Monastery of Santa María de Montederramo
Mosteiro de Montederramo / San Xoán / Seoane Vello / Mons-Rami / Monte de Ramo
(Montederramo, Ourense)
The origins of the Monastery of Santa María de Montederramo are unclear, a circumstance further complicated by the existence of documents considered to be forgeries. It is believed that its origins may be linked to an ancient monastic establishment known as San Xoán de Seoane Vello. The foundation is dated to the year 1124 and is thought to have been promoted by Teresa of León, daughter of Alfonso VI of León, although there may have already been a pre-existing monastic community.
The founder granted the monks some land on which the new monastery, successor to San Xoán de Seoane Vello, was built. This new establishment was dedicated to Saint John at least until 1155, but when it joined the Cistercian Order, its dedication was changed to Santa María. By 1163, this change had already taken place, as mentioned in a papal bull issued by Pope Alexander III that same year. Around this time, the Monastery of Montederramo also participated in the foundation of Santa María de Xunqueira de Espadanedo.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the monastery benefited from a series of donations and privileges granted by the monarchy. In 1518, it became part of the Cistercian Congregation of Castile, which brought changes in observance and allowed the reconstruction of the monastic complex to begin. From that moment on, Montederramo experienced a new period of splendor, during which significant improvements were made, such as the construction of a new church, built between 1598 and 1630. The monastic complex includes two cloisters: the hospice cloister and the monastic cloister. Practically no remains of the medieval period, prior to the reconstruction, have been preserved.
Affiliation of Montederramo
According to Originum Cisterciensium (L. Janauschek, 1877)Monastery of Montederramo (Ourense) / 1153
Monastic cloister
Hospice cloister
Hospice cloister
Hospice cloister
Hospice cloister
Hospice cloister
- ARGAIZ, Gregorio de (1675). La soledad laureada por San Benito y sus hijos en las Iglesias de España. Vol. 3. Provincia Bracharense. Madrid: Herbada
- FREIRE CAMANIEL, José (1998). El monacato gallego en la alta edad media, vol. II. La Corunya: Fund. Pedro Barrié de la Maza
- GARCÍA IGLESIAS, José Manuel; dir. (2004). La Ribeira Sacra. Esencia de espiritualidad en Galicia. Xunta de Galicia
- GRANDE NIETO, Víctor (2011). Sta. María de Montederramo. Proceso de revisión arquitectónica. Universidade da Coruña
- JANAUSCHEK, Leopoldus (1877). Originum Cisterciensium. Vol. 1. Viena
- MARTÍNEZ, Antonio (2000). Montederramo. Monasticón cisterciense gallego, vol. 1. Lleó: Edilesa
- PÉREZ GONZÁLEZ, José María; dir. (2015). Enciclopedia del románico en Galicia. Ourense. Aguilar de Campoo: Fundación Santa María la Real
- PÉREZ RODRÍGUEZ, Francisco Javier (2008). Mosteiros de Galicia na Idade Media. Ourense: Deputación Provincial de Ourense
- SÁ BRAVO, Hipólito de (1972). El monacato en Galicia. Vol. 2. La Corunya: Librigal
- VALLE PÉREZ, José Carlos (1982). La arquitectura cisterciense en Galicia. La Corunya: Fundación Pedro Barrié de la Maza
- YEPES, Antonio de (reed. 1960). Crónica General de la Orden de San Benito. Vol. III. Madrid: Atlas
Montederramo is located in the Ribeira Sacra, east of Ourense