Introduction
Aesculus hippocastanum
We find ourselves between the walls of the eastern sector, and the semicircular apses of the basilica church, and the buildings attached to the cloister, where we can admire an alignment of 13 horse chestnuts.
The 13 chestnut trees occupy the space where in the monastic period the buildings and courtyards of the monks used to be.
The scientific name of the chestnut tree has a curious meaning. It could literally be translated as "horse chestnut." Etymologically Aesculus is a Latin name that indicates to us that it produces acorns, although the fruit is a chestnut (there is a small similarity with the form). As for the name hippocastanum, “hippos” comescomes from the Greek and means horse, and “castanum” comes from the Latin, and means chestnut.
The explanation for the origin of this name comes from the use that the Turks made of the fruits of these chestnut trees. They used to feed their horses with these chestnuts to their horses because it relieved them of asthma and coughs.