The year 2024 marked a turning point in the recent history of the Monastery of Oia. Its 6th Sustainability Report reflects the work carried out throughout the year, during which significant progress was made towards the full restoration of the monument, alongside one of the most ambitious cultural initiatives to date.
Archaeological works played a central role. Extended throughout the year, they provided valuable insights that are helping to guide the design of a rigorous restoration project respectful of the site’s past. Their scale required a temporary pause in the intense cultural programme that had characterised previous years, although emblematic activities were maintained, such as guided tours during Holy Week and the celebration of the 400th anniversary of “La Treboada”, the defence of the Monastery against a pirate attack that has become part of its legend.
In response to the desire to continue sharing the Monastery’s heritage, cultural activity was moved to the city of Vigo, where the exhibition “A Monastery, a Sea of Stories” was organised. Hosted at the Afundación venue, the exhibition marked the first time the Monastery’s history was taken beyond its own walls. It was very well received by the public and the media, including notable publications such as La Aventura de la Historia and The Art Newspaper.
The exhibition, organised with the support of the Xunta de Galicia and the Pontevedra Museum, also served as the setting for the official presentation of the Monastery’s rehabilitation and expansion project, attended by more than 350 people.
Commitment to the environment and to social, cultural and economic sustainability remains the backbone of the project. Alongside outreach activities, monitoring of the River Lavandeira continued within the framework of the Rivers Project, and ties with the European Cistercian Heritage Network—of which the Monastery of Oia is a founding member—were strengthened.
Xoán Martínez, Director of the Monastery of Oia, states:
“This report reflects a decisive year. The start of major interventions is getting closer, and this pause in cultural activity was not a step backwards, but a period of preparation. While we advance in research, we have taken the soul of the Monastery to Vigo so that more people can get to know, value and defend this unique heritage.”
The 6th Sustainability Report can be consulted on the Monastery’s website: https://www.mosteirodeoia.com/memorias-de-sostenibilidad/
