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You are here: Home Leisure Travel & Tourism The chanting monks of Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey

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08/10/2009The chanting monks of Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey

The chanting monks of Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos may be a sight to behold, but nothing beats the chanting Benedictine monks, says blogger Chris Showers.

I just got back from visiting the Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos and thought I would share a little information with you about the monastery and the monks that live inside it.

The Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos is located about 45 minutes outside the city of Burgos in a quaint little village known as Santo Domingo de Silos. It’s home to a group of Benedictine monks.

Certain parts of the monastery are open to the public and visitors can pay EUR 3 to have a guided tour. On the tour you will see things like the beautifully landscaped cloister of the monastery and some very interesting (and very old) religious sculptures and carvings which line the walls of the complex.

However, the tour of the monastery was not what I found most interesting about my visit. Instead, it was being able to watch the “monk concert” (which, incidentally, was a much more solemn affair than a Kiss concert).

Photo source: youtube footage
Benedictine monks singing Gregorian chants in Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey

Each day around 7:00 pm, there is a vesper held in the abbey church in which the monks of the monastery sing Gregorian chant. The thing that makes this special is that monks of this particular monastery are very well-known internationally for their Gregorian chant.

They have even have released two albums — entitled Chant and Chant II — which have topped the Billboard music charts.

If you are also interested in hearing what these monks sound like when they chant, you can check out their CD on Amazon or take a look at their official website.

I would absolutely recommend a visit to Santo Domingo de Silos if you’re ever in the area — it’s a visit that can be done in as little time as one afternoon and, whether you’re religious or not, it’s extremely interesting to see how these monks live and to watch them chant.

Photo source: youtube footage
The Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos

8 October 2009

Chris Showers / Expatica

Chris Showers is an American expat who left his life behind in the USA to move to Spain and start a career as an English teacher.  His blog, Abroad in Spain: Travel Blog , gives a uniquely American perspective on Spanish life -- with a touch of humour.


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