Monastery of Santa Cristina de Ribas de Sil

The Monastery of Santa Cristina has a peculiar feature: both its buildings - church and cloister - are fully Romanesque and Renaissance, respectively.

It was a Benedictine monastery that was already documented in the 9th century. Its Romanesque church was built in the 12th century. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross, with a nave with five sections and a crossing, opening up to three semicircular apses. The central apse is the largest and the exterior is divided into several sections by four columns. Highlights include the side façade with three sculpted archivolts decorated with plant motifs and a rose window with lobed tracery. It also has a peculiar circular crenellated tower - a strange element in Romanesque churches. Two galleries are still standing from the Renaissance cloister (16th century), made up of semicircular arches resting on octagonal columns.