Monastery of Santa María de Sandoval

The Cistercian monastery of Santa María was built on the land known as Sotnoval (Saltus Novalis), which in 1142 was given by Alfonso VII to Count Pedro Ponce de Minerva, although its dominions were extended with Royal donations. Despite the fires of 1592 and 1615, it still retains elements from the Romanesque, Gothic and Mozarabic styles, as well as a large central cloister.