The monastery of San Pedro de Montes is an ancient relic of León, Spain, found hidden away in the harsh terrain of Montes de Valdueza. Founded around the year 635 by San Fructuoso, it was meant to be a place of isolation and solitude, an escape from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Although it was one of the most powerful monasteries in the Bercian region, running a cluster of domains from the Oza valley to La Bañeza, it is known to have been in a state of ruin since the Desamortización de Mendizábal in 1836.
An incendio during desamortización left it in a state of ruina, but its importance historical led to it being declared a Monumento Nacional in 1931. Since the year 2003, efforts have been undertaken to restore it, with a notable restoration in 2017. The monastery bears the name of San Pedro Apóstol, but its true legacy lies in its abandoned halls and weathered walls, a testament to the reverence and devotion of the men who once called it home. To reach the monastery, one must travel south from Ponferrada, crossing the Oza valley and taking the carretera del río Boeza.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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