Monastery of Santa María de Matallana, Cistercian monastery ruins in Villalba de los Alcores, Spain.
The Monastery of Santa María de Matallana was a Cistercian community and now stands as ruins in the countryside between Tierra de Campos and Montes Torozos.The remaining stone walls outline the layout of the different monastic buildings.
The monastery was founded in the late 12th century by Tello Pérez de Meneses and his wife, with support from the Crown.It was dissolved in 1835 after centuries of operation as a religious community.
The structure displays Romanesque and Gothic features that show how medieval builders worked at different times.Visitors can see walls and floor plans that reveal how monks lived and organized their daily routines here.
The site operates as a Nature Interpretation Center with limited opening times, primarily on weekdays.Visitors should plan ahead since access can be restricted and guided visits may be required.
The property once served as a hospital for workers of the Canal of Castilla before later becoming an agricultural operation.This unusual transformation shows how institutions adapted their purpose to changing needs over time.
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