Veruela Abbey facts for kids
Veruela Abbey is a very old and beautiful monastery in Spain. Its full name in Spanish is "Real Monasterio de Santa María de Veruela," which means "The Royal Monastery of Saint Mary of Veruela." It was built by a group of monks called Cistercians. This amazing place dates back to the 12th century, meaning it was built in the 1100s! You can find it near a town called Vera de Moncayo, in the Zaragoza province of Spain. A person named Pedro de Atarés started building it in the year 1146.
Contents
History of Veruela Abbey
How Veruela Abbey Began
The story of Veruela Abbey started in 1146. Pedro de Atarés decided to build this monastery and its church. Legend says that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him. She told him where to find a hidden statue of herself. This special statue was then placed in the monastery's chapel. People still honor it there today.
Building the abbey took a long time, more than twenty years! Pedro de Atarés did not live to see it completely finished. However, before he passed away, he joined the Cistercian monks. These monks were already living in the parts of the abbey that were ready.
Important Leaders of the Abbey
Over the years, many important leaders, called abbots, guided Veruela Abbey. Two of the most famous were Hernando de Aragón and Lope Marco. Hernando de Aragón was an abbot from 1498 to 1577. His successor, Lope Marco, passed away in 1560. People said that Abbot Lope Marco made the monastery much grander. He changed it from a simple place to a magnificent one.
Abbey Buildings and Design
The abbey has many large buildings, including the church, the monastery itself, and a special courtyard called a cloister. These buildings were constructed at different times. Because of this, they show different styles of architecture. The chapter house, which is a meeting room for the monks, is on the south side of the cloister. It has a Byzantine style. All these impressive buildings are surrounded by a strong wall. This wall was built a very long time ago, during feudal times, to protect the abbey.
Famous People at Veruela
Many interesting people have lived or spent time at Veruela Abbey. Antonio José Rodríguez was a wise person who studied medicine and morals. He lived at Veruela and passed away there in 1777. Gustavo Becquer, a famous Spanish poet, also stayed at Veruela. He lived there when the monks were not allowed to be in the abbey.
From 1835 to 1877, the abbey buildings were looked after by regular church leaders, not monks. After 1877, a group called the Jesuits moved in. With help from the Duchess of Villahermosa, they worked hard to fix up and restore the church and monastery. Some of the Jesuits who lived at Veruela were:
- Antônio de Macedo Costa, who was an important religious thinker.
- Lluís Ignasi Fiter i Cava, who helped bring back a special group for young people in Spain called the Sodality of Our Lady.
- Antonio Angelini-Rota, who later became a secretary for the Society of Jesus. He was the leader of Veruela in 1888 when the statue of the Blessed Virgin was specially honored.
See also
- List of Bienes de Interés Cultural in the Province of Zaragoza
- List of Jesuit sites
