Restoration of the monastery of Santa María de Bujedo

Dating of the building: 12th century.

Applicant: Santa María de Bujedo Foundation.

Reason for the award :

For the private initiative that succeeded in rescuing this monastery practically in ruins, under the supervision of the General Directorate of Fine Arts.

Santa María de Bujedo is an extraordinary and little-known example of Cistercian architecture in Spain.

The monastery of Santa María de Bujedo was founded by the Cistercian order in 1172 with monks who came from France. As a result of the confiscation of Mendizábal in 1835, the complex progressively fell into a state of abandonment, the church being used as a stable.

Only its inclusion in 1931 on the list of National Monuments saved it from demolition. Restoration works began in 1977 to transform the building into a center for historical studies. For the restoration, it was necessary to dismantle and reassemble many of the vaults and refurbish the roofs, the choir, the spiral staircase, and the access arch to the cloister. The monastery stands out for the sobriety characteristic of Cistercian architecture, only broken in the church by a stellar vault from the 16th century.

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