Sobrado dos Monxes
Camino de Santiago stage town on Camino del Norte
Sobrado dos Monxes sits on the inland Camino del Norte link where Primitivo pilgrims also detour to reach it, and its Santa María monastery is the reason to stop. First recorded in the late 10th century as San Salvador, it became Cistercian on 14 February 1142 when St Bernard sent monks from Clairvaux, and it grew into one of Galicia's great medieval houses. After the 1835 confiscation it fell into ruin until restoration began in 1954; a Cistercian community returned on 25 July 1966 and about 14–16 monks live there today, farming and receiving guests. The compact complex has a Baroque church (consecrated 1708, façade by Pedro de Monteagudo), three cloisters (Pilgrims', Processions or 'of the Faces', and the Great Cloister), plus the surviving medieval chapter house, kitchen and refectory and the Romanesque chapel of San Juan. Pilgrims sleep in the Xunta albergue in the Pilgrims' Cloister, renovated in 2021 and now about 98 beds; it is rarely full, and the monks are happy to talk. Mass is at 7:45 daily (11:00 Sundays), and the albergue is very close to the trail.
- 735 kmfrom route start
- 528 mElevation
- 2 · 1albergues · hotels
- 37.6 kmfrom Baamonde
- 21.3 kmto Arzúa
Highlights
- Cistercian monastery of Santa María, founded as San Salvador in the 10th century and Cistercian since 1142
- Baroque church consecrated in 1708, three cloisters and a Romanesque chapel of San Juan
- Xunta albergue in the Pilgrims' Cloister: about 98 beds, renovated 2021, rarely full
- Working community of Cistercian monks; daily mass at 7:45 (Sundays 11:00)
Albergues in Sobrado dos Monxes
Hotels & guesthouses in Sobrado dos Monxes
- Pensión Vía Sacra ↗ guesthouse
Lodging names from OpenStreetMap; check availability before you walk.
Stages through Sobrado dos Monxes
Nearby towns
Nearby stages
Frequently asked questions
Where can I stay in Sobrado dos Monxes?
2 albergues and 1 hotel in Sobrado dos Monxes.
How far is Sobrado dos Monxes from Baamonde?
37.6 km from Baamonde, 21.3 km to Arzúa on the Camino del Norte.