San Juan de la Pena in Aragon

San Juan de la Pena in Aragon province of the Pyrenees is a multi-tiered monestary. In 720 hermits escaped the Moors to retreat here underground (now a covered installation not shown here). In the 10th century, they built a new monestary constructed into the rock of the mountain adding a 12 century cloister with a courtyard of pillars – each capital with an aspect of the story of Genesis.

This is a very strange place to visit that extends across acres/hectares from underground tombs for the monks to barely subsist to this expansive disjointed stone mamouth monestary, and then there is a 1645 new cathedral. Today it is used as an entertainment destination with a coffee shop, obviously no longer as a sanctuary. I buy the thin booklet that features pictures, just like these that I took here! Enjoy! Great place for a picnic!