Meis. Armenteira Monastery
About this heritage
The Cistercian Monastery of Armenteira is located in the parish of Santa María, in Meis municipality (Pontevedra) between the estuaries of Pontevedra and Arousa, in the Salnés region and is inhabited by a community of nuns of the same order. The first official documents which dated this monastery belonging to the Cistercian Order are from 1162. It is considered to be an asset of cultural interest.
It was absorbed by the Cistercian Order between 1149 and 1162, and five years later the present church was built by its first abbot. It is of Renaissance and Baroque style (16th and 17th centuries), with a Latin cross floor plan with three naves and three apses, the façade being the most outstanding feature with its six archivolts resting on pairs of columns and, above it a beautiful openwork rosette.
Inhabited by a small community of Cistercian nuns, after undergoing restoration in 1989, the Monastery went through a period in which its conservation was guaranteed. It also has an inn for all those who are looking for a real rest, the stay also includes the enjoyment of the common areas and the garden that crosses a stream.
The Monastery can be reached by car, it has a shop where you can buy handmade products such as soaps made with essential oils made from aromatic herbs, flowers and plants. Finally, the Monastery is located in an environment of great natural beauty, has extensive gardens and is surrounded by an abundant forest under the Castrove Mountain´s shelter.
To learn more
From the original Monastery only the church is conserved, which has in its simplicity and austerity its true value. The transept is covered by a dome, unique in Galicia, of Mudejar influence. At the back of the central nave, a rosette of geometric floral forms.
The monastery was declared as a historical-artistic monument in 1931. The Monastery´s grounds are surrounded by a wall of which we must highlight that its Baroque portal serves as an access to the atrium. The main façade of the monastery is attached to the Monastery forming a right angle.
But besides the greatness of the monastery, Meis is also known by other touristic references, such as its golf course or the route of the Mills that partly runs through its territory. The route starts from the tourist office of Ribadumia, in the roundabout of the fast track that joins the Highway with Cambados and ends in the Monastery of Armenteira. Along its route there are a large number of restored mills and much more, it is a route of great ethnographic, scenic and natural value. In total, this route has 51 restored mills, most of which enrich the banks of the Armenteira river.
Along this route we fin “Aldea da Pedra” (Village of the Stone), in this village it is represented on a real scale and in granite, scenes of the Galician rural life, the whole is made up of various elements such as a six-foot hórreo (traditional raised granary), an artistic cross, a chapel, a cow carriage, a made of stone kitchen, a circular fountain and so on.
To know it better
Meis is a municipality belonging to the Val do Salnés region, in the province of Pontevedra. This town hall has been populated since ancient times, as proved by various archaeological evidence.
One of the most spectacular monuments in the municipality is located on Castrove mountain and is the Armenteira monastery. According to legend, a knight of the Alfonso VII court, called Ero, took the decision to build a monastery because the virgin asked him to, in a dream. One day while he was walking, he listened attentively to a bird´s song and, when he finished, he returned to the monastery. When he arrived, he realized that he didn’t know any of the friars who lived there and that the sang of the little bird had been 200 years ago.
This temple, founded by the famous abbot San Ero in 1167, is preserved in magnificent conditions. The construction has a Latin cross floor plan, three naves and three apses, which are the areas that collect the altar table.
It is currently inhabited by Cisternian nuns, religious women of solemn vows since 1989. Guided tours of the facilities are also available.
Gallery
Location
- Town
- A Armenteira
- Municipality
- Meis
- Province
- Pontevedra
- Country
- Spain
The asset
- Type
- Monastery
- Eco-destination
- Ría de Arousa
- Environment
- Rural
- Relevance
- International
How to get there
- Access
- By land
- Distance
- 11,000 km
The visit
- Schedule
- Business Hours: Yes Opening hours from: Monday to Sunday Opening time tomorrow: 06:30:00 Late closing time: 19:30:00
- Visitable
- YES / GUIDED VISITS Spanish, Galician, English
- Accessible
- Sí
- Parking
- Sí
- Website
- monasteriodearmenteira.es/
Coordinates
- Latitud
- 42.46321200
- Longitud
- -8.74180800