History
An inscription that has disappeared but was published by Father Risco in 1786 gave information about the church's consecration in 951 by Bishop Genadio of Astorga, around the time of the founding of the Kingdom of León. It was constructed on a site dedicated to Saint Michael, probably a Visigothic church:
Hic locus antiquitus Michaelis archangeli honore dicatus, brevi opere unstructus, post ruinis abolitus, diu mansit dirutus; donec Adefonsus abba cum sociis adveniens cordubensi patria edis ruinam erexit sub valente sereno Adefonso principe. Monachorum numero crescente, demum hoc templum decorum miro opere a fundamine exumdique amplificatum erigitur; non iussu imperiali vel oppresione vulgi, sed abatis Adefonsi et fratrum instanti vigilantia duodenis mensibus peracta sunt hec opera, Garsea sceptra regni peragens Mumadonna cum regina, Era DCCCCLI. Sacratumque templum ab episcopum Jenadium XII Kalendas Decembrium This place, in the antique consecrated in honor of the Archangel Michael, of reduced dimensions and fallen in ruins after, remained in that way for a long time; until the abbot Alfonso and his committee who was coming from his fatherland Córdoba, raised the ruins of the building under the effective patronage of the king Alfonso. As the number of monks increase, at length they determine the wonderful work of enlarging the current temple from its foundations. No under royal command or oppressing the people, but by the attentive tenacity of the abbot Alfonso and his monks during twelve months until the finalization of the work, under García reign with his wife Mumadonna. In the era nine hundred and fifty one. The temple was consecrated by the bishop Genadio.In 1050, due to an increase in the number of monks, the foundation was renewed by the Abbot Sabarico. In 1155 King Alfonso VII of León gave the monastery to the congregation of St Rufo of Avignon.
After the disentailment of ecclesiastical properties and lands in 1836 (Desamortización de Mendizábal), the monastery was abandoned and the monastic offices disappeared. The only buildings extant are the church, the tower, and the San Fructuoso chapel. The tower and the chapel are of Romanesque style. Later in the nineteenth century the buildings were declared a national monument.
Read more about this topic: Monastery Of San Miguel De Escalada
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“They are a sort of post-house,where the Fates
Change horses, making history change its tune,
Then spur away o’er empires and o’er states,
Leaving at last not much besides chronology,
Excepting the post-obits of theology.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“To a surprising extent the war-lords in shining armour, the apostles of the martial virtues, tend not to die fighting when the time comes. History is full of ignominious getaways by the great and famous.”
—George Orwell (1903–1950)
“All history attests that man has subjected woman to his will, used her as a means to promote his selfish gratification, to minister to his sensual pleasures, to be instrumental in promoting his comfort; but never has he desired to elevate her to that rank she was created to fill. He has done all he could to debase and enslave her mind; and now he looks triumphantly on the ruin he has wrought, and say, the being he has thus deeply injured is his inferior.”
—Sarah M. Grimke (1792–1873)