Priory of San Salvador de Vilar de Donas

In 1194, when Juan Arias transferred the monastery to the Order of Santiago, he mentioned his parents, Arias Pérez de Monterroso and his wife, as its founders. An unfounded tradition has led to the assumption (based on the word donas alone) that it was initially a female monastery, and some have even speculated that its members were Cistercian nuns. The first documented prior of this site was Domingo Odoario (1210). It was a modest establishment that subsisted on income from various sources connected to its possessions.

During the first half of the 13th century, the church that still stands today was built, featuring a single nave, a transept, and three apses. Later, the remaining rooms were constructed around a cloister, though these structures were significantly altered over time. In the apse, an interesting collection of mural decorations can be found, which likely dates to the 15th century. Besides the sculptural decoration inside the church, the western doorway, dated to around 1230, is also noteworthy. In front of the church stands a portico, also from the 13th century.