Monastery of San Millán de Suso

The monastery that had been established had a dual character, housing both monks and nuns, and continued after the saint's death. Although there is no documentation to prove it, it seems that it continued to be active during the years when this territory was occupied by the Muslims in a way that seems to have been not very aggressive. Once the territory was recovered (Nájera was occupied in 923), documents mentioning the monastery began to be found. The first known document dates from 942 and refers to the entry of a monk into the community; in 947, Abbot Esteban is mentioned. As for the buildings, a Mozarabic church with a single nave was consecrated in 959, using one of the caves as a presbytery. Some manuscripts from this period, produced in the monastery, have been preserved. These documents, together with others brought from other places, formed an important library, above what was usual at the time, and which would become richer with the passing of time.

The church of Suso was modified over time: the enlargement of the church and the change of orientation (east-west), resulting in a two-nave church with an apse integrated by the previous church (with a north-south orientation), as well as the addition of a gallery on the south side, are still of Mozarabic construction. At the beginning of the 11th century, the church was extended with an addition to the nave and its orientation was slightly modified. After the death of Saint Millán, his body was buried in the same place where he had lived, and it was not until 1030 that his remains were placed in a silver urn kept in the same church. Shortly afterwards, in 1053, the relics were removed with the intention of taking them to Santa María la Real de Nájera, but, miraculously, they did not go beyond the site of Yuso (the present-day monastery of San Millán de Yuso), where they remained. In fact, it seems to have been a transfer from Suso to Yuso, where in 1053 the monastery was already built, at least for the most part.