San Juan de la Pena - Old Cliff Monastery. Mozerabs.

San Juan de la Pena, Monastery, Spain

This monastery is on the Way of St. James, the Camino de Santiago,medieval and current pilgrimage route with many branches converging at Spain's Santiago de Compostela.  It is constructed under a large cliff overhang.  The old Mozerabic chapel dates from 920 AD.  Mozerabs:  Iberian or Spanish peninsula Christians who lived under Moorish rule in the then Al-Andalus. They never converted to Islam, but did absorb some customs and spoke Arabic.  Origins:  Hispano-Gothic, and some northern European Christians, as well as Arab and Berber. Fine little video of the area is here: Peregrina Rosina's work at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXjeRnnCslk

Under Sharia law, Jews and Christians lived among the Arab Muslims but had special "dhimmi" status rules -- taxes, some restrictions, lower status, but lived safely.  We can learn from some era's interpretations of Sharia.

San Juan de la Pena, cliff monastery, Spain

End of day brings beautiful lighting.  The Holy Grail is said to have been kept there, as the faithful fled the Moors, see account that stories produce, at http://thespiralofknowledge.com/dossier.cfm?lang=en&id=49.
Holy Land, to Huesca, and then circuitous protection route beginning in the 8th Century with the Moorish invasions, with, some say, final arrival at Valencia.

San Juan de la Pena, facade, old cliff monastery

San Juan de la Pena, Spain. Mozerabic monastery.

Start at the foot of Mount Pano, above the old town church, Santa Cruz de la Seros, and up the mountain.  The cliff monastery, San Juan de la Pena, is in two parts -- the older cliff monastery, and a newer and large one at the flat summit. 

San Juan de la Pena, view of Pyrenees, access road, Spain

San Juan de la Pena, access road up mountain, Spain

San Juan de la Pena, cliffton view of Pyrenees, Spain

There are other traditions or origins, in addition to the Holy Grail at San Juan de la Pena, see http://www.hikepyrenees.co.uk/san-juan-de-la-pena.html. It is said that a nobleman was hunting, chased a stag who leaped off a cliff, the nobleman and his horse followed. The nobleman prayed for deliverance on the way down. Sure enough, he landed at a cave, found a hermit's bones inside, and gave thanks and built the monastery. San Juan: Saint John. Which?

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Route note:  after Roncesvalles, the logical next stop would Pamplona. We had already seen the bulls running there, so took the bypass. Pamplona:  see http://spainroadways.blogspot.com/2008/02/pamplona-bulls.html/