Monasteries of Yuso and Suso in San Millan de la Cogolla

A “stone throw” away from the Camino Frances we find San Millan de la Cogolla. For pilgrims with an interest in culture it’s definitely worth the 15km detour.

In this cold month of January we finally drove to San Millan de la Cogolla and the Monasteries of Yuso and Suso, a day trip we had long been planning and which- for one reason or another, we could never get to do.

Believe it or not, San Millán de la Cogolla is linked to the history of Cirauqui. As can be seen in this link (Becerro Galicano Digital [doc. 4*] (www.ehu.eus/galicano/id4x – acceso 23/01/2023)), the village was given to the Monastery of San Millan de la Cogolla in the XIIth century:

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Estas son las heredades que tiene en Cirauqui: primero, una pieça en Masclata, de robada e media, que afruenta con el camino de la Rueda; e de la otra parte, de Martin de Urbe. Otra pieça en Corraga, de una robada, que afruenta con el Camino Mayor; e de la otra parte, Nicolao Mannero. Otra pieça en He[ucegutia], de tres quartales, afruenta con pieça de Johan de Riarte. Otra pieça de dos robadas en Çabale[a’n] camino de Ron[…]e, afruenta con pieça de Sancho Gallante; e de la otra parte Anso Gomence. Otra pieça en Galbarreturria, de media robada, Camino Frances, e de Johan de Malbarrio. Otra pieça de tres quartales en monesterio, junto con el camino, afruenta con pieça de Johan de Riarte; e de la otra parte, con pieça de Garchuriarte. Otra pieça en calon d’Oravidea, de tres quartales, afruenta con pieça de la abadia; e de la otra parte, con pieça de Johan Not. Otra pieça de un robo entre las pieças del Monesterio de Irache.

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The visit is of great interest to any pilgrim with a love for history, religious art and/or linguistics. This is the origin of the Glosas Emilianenses, a facsimile of which can be seen during the visit to the Monastery of Yuso (the original ones are kept at the Library of the Royal Academy of History, in Madrid).

It was also here that the first written words in “vascuence” language – origin to the current Basque language – were found.

Another treasure that you will be able to see in Yuso is their magnificent “Cantorales“: these are some huge (up to 60kg) books in which the monks wrote their Gregorian Songs.

If you would like to visit the monasteries while on your Camino Frances, you can do one of two things: first option is to walk the extra 15km, taking the detour in Azofra and road-side walking to Alesanco, Cañas, Berceo and San Millan, then taking the road again back in the direction of Villar de Torre and Cirueña, where you will find again the yellow arrows and shells. In this link of the Gronze guide you’ll find detailed in formation.

The second option is to take a full day on your walk for this visit, taking a bus or taxi to take you to the monasteries and then back the same way to your starting point, which may be Nájera or Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

It is necessary to purchase a guided tour ticket at the Monastery of Yuso. You can take just the visit to either one of the monasteries, or to both. We definitely recommend doing both: Yuso (approx. 60min.) because of its amazing and because of all the history and linguistic treasures it contains; and Suso (approx. 35min.) because it will just awe you.