The

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

of San Salvador de Celanova is a religious complex in

Celanova Celanova is a town and municipality located in the province of Ourense, Galicia, Northern Spain. Situated near the border with Portugal, the municipality is bordered by Ramirás, Cartelle, A Merca, A Bola, Verea and Quintela de Leirado. ...

Galicia, Spain Galicia (; gl, Galicia or ; es, Galicia}; pt, Galiza) is an autonomous community of Spain and historic nationality under Spanish law. Located in the northwest Iberian Peninsula, it includes the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense, and P ...

. The once wealthy

abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The conce ...

Benedictines , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

was founded by

St. Rudesind Saint Rudesind ( gl, San Rosendo, Rudesindo; pt, São Rosendo lat, Rudesindus) (November 26, 907 – March 1, 977) was a Galician people, Galician bishop and abbot. He was also a regional administrator and military leader under his kinsmen, the ...

(San Rosendo) in 936. The jewel of the complex is the small

mozarabic Mozarabic, also called Andalusi Romance, refers to the medieval Romance varieties spoken in the Iberian Peninsula in territories controlled by the Islamic Emirate of Córdoba and its successors. They were the common tongue for the majority of ...

chapel of San Miguel, dating from 942. It is located near

Allariz Allariz is a town and municipality (in ) in the province of Ourense, Autonomous Community of Galicia, Spain. It occupies the center of the western half of the province, connecting with the towns (''concellos'') of Taboadela, Paderne, Sandiás ...

and from

Ourense Ourense (; es, Orense ) is a city and capital of the province of Ourense, located in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path of the Way of St ...

. In the garden is one of the oldest chapels in Spain, built before 973. In the abbey church are the ancient sepulchres of Ilduara and Adosinda, the mother and sister of the founder, who was buried in a sepulchre supported on four pillars, and constructed after the fashion of that of San Torcuato, one of the companions of Santiago. His body was deposited by the Christians, at the Moorish invasion, at Santa Coinba, away. Being near the frontier, some Portuguese carried it off and brought it to Celanova, whose bells began to ring of their own accord. There are two cloisters. El Processional has columns, a fountain and railing, while El Puleiro includes a sala capitular and brick mosaic pavement. The Doric church has two separate choirs, featuring a carved door and walnut silleria. There are many memorials.

References

Monasteries in Galicia (Spain) {{Improve categories, date=February 2020