Monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro

Located in the heart of the Fragas do Eume, the monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro is a Benedictine monument that combines history, art and nature.

Founded in the ninth century and reformed in later times, its architecture reflects a fusion of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. Its privileged environment makes it an ideal destination for hiking and contemplation.

The tradition indicates that it was founded by San Rosendo in 936, and is considered one of the first monasteries in the region, playing a crucial role in the evangelization of Galicia.

& nbsp; in the twelfth century, under the reign of Afonso VII, it was consolidated as a monastic power center. With Mendizábal's confiscation, their assets were privatized and its decline began.

The current church, of late Romanesque style (12th century), stands out for its semicircular apse, its rectangular ship and its imposing cover with archivolts and a eardrum with the figure of AGNUS dei. A large baroque tower of the 18th century, which dominates the landscape of the monastery, rises on the main entrance.

The monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro is accessible on foot or by mountain bike, through several routes:

Ruta de las plantas y los árboles: Sabiduría popular y usos tradicionales

Throughout the route you will discover how the monks of the San Xoán monastery of Caaveiro cultivated plants for medicinal and gastronomic uses, taking advantage of the inherited knowledge of the popular tradition.

The road takes you by ancient paths where nature and history intertwine, connecting to the memory of people who knew how to understand and use natural resources sustainable.

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Camiño dos Encomendeiros

Nice route in the Natural Park of the Fragas do Eume that starts from Soaserra and passes through the hanging bridge of Fornelos, the Caaveiro monastery and the Santa Cristina bridge.

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Camiño da Ventureira

Circular route in the Natural Park of the Fragas do Eume that goes from A Capela through the Ventureira bridge and the Caaveiro monastery, with good views and key photographic points.

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Ruta do Camiño Vello a Caaveiro

The Do Camiño Vello Route to Caaveiro is a historical path that connects the municipality of A Capela with the monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro, in the heart of the Natural Park of the Fragas do Eume. This medieval path, restored as a hiking route, offers a unique experience by entering one of the best preserved Atlantic forests in Europe.

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Touring the Caaveiro monastery is an experience that combines architectural heritage with the natural wealth of the Fragas do Eume. Its history, marked by centuries of splendor and decline, is still alive in each stone, on each path that leads to its ruins and in the atmosphere of mysticism that surrounds it.