Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana

One of these stories features Bishop Turibius of Astorga, who in the 5th century is said to have brought the relic of the True Cross from the Holy Land. A second legend speaks of another Turibius and some companions, cenobites, who settled in these lands in the 6th century, founding a monastery dedicated to Saint Martin. Possibly, during the time of the Saracen invasion (8th century), refugees arrived from southern lands, bringing with them the precious relics. Although the origin of the monastery would be placed during the reign of King Alfonso I, that is, during the second half of the 8th century, it is not until the year 828 that documentary evidence of its existence appears.

In 1125, the monastery underwent a change, when it began to be known as San Martín y Santo Toribio, until, from 1181 onwards, it was simply called Santo Toribio de Liébana. In 1183, King Alfonso VIII of Castile gave the monastery and its possessions to Count Gómez, who then donated it to San Salvador de Oña, making it a priory of that Burgos monastery. During the 13th century, it was rebuilt in Gothic style. In the following centuries, the house experienced some decline, though less pronounced than that of other monasteries in the region, likely due to the presence of the much-venerated True Cross. It remained active until the exclaustration in 1835. From 1961, conventual life returned with a Franciscan community.