San Salvador de Camanzo was founded during the first quarter of the 10th century by Gonzalo Betote and his wife, Teresa Eriz, counts of Deza. At the time of its foundation, the counts had already begun the construction of the monastery of San Lourenzo de Carboeiro, also promoted by them.
In 1115, Queen Urraca I of León (1081-1126) granted it to the Church of Santiago de Compostela, placing it under the jurisdiction of that archdiocese. It was a modest monastery with a very small community. Later, the house suffered the intervention of commendators, who profited from the monastery’s revenues. In 1515, already converted into a female monastery, it was annexed to San Paio de Antealtares (Santiago de Compostela), which maintained it as a priory.
The Romanesque church of the old monastery is still preserved, although it has undergone numerous modifications. It is a building with three naves and their respective apses, and it retains three doorways, one of which, the southern portal, has been significantly altered. The cloister has been lost, but the façade of the chapter house still remains.
Western portal
Western portal
Western portal
Western portal
Southern portal
Photo by José Antonio Gil Martínez, on Wikimedia
North portal
Photo by José Antonio Gil Martínez, on Wikimedia
Old cloister with the chapter house and north portal
Photo by José Antonio Gil Martínez, on Wikimedia
- FREIRE CAMANIEL, José (1998). El monacato gallego en la alta edad media, vol. II. La Corunya: Fund. Pedro Barrié de la Maza
- GARCÍA GUINEA, Miguel Ángel; dir. (2012). Enciclopedia del románico en Galicia. Pontevedra. 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
The monastery is located in the parroquia of Camanzo, in the municipality of Vila de Cruces (Pontevedra), relatively close to Santiago, southeast of the city