Monforte de Lemos - Colegio de Nuestra Señora de la Antigua

The Lemavi tribe populated the area around Monforte de Lemos, before the Romans, the Suevi and the Visigoths left their own footprints.

Tt is believed the town was destroyed in the 8th century by the Muslim invaders. In the 12th century, the settlemet was granted to Fruela Díaz, of the House of Lemos, who had the town rebuilt over the ruins. Monforte flourished as an agricultural market.

During the Middle Ages, a Benedictine community established on the Monastery of San Vicente del Pino. Both the capital tower and the fortified city's walls were demolished during the Irmandiño revolt in the second half of 15th century. The rebels repressed by the Count of Lemos, the lord of the land, who made them work to rebuild the castle.


Work on the Colegio de Nuestra Señora de la Antigua began in 1593 under the patronage of Rodrigo de Castro, Archbishop of Seville, benefactor of Monforte and patron of the arts. The building was built in the Herreriano style, the school is often known as El Escorial of Galicia, being one of the few manifestations of this style in Galicia.

Until 1773, the school was the royal seminary and the nucleus of the university with up to seven professorships at a time when these were barely established in the province. It was initially run by the Jesuits, but in 1767, the Jesuits were expelled from Spain. In the middle of the 18th century, the patronage of the foundation, which was held by the Counts of Lemos, was incorporated into the Duchy of Alba. In 1873, the Piarist Fathers were entrusted with the management of this educational centre.