We visited here before, and per chance, passed through this way on our recent trip to N Spain. Sitting in the middle of some beautiful landscape, it has some wonderful, outside features. The history of Santa María de Piasca goes back to the 9th century where there is evidence of a duplex monastery. In the eleventh century it was priory dependent on the monastery of San Facundo de Sahagún. The original church was made at the end of the 12th century and has an inscription that dates the end of the protogothic construction in 1172. It was rebuilt a few times afterwards, mainly until the fifteenth century. The door really catches your eye with the carvings - lions, animal and human heads or characters playing an instrument. Above the cover you can see a triple niche which is formed by a pointed central arch and two lobes with sculptures of Saint Peter, Saint Paul and the Virgin and Child. It is well worth slipping off the main road at Piasca to see and walk around this this beautiful church.