Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos)
The history of Silos is the history of Castile: although Almanzor -the famous Muslim general and ruler of Al Andalus- caused great destruction at the end of the tenth century, it had an enormous splendor between the XI-XIII centuries. This was possible thanks to its promoter the abbot Santo Domingo who, around the year 1000, rebuilt the monastery, becoming a great spiritual, cultural and artistic center.
The Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos is linked to the history of el Cid, since in life Rodrigo and his wife Jimena donated some of their estates to the Monastery. In the year 1081, the year in which the Cid was exiled, the cloister was still building.
What you can see and do in Santo Domingo de Silos
Silos is a small Castilian town with numerous tourist services. It is a good place to rest and have dinner; one of its gastronomic specialities is roast kid. Nearly the whole town rotates around the monastery, where you can visit some of its most important parts, such as the prodigious Romanesque cloisters and the museum of religious art. A walk through the town will surprise us in other ways: traditional houses and noble mansions, the town walls and St Peter’s Church, next to the monastery.
Very near Santo Domingo de Silos, a few kilometres along the road towards Hinojar de Cervera, La Yecla is a deep and narrow gorge carved in limestone that visitors can go through on a series of suspended walkways past huge rockpools and waterfalls.
You also should not miss
- You cannot leave Silos without seeing its outstanding Romanesque cloisters; one of its capitals displays a medieval retinue that depicts quite precisely the military garments in times of El Cid.
- The religious services of the monks are an opportunity for visitors to hear Gregorian chants. These medieval spiritual chants caused the monks unwillingly to become world famous in the 1980s.
Rev.: JGG 16.09.21
Useful information
- Postal Address of the City Council: Plaza Mayor, 1 (09610)
- Phone: 947 390 070
- E-mail: santodomingodesilos@diputaciondeburgos.net
- Web: www.santodomingodesilos.es
- Population: 169
- Altitude: 1003 m.
Rev. ALC: 13.09.18
