San Miguel Royal Monastery, is located in Liria, near València. Located in a peaceful place that fosters meditation and respite, San Miguel Monastery sits on a hill among Bronze Age remains and alongside an Iberian settlement said to be linked to the ancient town of Edeta. Findings and research carried out have concluded that this historic site in Llíria was particularly important during Roman times. The site boasts spectacular views of the surrounding scenery and you can now visit both the Monastery and the Iberian remains for a journey back in time.
San Miguel Royal Monastery as we know it today dates back to 1326 when King James II set out to create a secluded sanctuary for prayer. The King’s wish was fulfilled for 500 years until the church fell into the hands of a religious order. Featuring a neoclassical style, the church is home to fascinating frescoes, paintings, sculptures by renowned artists and impressive gold work.
Today, you can pay the monastery a visit as part of your trip to Llíria by arranging a guided tour in which the site’s history and tales unfold before you.
References:Towering 52 meters above the sea, Bengtskär lighthouse is the tallest one in Scandinavia. The building started in in 1905 after the shipwreck of S/S Helsingfors and was completed in 1906. The lighthouse was designed by architect Florentin Granholm. On December a special petrol lantern, designed and built in Paris, was brought to Bengtskär and installed atop the tower.
German fleet bombarded Bengstkär in the First World War in 1914. Since the Gulf of Finland was heavily mined, it was not until 1919 that the surrounding seas were declared safe for shipping, that the light was lit again.
After the war the military value of Bengtskär increased as part of the defence system of independent Finland. In Second World War (1941) Soviet Union made a suprise attack to island. After a bloody battle, the small Finnish garrison emerged victorious. Intermittent repairs to the facility continued during the post-war period.