-security prison, the Clairvaux Prison, now occupies the grounds...
. During the 12th and 13th centuries it flourished and was able to undertake the foundations of its own daughter house, Valdedios Abbey in Asturia. Sobrado was also given the supervision of Monfero Abbey after it joined the Cistercian Order.
After a period of decline Sobrado was the first abbey in Galicia, in 1498, to join the Castilian Cistercian Congregation.
The monumental new Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
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
Juan Álvarez Mendizábal
Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, born Juan Álvarez Méndez , was a Spanish economist and politician....
in 1835 put an end to the abbey, and the abandoned buildings fell into decay.
In 1954 the Trappist monks of Viaceli Abbey in Cóbreces, west of Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
, began reconstruction, having already refounded and restored Huerta Abbey in 1929, and were able to resettle the monastery with a new Trappist 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 (Capilla de la Magdalena) dates from the 14th century. The sacristy was built by Juan de HerreraJuan de Herrera
Juan de Herrera 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 was fully developed in buildings like the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial...
. The monastery has two cloisters. The kitchen and the chapter house remain of the medieval monastic buildings.