in the reign of Ramiro II. This same monarch endowed the Church with donations, such as the Cross of Peñalba (donated in 940) and which today is a symbol of the Bierzo region. Throughout its history, despite its many relics, the monastic complex will be subject to financial difficulties, which will have to be settled with donations. After the disappearance of the monastery, Santiago de Peñalba maintains its cult as a parish church sheltered by the town of Peñalba de Santiago, which will be built around it. In an isolated environment and with a population dedicated entirely to livestock and crops, the temple remained practically untouched, without reforms or subsequent additions that altered its original state. It would not be until the arrival in Peñalba of historians such as Manuel Gómez-Moreno (1909), when the historical value of Peñalba would become known. Architecture The church is characterized by opposed apses, an unusual feature shared with the tenth-century church of San Cebrián de Mazote (also constructed during the apogee of the Kingdom of León). The church's decoration is a mixture of Celtic elements, including lunar and astral symbols; Byzantine influences seen in its Greek-cross plant; Arab elements, especially a small umbrella roof dome which covers the principal altar; and Mozarabic influence, seen in its famous horseshoe arches. Interior Mural paintings Inside, the church is covered with mural paintings dating from the Caliphate period. The painting originally covered the entire building, although it is now preserved especially in the arches of the chevron dome of the central nave and in the two apses. The paintings have three different moments, the most primitive being contemporary to the church, from the 10th century, and were executed with the technique of fresco painting on a sand and lime mortar: on the wall that was still wet, he moved - using the punch, the rule and the compass - the compositional scheme, and later the pigments were applied. Among the pictorial motifs, the simulated brick stands out, in addition to other paintings with plant and geometric motifs. The almagra socket (red paint made from clay-type iron oxide) is strikingly similar to that found in Medina Azahara in Córdoba. It is a decoration executed with an excellent technique and using high quality pigments. They have been partially restored in 2004, a process that continues today. Medieval graffiti Inside the church, especially on the walls of the choir, there