Monastery of Leyre, Spain
It is safe to say that monasteries in Spain are often located in inaccessible beautiful places, and Navarre is no exception to this rule. Proof of this is the Monastery of Leyre. The monastery is nestled in the rocky, pine-covered Sierra Erando. Lying southeast of Pamplona, the Monastery of Leyre boasts a spectacular panoramic view of the Jesa Dam.
In 1954, the Monastery of Leyre reopened its doors with one reason - to returning Benedictine monks, whose Gregorian chants can still be heard today if people visits early or simply stays late in the quiet Romanesque church of San Salvador. Any visitor of Monastery of Leyre can stay at the monastery, but it is an option to visit from Sos del Rey Católico or Pamplona. The entrance to the Monastery of Leyre is known as Porta Speciosa and is lavishly decorated with wood carving. In the Monastery of Leyre you can see the mausoleum built for the first Navarre kings, as well as the unique crypt with carved capitals on which vaults and pilasters are supported.