SAN MILLÁN DE LA COGOLLA
THE MONASTERIES AND THE HISTORY
Discover one of the most historical visits that can be made in Spain. A thousand years of history and cradle of Castilian
SAN MILLÁN DE LA COGOLLA: DISCOVER THE MILLENARY HISTORY OF SPANISH LANGUAGE
The Monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla are, without a doubt, one of the most special visits and with more history than a tourist can do in La Rioja, and probably in all the Spanish territory. It is composed of two independent monasteries: “San Millán de Suso”, the oldest monastery founded by San Millán himself. a hermit who lived between the year 473 to 574 and “San Millán de Yuso”, more modern and projected from the eleventh century by his followers in the same town of San Millán de la Cogolla.
In addition to its history, the art that hides behind its walls and the dozens of legends that have grown throughout its more than one thousand years of history, the monasteries of San Millán de la Cogolla are a unique place in the world because they collect the first evidences of the birth of Castilian and Euskera languages in the famous “Glosas Emilianenes”, annotations in Romance in the margins of pages written in Latin, and for being the place of residence of the monk and first poet of known name in Castilian, Gonzalo de Berceo .
We believe that your experience at Hostería San Millán will be much more special if you know a little about the history of these monasteries where the hotel is located so on this page you will always have information so you do not miss anything during your stay.
A LITTLE HISTORY: WHO WAS SAN MILLÁN?
Millan was a pastor of the area who, at a very early age, felt the need to lead a hermit and penitent life, at which time he became a disciple of the hermit Felix. Years after this decision and having learned this type of “hermitic” life, he returns to his village to enter the Distercia mountains.
He spent forty-four years there in absolute solitude until the bishop calls him and orders the Parish of Santa Eulalia in his home town of Berceo. Finally he decides to return to his solitude.
He retires to the valley of Suso, and that is where his true story begins with the community of the faithful that is formed around his figure. This group of followers, after the death of Millán, founded the great monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla. Within its walls venerate the remains of the saint until they are transferred to the new Monastery of Yuso in 1076 where they have been resting almost a thousand years, to this day.
THE MONASTERIES OF SAN MILLÁN DE LA COGOLLA: YUSO AND SUSO
Click on each of the images to see all the information of each of the monasteries
DISCOVER THE CRADLE OF THE CASTILIAN: “LAS GLOSAS EMILIANENSIS”
The Emilianenses Glosses are the first written evidence of the birth of a primitive Castilian language. They are annotations to the margin written next to texts in Latin where a monk uses these annotations (or glosses) to understand the grammar and to clarify the meanings.
Romance, language of these annotations that were found, make this document the first proof that the people expressed themselves in a language that was far from Latin. A primitive Castilian was born.
These Glosses also have the added interest of including two annotations in Basque, this being the first known written testimony of this language.
STAY BETWEEN THE WALLS THAT GONZALO DE BERCEO LIVED IN SAN MILLÁN
The figure of Gonzalo de Berceo is key in the history of Castilian. He was the first poet in the Spanish language with a well-known name. He was a clergyman and lived in the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, where he was ordained a priest, and in that of Santo Domingo de Silos. He is the first representative of the so-called “mester of clergy”, medieval school of men of letters (a qualification that at that time almost coincided with that of priest) whose main contribution was the dissemination of Latin culture. Berceo inaugurated the path of erudite poetry, in contrast to that developed by popular epic poetry and that of the minstrels.
His works, written in cuaderna via (stanza of four verses alejandrinos monorrimos) as was usual in the «mester», are strictly religious and are usually classified into three groups: lives of saints, Marian works and works of a wider religious theme, of doctrinal type.
DISCOVER THE MONASTERIES OF SAN MILLÁN DE LA COGOLLA, IN IMAGES
Discover these unique monuments in the world in our image gallery with a selection of photos