The Monastery of San Paio de Abeleda is a medieval monastery built in the 12th century located 2 km from Abeleda village. Today found in a state of ruins, it was originally one of the most influential monastic centres in the province and was converted into an abbey surviving until the 19th century Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal. It was acquired by the House of Alba in 1872.
The church was built in the Romanesque style in the 12th century (with further alterations later). In plan it takes the form of a Latin cross. It consists of a single nave with 3 wings separated by pointed arches with archivolts decorated with chequered imposts and the capitals are adorned with flowers and chimeras. Traces of the original paint on the capitals, which had been maintained for several centuries, still remain visible today. The church was greatly reformed during the 16th century however a door from the 13th or 14th century was preserved. The main altar dates to the 17th century.
The facade of the cloister is in the Gothic style, and features a quatrefoil Gothic arch.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.