Founded in 1168, the building of the Santa María de Gradefes Church, according to an engraving on the northern lower wall, began on March 1st, 1177 under the patronage of the woman who became its Abbess -Teresa Pérez, widow of García Pérez, a knight of Alfonso VII. The first community was made up of Cistercian nuns who came from the monastery of Tulebras, Navarra. It became an important and privileged female monastery.
It is the only example in Spain of a female monastery having an ambulatory. In the church are the tombs with statues of the founding couple, a polychromatic work from the late 13th century. Kept in the monastery rooms are the polychromatic wooden carvings of a 12th century Virgin and a Gothic Christ, formerly part of a Calvary from the 14th century.
Valuable sculptures from the twelfth century. Fourteenth century tombs. Virgen de las Angustias (sixteenth century). Chalices, crucifixes and lignum crucis (largest section of the cross).
In monastic dependencies are kept polychrome carvings of a Virgin of the XII century and a Gothic Christ which was part of a Calvary of the XIV. Garments and shoes belonging to the founder are also kept.
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.