Sobrado Abbey, Cistercian monastery in Sobrado, Spain.
Sobrado Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in Galicia featuring three cloisters and preserved medieval structures throughout its grounds. The kitchen retains a large central chimney built in the 13th century and the community of Trappist monks continues to inhabit the site.
The abbey was established in 952 by Count Hermenegildo Aloitez and his wife Paterna, later adopting the Cistercian rule in 1142. This transformation connected it to the broader European movement of monastic reform.
The monastery sits along the Camino del Norte pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, where it welcomes modern travelers walking ancient paths. This creates a living connection between medieval devotion and contemporary journeys.
The monastery provides overnight accommodations for more than 100 visitors with a dedicated guesthouse and additional dormitory spaces on the grounds. It is advisable to book in advance and be prepared for simple, quiet conditions.
The monks generate income through cattle farming for milk production and craft handmade jams within the monastery workshops. These products made on site reveal how daily monastic life remains economically active and self-sufficient.
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