For sale Other (Residential), Crecente, Pontevedra, Spain, Mosteiro 19,Albeos,Crecente

For sale - Cod. 43788

• Tipology: Other (Residential)
• Area: 528 m²
• Rooms No.: 0
• Floor: 0
• Publication date announcement: 03/09/2024

The Monastery of Albeos is one of those real estate gems that cries out for a dignified survival, not merely as an illustrious ruin, but as a living and useful building, updated for the times.

Its existence can be traced back to 1071, when Queen Urraca granted it to the Cathedral of Tuy, with data suggesting it dates back to the late 10th century. It appears again in 1199, in the will of Urraca Fernandez, and in 1499 when monastic life in Albeos ceased as a result of the reform of the Benedictine monasteries. It then continued its decline until the Disamortization of 1835, when it ceased to be used as a religious building.

Thus it has reached our days, subject to progressive ruin. Of the original building, a rectangular building remains, to which two simple adjoining rooms are attached on one of its longer sides. The lintel of the door of one of them is a sepulchral slab with the representation of a female figure, whose state does not allow us to discern to whom it could correspond, but due to its antiquity it could date back to the time of the aforementioned Doña Velasquita.

The other has a semicircular arch composed of arrissed and smooth voussoirs, turned directly over the jambs, also without any type of molding. The tympanum of this arch is formed by an impressive monolithic piece carved on both sides, one of them with a footed cross over which a circle and another cross composed of combinations of semicircles are superimposed, that is, a so-called knotted cross.

The other front is presided over by a seated and nimbed Maiestas or Pantocrator, who holds a book in his left hand and blesses with his right. An angel and a cherub, standing, leaning on the lintel and with their wings exemplarily adapted to the space in which they are inserted, hold the mandorla in which they are framed. Two corbels that bear ram's heads, mounted in turn on jambs with edges profiled by a concave molding and adorned with buttons, serve as support for the tympanum. This piece alone justifies the inclusion of Albeos among the most notable remains of Spanish Romanesque architecture.

The larger room, now roofless, is formed by thick granite ashlar walls. The ashlars, mostly well squared and perfectly bedded, are of various sizes. Of particular note are those pieces of much greater length than width, infrequent in the Romanesque period, and prior to the 12th century. This room also has semicircular arched voussoirs, with simple decoration. Very noteworthy are the mason's marks and decorative motifs on some ashlars, as well as traces existing on its walls that indicate that it had two floors, so according to experts it was a dwelling at some point.

We are talking about a totally unique property, with extraordinary historical and artistic values.

The challenge, of course, is to find a possible useful destination. The traces of previous uses lead us to think about a possible properly documented and reversible restoration. If we go to Google we can see the importance of Albeos in a wine region that is acquiring enormous importance, and that is beginning to give us clues about possible uses. The Condado wine region has an important winery headquarters in Crecente, some of which use Albeos as part of their brand. The Xunta de Galicia is interested in developing the tourist interest of this area, and must view with favor the enhancement of a cultural landmark such as this, especially if it combines the attractiveness and promotion of local products.