Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas |
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| Native name Spanish: Monasterio de Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas |
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Façade of the monastery
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| Location | Burgos, Castile and León, Spain |
| Founded | 1187 |
| Built | 12th-13th centuries |
| Architectural style(s) | Romanesque, Almohad, Gothic |
| Governing body | Cistercian nuns |
| Official name: Monasterio de Santa María la Real de las Huelgas | |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | June 3, 1931 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0000453 |
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The Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas is a historic monastery where Cistercian nuns live. It is located about 1.5 kilometers west of the city of Burgos in Spain. The word huelgas usually means "labor strikes" in modern Spanish. But here, it refers to land that was once left unplanted or "fallow."
This monastery has been a special place for many royal weddings, both for Spanish and foreign kings and queens. For example, Edward I of England married Eleanor of Castile here in 1254. The abbey's defensive tower is also famous as the birthplace of King Peter of Castile.
Contents
History of Las Huelgas Abbey
Founding the Monastery
On January 2, 1187, Pope Clement III sent a special letter, called a papal bull, allowing a new monastery to be built. It was to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In June of the same year, King Alfonso VIII of Castile and his wife, Eleanor of England, officially started the monastery. They decided it would be run by the Cistercian Order, a group of monks and nuns.
Royal Connections and Privileges
For a long time, until the 1500s, the monastery had many special rights from the king. It didn't have to pay taxes and even ruled over many villages and lands. The head nun, called the abbess, was in charge of these areas. The monastery also kept many valuable items belonging to the royal family, especially religious treasures.
In 1199, the founders officially gave the monastery to the nuns. They also added a rule that the monastery would be the burial place for the royal family. Constance, King Alfonso's youngest daughter, became a Cistercian nun there. She was the first "Lady of Las Huelgas," a special role held by other royal women later on. This showed the strong connection between the monastery and its royal supporters. Queen Eleanor and Queen Berengaria were both known for helping and being involved with the abbey.
The Royal Hospital
King Alfonso VIII, who was later buried at Las Huelgas with his wife Eleanor, also created the Royal Hospital. This hospital was connected to the monastery and was managed by the abbess. It was built to feed and care for poor travelers and pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, a famous pilgrimage route. Queen Eleanor played a key role in starting and keeping the hospital running. She gave many donations in honor of her son Ferdinand, who had passed away.
A group of lay brothers, who were not priests but helped with religious work, formed to assist the nuns in caring for the hospital's patients. They were known as the Brothers Hospitallers of Burgos. There were never more than about twelve of them. They became their own religious group in 1474 but were later placed back under the abbess's authority in 1587.
Power of the Abbess
The abbess of Las Huelgas had a lot of power, almost like a queen, because of the king's favor. She had control over more than fifty villages. Like other rulers, she held her own courts to decide civil and criminal cases. She also had special church powers, like allowing priests in her area to hear confessions and preach. She could even confirm other abbesses and call church meetings. In 1189, she was made the Abbess General for the Cistercian Order in León and Castile. She kept these special powers until a big church meeting called the Council of Trent in the 1500s.
The Nuns Today
Today, the monastery has 36 nuns. They are part of the Spanish Congregation of St. Bernard. This group of Cistercian nuns started in the 1500s and 1600s. They are sometimes called "Bernadines." These nuns follow the Rule of St. Benedict very strictly, which includes frequent and long fasts. They also celebrate the Divine Office (a set of prayers) around 2:00 A.M. The nuns earn money by decorating porcelain items, making rosaries, and doing laundry for local hotels.
This abbey has also started a new monastery in Peru, called the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity. It is located in the countryside near Lima. This monastery has about ten nuns and several new members learning to join. They support themselves by making cakes and jams from their own gardens.
Cultural Heritage of the Abbey
Visiting the Monastery
The monastery is open for people to visit. The tours are managed by Patrimonio Nacional, a Spanish organization that takes care of royal sites. The nuns do not manage the visits themselves.
Medieval Textiles Museum
The monastery is home to the Museo de Ricas Telas, which means "Museum of Rich Fabrics." It displays amazing medieval textiles taken from the many royal tombs inside the convent. You can also see a tapestry that once covered the tent of the Almohad caliph Al Nasir, also known as Miramamolin. This tapestry was captured by Christian soldiers after they won the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa on July 16, 1212. When Sancho VII of Navarre's men broke through the guards around Miramamolin's tent, the caliph quickly ran away, leaving this tapestry and other valuable war prizes behind.
Ancient Music Collection
Las Huelgas also keeps a very old music book from the 1300s, called the Codex Las Huelgas. It contains both simple (monophonic) and complex (polyphonic) music that the nuns likely performed. Some of this music cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Royal Burials
Many important people from royal families are buried at the Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas. Some of them include:
- Henry I of Castile
- Eleanor of England, Queen of Castile
- Alfonso VIII of Castile
- Berengaria of Castile
- Blanche of Portugal (1259–1321)
- Eleanor of Castile (died 1244)
- Philip of Castile, Lord of Cabrera and Ribera
- Peter of Castile, Lord of Cameros
- Blanche of Castile (1319–75)
Images for kids
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Monastery of Santa María la Real de las Huelgas by Jenaro Pérez Villaamil and Louis-Julien Jacottet in 1842-1850.
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Le Monastére de las Huelgas, près Burgos by Gustave Doré in 1874.
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Chorus's interior of Las Huelgas by Jenaro Pérez Villaamil and Léon-Auguste Asselineau in 1850.
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View of the monastery during Fiesta of El Curpillos's celebration. Late-19th century.
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See also
In Spanish: Monasterio de las Huelgas (Burgos) para niños
- Codex Las Huelgas
