Monastery of Santa María de Toloño

The Monastery of Santa María de Toloño — also known as Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles — survives today only as a set of ruins perched just below the summit of Mount Toloño, straddling the boundary between the municipalities of Labastida and Peñacerrada-Urizaharra in the province of Álava, in Spain's Basque Country. The site combines a monastic past with a violent 19th-century turning point, and today it serves as a waypoint on a well-known mountain trail.

Where exactly are the ruins located?

The remains sit in a shallow hollow below the peak of Toloño, at an elevation above 1,100 metres, along the ridge that separates Rioja Alavesa from the higher Montaña Alavesa. The ruins lie right on the administrative line between Labastida and Peñacerrada-Urizaharra, which is why both town councils have shared responsibility for the site for years.

What is the history behind the monastery?

Toward the end of the 14th century, the community became affiliated with the Order of Saint Jerome, the Hieronymites. That arrangement did not last long: by 1417 the monks had given up the monastery, handing it back to the Bishop of Calahorra. Less than two decades later, in 1436, custody passed to the Hermandad de la Divisa, a lay brotherhood formed by the neighbouring towns of Peñacerrada, Labastida, Salinillas, Ocio and Berganzo, together with the county of Treviño. It was this civic brotherhood, rather than any religious order, that kept the site and its cult alive for centuries afterward.

What happened during the Carlist Wars?

The building's decline was sealed by a fire in 1835, set during the First Carlist War. The monastery burned almost completely, and it has remained in ruins ever since — today only fragments of the walls and part of a Baroque chapel survive, still showing traces of floral ornamentation and the bases of its former columns.

Are the ruins protected in any way?

The structure remains fragile: loose stone continues to come away from the walls, and without intervention the decay would keep progressing. In 2017, the municipalities of Labastida and Peñacerrada carried out consolidation work, backed by the Álava provincial council (Diputación Foral de Álava), aimed at slowing further deterioration of what remains.

How can visitors reach the monastery?

The ruins sit directly on the hiking route up to the summit of Toloño (1,277 metres), making them a natural stopping point along the ascent. The most common starting points for the trail are Labastida itself or the small settlement of San Ginés, on the southern side of the range at around 640 metres. The path crosses terrain typical of the Sierra de Toloño — limestone ridgelines and pastureland, with views stretching out over Rioja Alavesa.

Why is the climb worth it?

Beyond its historical interest, reaching the monastery is above all a scenic hike — a vantage point right on the border between two distinct landscapes of Álava, where monastic history, the tradition of lay brotherhoods, and the scars of a 19th-century civil war all converge in a single spot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Monastery of Santa María de Toloño located? On the boundary between the municipalities of Labastida and Peñacerrada-Urizaharra, in the Sierra de Toloño, just below the summit of Mount Toloño (1,277 m), in the province of Álava.

What is the monastery's other name? Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (Our Lady of the Angels), used alongside the name Santa María de Toloño.

Who administered the monastery historically? The Hieronymite order from the late 14th century, and from 1436 onward the Hermandad de la Divisa, a brotherhood of neighbouring towns and the county of Treviño.

What destroyed the monastery? A fire during the First Carlist War in 1835, after which the building was never rebuilt and has remained in ruins.

Can the ruins be visited today? Yes — they can be reached on foot as a stop along the trail to the summit of Toloño, starting from either Labastida or San Ginés.