Contact: Fundación San Millán de la Cogolla. La Rioja (Spain)
FCN members since: 2017
Profile: Heritage Education, Cultural Tourism
Membership status: Active
[email protected] / [email protected]
Context
The origin of this initiative was the Educational Classroom project which was developed during the time of the restoration work on the church in the Yuso Monastery, which in 2011 was awarded the Europa Nostra award by the European Union in the category of "education, training and awareness-raising". The purpose of the Classroom was to raise social awareness and involvement among young people about the conservation and dissemination of cultural heritage. Its success led to the broadening of its objectives and content until it evolved into the new programme entitled "Emilianensis. Discover the monasteries of La Rioja" organized by the San Millán de la Cogolla Foundation.
Description of activity
In the middle of the Cárdenas river valley sits San Millán de la Cogolla, a Rioja town founded by the saint of the same name and linked for centuries to the Pilgrim's Route to Santiago de Compostela. The deep-rooted monastic tradition of the town can be seen in the beautiful collection of historic buildings it houses, where the Monasteries of Suso and Yuso, both declared World Heritage Sites in 1997, are outstanding. The importance of San Millán de la Cogolla is also due to its status as the cradle of the Spanish tongue, since here were written the first texts in this language.
The cultural programme "Emilianensis. Discover the monasteries of La Rioja", designed particularly for families, groups and schools, is a series of educational and recreational activities which revolve around the history, art and way of life in the monasteries of Yuso and Suso. The visit to these monuments with the UNESCO World Heritage designation is now a new and different experience thanks to this project.
In addition to visiting the monastery, you'll have the opportunity to transform yourself into an ancient monastic scribe from mediaeval times by taking part in the calligraphy and illustration workshops; experiment with models in the architecture workshop to discover the basic elements of the construction of the Yuso Monastery; learn how craftsmen worked with stone, wood, iron and glass. There are also guided itineraries to explore the cave where the saint lived, and the natural attractions of this site, whose resources supplied the monasteries for many centuries.
