Royal Monastery of Santa María de Oia, Cistercian monastery in Oia, Spain
The Royal Monastery of Santa María de Oia is a Cistercian monastery situated on the Galician coast with three naves arranged in a Latin Cross layout and a seventeenth-century choir. The church rises above cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
It was founded in 1137 and received its royal title in 1624 after the monks successfully defended the coast against a Turkish fleet attack. This event marked an important turning point in the monastery's role and significance.
The monastery displays a blend of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque elements that accumulated over centuries of changes. Walking through its halls, you can see how each architectural period left its mark on the building's appearance.
The monastery is located on the Portuguese Coastal Route of the Ways of Saint James and can be reached via road 550 between Baiona and A Guarda. The location makes it easy for pilgrims to visit the monastery while traveling along this historic route.
This is the only Spanish Cistercian monastery built directly on the Atlantic coast and served the monks both as a religious center and as a defensive position. The monks were not isolated from the world but actively involved in protecting the coastal region.
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