Monasterio de Valvanera

Located in La Rioja, the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de Valvanera is a place where the spiritual intermingles with history. According to legend, always deeply rooted in this type of place, the founding of the monastery dates back to the 9th century. It was a thief who at that time, repentant for his actions, found an image of Santa María. Determined to right his wrongs, the thief forms a community of hermitages who later become known as Benedictine friars.

Centuries passed, and the monastery received several renovations, as well as reconstructions on various occasions. These changes were reflected in various architectural styles in which the Visigothic and pre-Romanesque styles intermingle, as well as the like the Romanesque. Currently, a tower belonging to the Romanesque style is preserved, as well as a as a church belonging to the Gothic style of the 15th century. 

Precisely this, the Gothic church, preserves the image of the Virgin of Vavanera in its main altar, patron saint of La Rioja. The image is It is considered one of the most important treasures of the monastery, although unfortunately both its author and its date are unknown. The importance of the image is such that other buildings belonging to the 20th century can also be found.

All these changes linked to style variants, remodeling and reconstruction gave rise to ups and downs of all kinds, reflecting both stages of abandonment and others of restoration. For example, in the 19th century and due to the disentailment of Mendizábal, the building was completely abandoned. However, in 1883 the Its restoration and the Benedictine monks resumed monastic life.

In 2018, the Benedictine community left the monastery after ten centuries, its management passed to the Institute of the Incarnate Word, with the Benedictines maintaining the property until 2021 when it was donated to theDiocese of CalahorraandLa Calzada-Logroño.