The romanesque Apse of Santa Maria

The apse is the most genuine part of the church, both in terms of architecture and sculptural ornamentation. Its configuration is a clear example of the symbolism of Western Christian art, visible from the east, the point on the horizon where the sun rises and where Christ illuminates the world (sol salutis), or in the Latin cross floorplan representing Christ on the cross. Its exterior conceals another secret, as the arches divide the apse into seven sections, the number that appears most in the Old Testament and which refers to the seven days of the creation of the world or the seven deadly sins. Both the apse and the perimeter of the church are crowned by around a hundred corbels that reflect the most characteristic elements of medieval iconography: supernatural beings, real and imaginary animals, holy scenes, depictions of punishments and repentances and a variety of plant motifs.