The Abbey of Samos and the Cypress Chapel

Samos is home to one of Galicia's oldest abbeys, said to have been founded in the sixth century by Martín de Braga. For centuries, the abbey was a place of rest and seclusion. Alfonso II of Asturias, during whose reign the tomb of St. James was discovered, spent his childhood there.

Following this momentous discovery, Alfonso II ordered the construction of the first basilica on the site that we now know as Compostela. He is commemorated with a statue in the city.

Although it is not part of the usual route taken by today's pilgrims, increasing numbers of them take the detour via this spectacular building, with its long history of offering hospitality to those following the St. James. Way.

The interior of its 18th-century church is one of the greatest architectural sights along the French Way in Galicia. Look up to see depictions of Bernardo, Anselmo, Ildefonso, and Ruperto, the four Marian doctors of the Benedictine order, around the cupola.

The smaller cloister, named the Cloister of the Nereids after the Baroque fountain that sits in its center, features an interesting example of monastic humor in the form of a message on the keystone to anyone who looks at it: "What are you looking at, fool?" This was probably intended as a warning to the monks not to get distracted while working on their chores. Keep an eye out for it when visiting.

In the 18th century, this ancient vault was moved to Samos, where it became the Signo (meaning sign, so named because of the sign of the cross made by the abbot on entry) and the sacristy. It is decorated with frescoes showing scenes from Jesus' life, and curved wooden triangles with figures shown in high relief. There is also a beautiful octagonal Baroque table, and an altarpiece that houses some of the monastery's relics.

The monastery's library and archive has an extensive collection that includes 12 incunabula (printed books) and several manuscripts that are of great historical significance. Of particular note is a scroll that belonged to Ferdinand III of Castile (also known as the Saint), and a privilegio rodado, a medieval court document that is authenticated with an image of a wheel. This particular one is from Cuéllar and dates from 1303.

Just a few feet away from the abbey in Samos is a much smaller, yet no less significant, site: the tiny Cypress Chapel, which is one of Galicia's oldest medieval churches.

The building is Mozarabic in style and was built in the ninth century. It is a simple, slate-walled building with a gabled slate roof.

An enormous 300-year-old cypress tree (the reason for the chapel's alternative name) grows on one side of it, standing at over 85 feet tall. The tree's age and size have earned it a place in the list of Veteran Trees of Galicia, which is a record of the region's protected trees.

In classical culture, the cypress tree symbolizes immortality (which is why cypresses are often found in cemeteries) and hospitality. A symbol of both, this chapel is located on one side of the cemetery, and very close to the monastery which provides hospitality to pilgrims on the St. James Way.

Next to this magnificent cypress tree, and just below the current ground level, is the chapel's only entrance with its striking Mozarabic-style, horseshoe-shaped archway.

The Mozarabic influence is also evident inside the chapel; specifically in the triumphal arch separating the building's two small spaces: the nave and the chapel.

An additional treat awaits visitors to the inside of the chapel: Asturian-style frescoes dating back to the 10th century, which are among the oldest examples of mural paintings still in existence in Galicia.