San Millan

Way 2

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.