The monastery of San Salvador de Celanova was founded by St. Rudesind (San Rosendo) in 936. The jewel of the complex is the small mozarabic chapel of San Miguel, dating from 942. In the garden is one of the oldest chapels in Spain, built before 973.
In the abbey church are the ancient sepulchres of Ilduara and Adosinda, the mother and sister of the founder, who was buried in a sepulchre supported on four pillars, and constructed after the fashion of that of San Torcuato, one of the companions of Santiago. His body was deposited by the Christians, at the Moorish invasion, at Santa Coinba, 16 km away. Being near the frontier, some Portuguese carried it off and brought it to Celanova, whose bells began to ring of their own accord.
There are two cloisters. El Processional has columns, a fountain and railing, while El Puleiro includes a sala capitular and brick mosaic pavement. The Doric church has two separate choirs, featuring a carved door and walnut silleria. There are many memorials.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.