In the world, there are many tourist places to visit, some more impressive than others, but certainly, they all have their own special touch. One such place is the Yuso Monastery, an incredible construction that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on December 4, 1997, for historical, artistic, religious, linguistic and literary reasons.

This building is located in San Millán de la Cogolla, specifically in the Cárdenas river valley, a tributary of the Najerilla river, in the foothills of the Sierra de la Demanda, below the snow-capped summits of Mount San Lorenzo, the highest in The Rioja. And it is considered the “Cradle of Castilian”.

This Monastery was built to extend that the Suso one in the eleventh century, and is different from it for its large dimensions. The origin of the construction of the monastery is reflected in a legend that tells how King García of Najera, ordered the transfer of the remains of San Millán that were in Suso to the monastery of Santa María La Real de Najera. The cows that pulled the cart did not want to leave the valley, as if the remains of the Saint did not want to leave it, so, the current monastery of Yuso was.

Initially, this Monastery was built in Romanesque style, between the 16th and 18th centuries, but over time it has undergone important reconstructions and extensions, which is why Renaissance and Baroque styles stand out today. As for the monks, since 1878, it has housed a small community of Augustinian Recollects who, in addition to the monastic life, manages visits to the monastery. In Suso, owned by the State, there is no religious activity.

On the other hand, it should be noted that on the walls of this site, more than a thousand years ago, some monks wrote the first words in Romance, a language that, evolved, and is now known as Spanish. San Millán was also where the first poet to write in Spanish ,Gonzalo de Berceo, wrote his first works.

After being declared as World Heritage, the Government of La Rioja has made a remarkable effort to promote the protection and care of the monasteries and investigate, document and disseminate the origins of the Castilian language, through the constitution of the San Millán de la Cogolla and the creation of the International Research Center of the Spanish Language.

However, if you wish to take a walk through the Yuso Monastery, you must bear in mind that the tour lasts at least one hour and the explanations of the guides combine a good number of historical passages, curiosities, details about architecture, among other details. It is so enjoyable that you will want to know more about the site, although the time is enough to get to know the place and take pictures.

Finally, if after the tour you are exhausted, you should know that close to the Yuso Monastery, there are places where you can stay, some more luxurious than others, but what you can be sure of is that they provide you with the comfort you need.

ALFA