The route that goes towards
San Millán of the Cogolla begins in Nájera, towards the south,
and after crossing the Najerilla river, again towards the west,
crosses the localities of Cárdenas, Badarán and Berceo. In this
last one they were born San Millán (473-574) and Gonzalo de Berceo,
first poet of the Spanish Language, at the end of century 12th.
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San
Millán de la Cogolla is a small town together with both
monasteries. Suso or of above and Yuso or down. Both
were declared in 1997, by UNESCO, Patrimony of the Humanity,
being Birthplace of the Castilian or Spanish Language.
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The monastery of Suso arose
from the caves that inhabited San Millán and his disciples
in century 6th. Successive extensions between the centuries
were made during the centuries 6th and 10th. It has
got visigothic, mozarabian and romanesque rest. In the
cloister they are the tombs of the seven Infants of
Lara, their ayo and those of three queens of Navarre.
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In
the interior a tomb Romanesque of alabaster, that has in its
cover the figure of San Millán, surrounded of images relative
to the miracles of Santo. Here Gonzalo de Berceo wrote his
work and Santo Domingo de Silos, born in Cañas, left here
to found the monastery of Silos on the province of Burgos.
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The monastery
of Yuso was begun to construct in century 12th, in
the place, in which according to tell the legend stopped
the cart with the oxen that took the rest of San Millán
to be buried in Nájera.
Of the primitive monastery
nothing is conserved, the present one is of century
16th. By its outer aspect the "El Escorial of La Rioja"
is called although it is smaller. In the cover it
appears the relief of San Millán, since according
to the tradition, he and apostle Santiago fought together
against Arabs in the battle of Simancas. |
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In the interior we can
see sacristy, the magnificent library, chests of San
Millán and San Felices, the Hall the Kings, cloister
and Glosas Emilianenses. In the church, of three ships
with cruise and cimborrio with lantern, it emphasizes
the greater altarpiece, work of Juan de Rizzi, the
pulpit, the low choir and extraordinary iron doors.
Both monasteries had great importance during the Middle
Age and is known 108 monasteries that were founded
or had some relation with those of San Millán. At
the present time it is host of the Classroom of the
Spanish Language.
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On
leaving San Millán of the Cogolla the Way returns
again to Berceo and after going through Villar de
Torre we arrived at Cirueña.
Nowadays a new layout is being made so that this
route comes through Cañas and to visit the Cistercian
Abbey, of gothic style (century 13th), that there
is in this locality.
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