In the secluded Sierra de la Demanda mountains of La Rioja, in Spain, lies the thousand-year-old Monastery of Valvanera. This Benedictine abbey, standing in a lush valley surrounded by dense forests and towering peaks, is the home of the Virgin of Valvanera, the beloved patroness of La Rioja. For centuries, pilgrims and visitors alike have been drawn to this monastery in search of spiritual solace and natural beauty.
The origins of the Valvanera Monastery are rooted in a miraculous event that continues to inspire devotion today. According to legend, in the late 9th century, a notorious thief named Nuño Oñez converted after hearing the prayers of one of his intended victims. Nuño, the legend goes, retreated to a cave in the nearby village of Anguiano, where he devoted himself to prayer and penance, asking the Virgin Mary for guidance.
One day, while in deep prayer, Nuño was visited by an angel who instructed him to travel to the valley of Valvanera. There, the angel said, he would find a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary under a large oak tree, near a spring and a beehive. Following the angel’s instructions, Nuño made his way to the valley accompanied by a priest named Domingo de Brieva. When they arrived, they discovered the image of the Virgin, just as the angel had foretold. Both travelers took the image to be a sign of mercy. Moved by this miracle, they built a small hermitage on the spot, which later became the magnificent monastery of Valvanera.
The image found by Nuño became the heart of the monastery, attracting a growing community of hermits who gradually formed a monastic order following the Rule of St. Benedict. Over the centuries, the monastery flourished and its first abbot, Don Sancho, was appointed in 990. The abbey also became an important spiritual and cultural center, producing important works such as the famous Smaragdo – a manuscript copy of the Benedictine Rule dating from 954.
Despite facing challenges such as the Mendizábal Exclaustration in the 19th century, which led to its temporary abandonment, the monastery was restored in the late 1800s thanks to the efforts of dedicated individuals – including the famed Augustinian Fray Toribio Minguella. These efforts revitalized the monastery, and the Benedictine monks returned to continue their spiritual mission.
Today, the monastery of Valvanera remains a place of deep spiritual and cultural significance. Although the Benedictine community left in 2018 after 10 centuries of service, the monastery is now managed by the Instituto del Verbo Encarnado (IVE), which continues its legacy of devotion and prayer. The serene setting of the monastery, combined with its historical and spiritual richness, make it an essential destination for pilgrims and tourists visiting La Rioja.
More than just a religious site, Valvanera Monastery is a living testimony to the transformative power of the divine. The story of Nuño Oñez and the miraculous discovery of the image continues to inspire all who visit.
