At the Monastery at San Toribio I saw a map with the names of monasteries and churches in the surrounding areas. We were staying in Cambarco and nearby there were important monasteries, so off we went to explore! Lebeña and Frama both had a Romanesque church over 1,000 years old!
Santa Maria at Lebena
The Church of Santa Maria at Lebeña was built c.925 and is Mozarabic in style, most obviously in the interior. But sadly the church was closed when we visited. If you are in the area and plan to visit do try and see the interior which in photographs appears to look like a mosque! The tower of the 19C is separate from the church. The setting, in a small amphitheatre in the mountains, is quite magical.
Frama on the River Bullón is one of the oldest settlements in the valley. It is mentioned at the Monastery of San Toribio and also at Santa Maria de Piasca. The Monastery in the town was already important in the 10C! Today only the church remains. Churches here are often locked and this one was firmly closed. Sadly I can find no further information about the monastery on the internet.
It had been a wonderful day, our last in the area before travelling to Leon, and we had seen some beautiful Romanesque churches. We ended by driving high into the mountains above Cambarco for a final view over the valleys and mountains of the eastern Picos de Europa.
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