Oia

In the north west of Spain, along the coast of Galician Rias Baixas, is the Abbey of Oia. It is the only one, in all of the Iberian peninsula of the cistercian order, located at the borders of the sea. It was founded in 1137 and joined to Cistercian Order in 1185. This abbey constitutes an example of great meaning for the cultural patrimony of Galicia, catalogued in 1931 as a historical-artistic Monument. The imposing walls of the monastery seem to be a coastal strength. Thus, in the XVIIth century, by its privileged strategic position, it was an important defensive bastion to the constant sackings and frequent marine invasions that happened in the southern coasts of Galicia. They were known as ?The Gunners Monks?.King Felipe IV grant to this abbey the title Royal and Imperial Monastery of Oia. With the arrival of the XIXth century, this monastic set suddenly restrained the intense development of the previous years. The Napoleonic invasion and mainly the confiscation of the minister Mendizábal caused the definitive abandonment in 1835. Today the acquisition of this monastery should be understood as a chant of hope. With its remodelling and new function as a Hotel Resort and Spa, the rhythmic steps and the prayers of the monks will be replaced by other experiences and other sounds; life will return within those solid stony walls.
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