Sahagún, Spain

Sahagún is a town on the Camino de Santiago in the province of León Autonomous Community of Castile -Leon. The village name is an abraded and contracted form of Sanctus Facundus, the over Santfagund and a consonant change in Spanish - came to its present form - f to h.

History

Sahagún is probably the successor of the Roman settlement Camala. In the 3rd century Christian martyr San Facundus and Primitivus here were tortured to death, the venerated by later tradition, sons of the Roman centurion, Marcelo and his wife Nonia, both martyrs and also in León ( Church of San Marcelo, Pl Santo Domingo ), have been should be. 872 Facundus and Primitivus was named in honor founded a monastery, which was already 873 but destroyed again, further destruction by Almansor followed at the end of the 10th century. Most important group within the monastery had fled from the Moorish Cordoba Mozarabic monks. Alfonso VI. of Castile, who was brought here and later buried, it made in 1068 to the Spanish " Cluny " and continued from where his church reform and the Roman Liturgy by. Numerous dignitaries of the Church of Spanish history come from the monastery of Sahagún. For example, Bernard de Sedirac abbot of the monastery before he was appointed in 1085 to the bishop of just reconquered Toledo.

1085 a market town was founded on the basis of a small settlement, which, equipped with royal privileges, a great attraction to pilgrims exercised: Gascon, Breton, German, English, Burgundians, Normans, Toulouse, Provencal, Lombards be cited as Settlers of the new village. In 1085, the bridge over the Rio Cea was built, which is still in use and results in the meadow of 40,000 lances. The place was fixed, so that for the 12th century a massive wall is described by the various districts of the Castilians, Franks, Moors and Jews.

Thanks royal donations by Alfonso VI. and his successor was Sahagún the most powerful abbey on the Camino Francés, which minted its own coins themselves. Your possessions ( jurisdiction included) ranged from Guadarrama until the Cantabrian Sea, likewise belonged to the Abbey 50 to 100 dependent monasteries, a major scriptorium and a great hostel for pilgrims. Eyewitness report of 60 beds, a stock of grain of wheat Fanegas 2000 = 111,000 l = 111 m³ and Cuba de Sahagún, the famous giant wine barrel of Sahagún.

The decline of the monastery began at the latest, as the Catholic Monarchs decided to support the monastery of San Benito in Valladolid, Sahagún was dependent on the monastery and lost importance and privilege. Peasant uprisings contributed to the decline. Despite the decline, there was until the 18th century, a university educational institution. Two fires and the secularization made ​​the revival of the finishing off and left the monastery ruins that reflect only a dim reflection of his past.

Architecture

Apart from the ruins of the former convent, you can visit excellent examples of Mudéjar brick architecture. One of the reasons for this accumulation is the lack of natural stone in the region. The low weight of the bricks made ​​possible high Vierungstürme, likewise can be very good here other characteristics observed mudejarer architecture such as round, pointed or horseshoe-shaped blind arches, towers with multiple decorative window zones, brick patterns (diamonds, etc.) and called indoors Artesonato coffered ceilings and ornamental tiles ( azulejos ).

Iglesia San Tirso

The Romanesque church of the 12th century created three naves, the ships end in semicircular apses. The transept crossing is the tower with a triple window zone. On the porch, you can visit the change from stone to brick. San Tirso is the earliest brick building in the area.

( Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10:30 h- 13:30 h and 16 h -18 h open Sundays 10 h -15 h, closed on Mondays. )

Church of San Lorenzo

The church was built in the 13th century in Gothic- Mudéjar style, but there are a first mention in a document of 1110, possibly a predecessor concerning. Type of building is the Basilica, three separated by arches ships end up in graduated apses. At the site of the earlier church met together by the old Moorish and Jewish quarter.

( Ask 15h changes easily possible, and outside these hours by the priest between the 15.6 and the 15.9 from Tuesday to Saturday 10 - - 18h open Sundays and public holidays 10 -. . 13:30 and 16.. . )

Monastery Church of the Virgen Peregrina

The Church of the " Virgin as a pilgrim " was built from 1257 and belonged to the former Franciscan convent. The name referred to the woman dressed as a pilgrim Virgin Mary, said to have appeared here. Their figure, " La Roldana ", had a long time their place in this church and is now in the Museum of the Madre Benedictinas.

Some characteristics of the Mudéjar can be connected to the external shape of visit: a brick building with blind arches, which are designed in a horseshoe shape, this brick frieze as architectural decoration. In the 18th century, a two-story gallery was built on the southern exterior wall. Inside, the church is a ship, divided into five bays, Franciscan easy. In the choir the Roman embrace is mapped into a ball vaulted ceiling, which symbolizes the brotherhood between Franciscans and Benedictines.

In the 14th century chapels and thus Gothic elements were inserted. For these chapels the grave chapel of Don Diego Gómez de Sandoval stands out, the walls are adorned with mudejarer plaster work. It is located in the last third of the northern wall.

For restoration, the church of the Virgen Peregrina is currently closed to the public (June 2007).

Important personalities

• Bernardino de Sahagún, the father of modern anthropology,
• Pedro Ponce de León, a pioneer of deaf education.