Discovering Liébana: the Mozarabic church of Santa María de Lebeña

Miguel Ángel García Guinea said (1), in a tourist guide dedicated to Cantabria, which is possibly this little town of Lebeña and, of course, its church dedicated to the figure of Santa María, the most sought after corner by lovers of Art and Nature.

And it is not without reason, because although located on the outskirts of the town, this singular temple, which has its roots no less than in those misty days of the 10th century, is quite an architectural poem, set in an immeasurable and supernatural setting.

Indeed, sinking its arcane foundations in a small valley, where an ancient yew tree exercises its silent protection on the main portal, whose roof seems tiny compared to the magnificent limestone mountains that surround it, the church of Santa María de Lebeña, it is shown to us as a small oasis of wisdom, making us immerse our thinking in times whose vicissitudes are often left out of known history.

It is known, for example, that its construction was sponsored by the Lebanese counts Alfonso and Justa in 925, once the distant Duero border was established, which separated the Christian north from Spain, from the south controlled by the Muslims.

But little or nothing is known of its mysterious builders, except that, judging by certain characteristic elements, such as the modillions that show polisquels and swastikas as a decorative theme, they must have had a Mozarabic origin, that is, they must have been Christians who in some stage of their life they lived in land conquered by the Muslims.

However, judging by the characteristics of the building in question, they must also have had some knowledge of the rudiments of the so-called pre-Romanesque or Asturian Art, as some of its characteristics are also evident in this unique construction.

Now, leaving aside any technicality, what is certain is that arriving at this privileged enclave, solar of peace, beauty and harmony, turns out, you can believe it, quite a singular adventure.

Located approximately halfway up the vertiginous and dangerous gorge of La Hermida, in that area that the locals call the Hoces del Deva river - which curiously bears in its word oriental reminiscences of the mythical Hindu pantheon - this simple church, together with the impressive The surrounding environment is, without a doubt, an essential visit for anyone who really wants to enter this other world, which is the Cantabrian region of Liébana.

Notes, References and Bibliography:

(1) Miguel Ángel García Guinea: ‘Cantabria, artistic guide’, Editions of Librería Estudio, first edition, July 1988.

NOTICE: Both the text and the accompanying photographs are my exclusive intellectual property.