Abadía de Santa María de Viaceli

Abadía de Santa María de Viaceli en Cóbreces - Wikicommons

The Northern Way is one of the best routes to discover the strong points of Cantabria. Along the route you can perform various activities and stops that allow you to enjoy the most of its infinite beauty. The Camino de Santiago offers unforgettable experiences, from walks along the beach to being surprised by the different cities of the region. In addition, fascinating historical monuments can be found throughout the community, as is the case of the Abbey of Santa María de Viaceli. 

The Abbey of Santa María de Viaceli is a very different monastery from what we are used to seeing in Spain. Far from having the typical stone or granite facade, we are facing a neo-Gothic style building painted in a blue that makes a perfect contrast with the tile color. Located in the town of Cóbreces and just 500 meters from the Cantabrian Sea in the municipality of Alfoz de Lloredo, the monument has such a particular appearance that it is very attractive to the eye. 

The Abbey of Santa María de Viaceli is the first reinforced concrete building.

Founded by Cistercian monks from France after the donation of the family legacy of Antonio and Manuel Bernardo de Quirós, the Abbey of Santa María de Viaceli has the privilege of being considered the first reinforced concrete building in Spain. Its history merges with the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse: in 1941 a cross was erected to commemorate the numerous murders during the Civil War, since both the Trappist monks of the Abbey and other people were thrown to the cliffs in the area.  

Cantabria is probably one of the best tourist destinations in the whole Iberian Peninsula. It is located within what is popularly known as Green Spain and is tucked away bordering the Basque Country to the east, Asturias to the west, the Cantabrian Sea to the north and Castile and Leon to the south. With an intense green that blends with the deep blue of the panoramic sea views, the autonomous community is surrounded by landscapes of unique beauty capable of filling all the senses of the visitor and numerous monuments that tell us valuable information about its history.