Monastery of Leyre

Monastery of Leyre tickets: which one to buy

The Monastery of Leyre stands on the slopes of the Sierra de Leyre, above the Yesa reservoir, in Navarre, northern Spain, about fifty kilometres east of Pamplona, and a small admission is charged for the crypt and the church; guided tours are available. It is one of the most important monasteries in Navarre, the spiritual heart of the medieval Kingdom of Navarre, and it is still inhabited by Benedictine monks, who sing Gregorian chant during their services.

The monastery has a hotel and restaurant in the old guest quarters. A car is the easiest way to reach it. Visitors often combine Leyre with the Castle of Javier, the birthplace of Saint Francis Xavier, about fifteen kilometres away, the Lumbier and Arbayún gorges, and the town of Sangüesa on the Camino de Santiago. The views over the reservoir and the Pyrenees foothills are wide. The monastery's hotel offers rooms and meals, and guests can attend services.

Visiting Monastery of Leyre: what to see

A monastery existed here by the ninth century, and in the tenth and eleventh centuries Leyre became the burial place of the kings of Navarre, whose remains are kept in a pantheon in the church. The crypt, consecrated in 1057, is the most remarkable part: a low, dim space with short, massive columns of different heights, with huge capitals carved with simple designs, supporting heavy arches, one of the most impressive early Romanesque spaces in Spain. The church above has a Romanesque apse and a Gothic nave. The west portal, the Porta Speciosa, is carved with figures of Christ, the apostles and monsters. According to a legend, Abbot Virila walked into the woods near the monastery, stopped to listen to a nightingale, and when he returned, three hundred years had passed.

The monastery was abandoned in the nineteenth century, and Benedictine monks returned in 1954. The Porta Speciosa's carvings include figures of saints and a tympanum with Christ and the apostles. The church's Gothic nave was built in the fourteenth century. The pantheon of the kings of Navarre is marked by a carved chest. The monastery's buildings include a guesthouse and a refectory. The crypt's columns have capitals carved with simple leaves and spirals. The nightingale fountain, associated with the legend of Abbot Virila, stands on a path near the monastery. The monks' Gregorian chant can be heard during the liturgy. The monastery's shop sells books and products made by the monks. The Yesa reservoir below reflects the mountains.

Monastery of Leyre opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open daily, with a break at lunchtime. The monks sing Gregorian chant at vespers in the evening and at other services, and visitors are welcome. Summer is pleasant in the mountains, and the reservoir is popular for swimming. Spring and autumn are beautiful, with green hills or autumn colours. The Javierada pilgrimage to Javier in March brings crowds to the area. Allow about forty-five minutes for the crypt and church, and stay for vespers if possible. The Lumbier Gorge, about twenty minutes' drive away, has a walking path through a tunnel of an old railway line.