The town that is the repository of his legacy

Rianxo

This year marked a decade since the inauguration of the Manuel Antonio House Museum in Rianxo. As the plaque placed on the façade of this building located in Rúa de Abaixo reminds us, it was there where Manuel Antonio was born in 1900, where he lived until he was two years old and where he spent several seasons until his death in 1930. Old photographs of the town transport the visitor to the Rianxo of Manuel Antonio’s childhood and youth and open the doors to the environment in which his life and work developed. All kinds of objects that the poet kept since his childhood, texts, letters and other diverse materials, as well as audiovisual contents allow an approach to the author of “De catro a catro”.

But the House Museum is not the only place with which the town of Rianxo has wanted to remember and pay tribute to Manuel Antonio. The poet gives his name to the promenade that accompanies the seafront of the town and his bust is present in the adjoining garden. The sculpture, work of the artist Ramón Conde, was placed 21 years ago, on the centenary of the birth of Manuel Antonio and during that same day the council proceeded to declare him a favorite son of the town.

Another commemorative plaque also remembers him in the rianxeiro municipal cemetery, next to the tombstone that marks the grave where the remains of the famous poet rest together with those of his father, who also died prematurely from tuberculosis when Manuel Antonio was only 4 years old. 

The awakening of commitment

Vigo

The city of Vigo played a crucial role in Manuel Antonio’s life and work. He moved there in 1919 to study nautical studies and it was there that his commitment to the literary avant-garde and the politica became more evident after coming into contact with the main representatives of Galicianism of the time. “Vigo está tan lonxe / que se desorientan as cartas mariñas” (“Vigo is so far away / that sea charts are disoriented”) he wrote in “Lecer”, one of the poems of his work “De catro a catro”, as the plaque placed on the façade of the building in Paseo Alfonso XII where Manuel Antonio lived until 1923 shows. From there he could see a wide panoramic view of the city and the estuary that perhaps served as a source of inspiration for some verses. In addition, the poet rianxeiro gives its name to one of the educational centers of the city of Vigo: the Integrated Job Training Center Manuel Antonio, heir to the old Labor University of Vigo founded in 1976. 

A long-awaited tribute 

Malveira Grande Island (Vilagarcía de Arousa)

In 1935, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Manuel Antonio’s death, a group of intellectuals from Vilagarcía de Arousa proposed to erect a monolith in memory of the poet. Their proposal had the support of prominent personalities such as Castelao and Filgueira Valverde, although it did not materialize. Eighty years later, the project was taken up again and materialized in a place full of symbolism. “Manuel Antonio. Poeta do Mar, 1900-1930. Vilagarcía, 1935. Rianxo, 2015” can be read on the small monolith placed on the Illa Malveira Grande, in the archipelago of Cortegada, a small piece of land bathed by the sea that inspired Manuel Antonio’s verses. The characteristic star with which the poem adorned some of his notebooks presides over this piece located in the heart of the Ría de Arousa.

Interpretation Centre

An original building with an elongated shape and covered with stone slabs welcomes all those who come to the Rock Art Archaeological Park. Inside it houses a large exhibition area divided into nine sectors so that visitors can learn about the world of petroglyphs from different perspectives, including the process of research and enhancement of the Campo Lameiro site itself.

Traces of the past, Enigmas in the stones, Search and study, Uncovering the archives of the earth, 4,000 years ago, Stone against stone, Another view, New enigmas and The conservation of memory are the sections of this route that includes reproductions, explanatory panels, audiovisual content and even a section that recreates how the petroglyphs were created.

The interpretation centre also has a café-restaurant with a large terrace with beautiful views of the Campo Lameiro valley and a shop where you can buy souvenirs of the park, publications about the petroglyphs and local craft products.

Visitable area

If the interpretation centre is the gateway to the world of the petroglyphs, the visitable area is the jewel in the crown and the element that gives meaning to the whole park. A route of more than 4 kilometres in length, duly signposted and equipped with rest areas, invites the visitor to enter an authentic open-air museum that will allow him to contemplate some of the most outstanding examples of the rock art of Campo Lameiro.

The Laxes da Forneiriña, dos Cabalos and dos Carballos, the outeiros dos Cogoludos (I and II), das Ventaniñas and da Pena Furada, and the Fonte da Pena Furada are the eight stops on this itinerary designed to show the main motifs and scenes of the petroglyphs in the very environment in which they were devised and created around 4,000 years ago. Engraved in stone are figures such as deer, horsemen on horseback, labyrinthine structures and concentric circles.

