Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Gloria, Romanesque monastery in Casbas de Huesca, Spain
The Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de la Gloria is a Romanesque monastery distinguished by an octagonal cupola above its nave. Its southern facade features eleven archivolts and a decorated tympanum as the main entrance, while the complex also contains multiple halls and a chapter house with 14th-century tomb reliefs.
The monastery was founded in 1173 by Countess Oria of Pallars with support from her husband Arnau Mir and Bishop Esteve of Sant Martí. It remained an active religious center for over 800 years, experiencing only two brief closures during the 1868 revolution and 1936 war.
The church's southern entrance displays intricate stone carvings and a Chrismon symbol that reflect the religious and artistic values of its time. These decorative details reveal how much care went into making this space a place of spiritual importance.
The site is best approached on foot, starting with the southern facade where the main portal displays the architectural details. The interior spaces and various halls require time to explore, so plan to spend at least one to two hours there.
The chapter house preserves burial slabs with figural reliefs set into the floor, honoring deceased monks and benefactors. This underground gallery of stone portraits is often overlooked and tells the story of those whose faith supported this religious community.
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