Ruins of the Monastery of San Blas of Villaviciosa

The initiative for the foundation of this Benedictine monastery came from Juan Pascasio and his wife, Flamba, in the 12th century. The life of the monastery continued through the different periods and according to the social events of the territory. The 19th and 20th centuries were of particular importance due to the afflictions that affected all monastic houses, the Liberal Triennium, the confiscation of church property and, more recently, the Civil War, which left the monastery in a state of ruin

Traditionally, this monastery has been considered to have very ancient roots, dating back to the Visigothic period. With the support of Alfonso VI, the construction of a canonry that would continue during the following century would have begun, but in 1267 it had already been lost. In 1836, Sopetrán was left without a religious community. There are initiatives to give the site a boost and restore it, although it is still in ruins.

According to tradition, the origin of this convent is to be found in an apparition of the Virgin to two Knights Hospitaller who had taken refuge under a willow tree during a storm. This was followed by the construction of a chapel and the subsequent establishment of the monastic house.