San Millán de la Cogolla - Monasterio de Yuso

The Monasterio de Yuso (Lower Monastery), in the valley, was founded in 1053; attached to it was a hospice for pilgrims. The present buildings, which have been called the ''Escorial of Rioja'', date from the 16th-18th centuries. Until 1835 it was occupied by Benedictines, and thereafter lay empty until it was reoccupied by Augustinians in 1878. The 16th century church has a retablo with paintings by Juan Rizzi. In the sacristy are two finely wrought reliquaries with ivory decoration (11th century) containing the remains of San Millán and San Felice. There are several cloisters, the finest of which is the Claustro de San Agustín (1572). The monastery library possesses valuable incunabula and manuscripts.