The hermitage of La Consolación: faith, history and legend in Monroyo

The hermitage of La Consolación, affectionately known as the Mare de Déu, is a pillar of tradition and heritage in Monroyo. Although its origins date back to the 14th century, the current structure is a Baroque reconstruction from the first half of the 18th century, with its atrium dated 1731.

This architectural gem is built in rubble masonry and has a Latin cross plan with a single nave and an impressive dome over the crossing. Over the centuries it underwent significant extensions in 1773 and 1903, which contributed to its present grandeur.

Adjacent to the hermitage, we find the hermit's house, whose construction dates from 1562, as indicated by the coat of arms visible at the entrance. Its interior retains a unique charm with a floor paved with rounded pebbles, while its outer walls are decorated with scallop shells.

This house not only served as the residence of the family who tended the hermitage until 1925, but also as a field hospital during the Spanish Civil War (March–April 1938). Remarkably, it was the Marquis of Santa Coloma who ordered its reconstruction in 1731, also using it as a temporary residence. Today it has been converted into a welcoming holiday house and, at the end of the 20th century, into a hotel.

The founding of this hermitage is woven together with a popular legend of medieval origin that has endured through generations in the Matarraña.

It is said that a noble knight, lost and at the mercy of a fierce snowstorm, found warmth in his horse in order to survive the bitter cold. In his moment of deepest despair, he made a solemn vow: if he escaped with his life, he would build a hermitage in honour of the Virgin. His wish was that this place should serve as a consolation and shelter for all those who, like him, found themselves in moments of extreme need. Thus was born the devotion to the Mare de Déu de la Consolació.