Bronze Age settlement

A tour of the park also includes the chance to get a glimpse of what life was like for the people who shaped the rock art. This is possible through the life-size recreation of a small Bronze Age village made up of several huts, some structures for storing food, and enclosures for livestock, all built with the same materials used by the ancient inhabitants of the site. 

Activities

To appreciate all it has to offer, the park has an extensive programme of activities designed for schoolchildren, groups of various sizes and families. The accompaniment of an expert guide allows you to discover all the secrets of the rock art, and taking part in the tours at dusk and even in the early hours of the night is a unique opportunity to contemplate the petroglyphs from a very different point of view.

More information at https://www.paar.es

And furthermore

But Campo Lameiro boasts of being the capital of rock art not only because of its archaeological park, but also because of the extensive heritage that extends beyond the limits of the site that was opened 10 years ago. The Pedra da Serpe, located in the Castro de Penalba, and the petroglyphs of Rotea de Mendo, Chan da Lagoa and Outeiro de Chan da Lagoa are other valuable and surprising sites that are well worth a visit. The council of Campo Lameiro has designed a route that starts from the municipal capital to discover them.

More information at https://campolameiro.org/

Mostra do Aceite

Quiroga

The production of oil in the Lugo municipality of Quiroga dates back to Roman times and is part of a legacy that has been kept alive through the centuries thanks to heritage elements such as the Bendilló oil mill. That structure, recovered almost 30 years ago, is one of the epicenters of the festival that the City Council has promoted for just over two decades and that this year, after the 2020 break, returns for the enjoyment of neighbors and visitors. It will be on Sunday, the 30th, and to avoid crowds, on this occasion those who want to contemplate the demonstration of traditional olive milling will be able to do so through a screen located next to the As Farrapas chapel. Also, four local producers will exhibit and market their items at the Mostra do Aceite, whose access will be free, although giving priority to people who have made a reservation.

More information in: https://concellodequiroga.com/es/

Feira do Viño do Ribeiro

Ribadavia

With 58 editions behind it, the Feira do Viño do Ribeiro claims to be the oldest wine festival in Galicia. This year due to the pandemic, the organizers have changed the dates a bit, moving the events from the beginning of May to the last weekend of the month and have modified the program to adapt it to the restrictions still present by the covid, but without renouncing their essence. For this reason, they will opt for a mixed format that will combine virtual activities with face-to-face proposals that will be developed following a strict security protocol and with reduced capacity. About thirty wineries have already confirmed their participation in the events that will take place between Friday 28 and Sunday 30 May.

More information in: https://feiravinoribeiro.com/novas/

Festa do Boi

Allariz

Born at the beginning of the 14th century, the Festa do Boi is one of the most emblematic celebrations in Allariz. Although its organizers have decided to postpone to 2022 the central events that would have to be held, as is tradition, in the days prior to Corpus, they will maintain some proposals so that the spirit of the party doesn’t  fade and so that the neighbors continue to enjoy this episode of your story. The crab that gives its name to the celebration will not travel the streets of Allariz this year, but residents will be able to wear the traditional commemorative scarves designed and marketed by the Xan de Arzúa cultural association, and they will also can to contemplate an exhibition of photographs from previous editions. In addition, to fill the void of the theatrical procession of the local guilds that should be held on Sunday 30, those responsible for Xan de Arzúa encourage the residents to wear the costumes of their respective guilds that day. There will also be a surprise activity for the little ones.

More information in: https://www.festadoboi.gal/

Festa do Peixe

Bande

The Festa do Peixe of the Ourense municipality of Bande celebrates half a century this year, so its promoters are not willing to completely renounce the celebration. Last year there were less than a hundred people who were able to taste the star dish of the day in the four establishments of the town that were able to open their doors, and this time the intention is to expand the gastronomic offer and spice it up with sports competitions and activities for children. In addition, from the City Council they have been collecting photographs of the first editions for weeks to surprise the neighbors with a look at the origins of the celebration. 

They also encourage all residents to decorate their windows, balconies and shops so that during the weekend of May 28 to 30 the festive atmosphere remains very present in the streets of Bande.

More information in: https://www.facebook.com/concellodebande

Two other celebrations that should take place during this last weekend of May are the Festa do Galo de Curral de Vila de Cruces and the Festa da Troita de Ponte Caldelas, although in both cases their organizers have chosen to suspend them for the second year consecutive due to the impossibility of maintaining formats that attracted hundreds of people.

From Ponte Caldelas they have already announced that we will have to wait until 2022 to enjoy the celebration again, but in Vila de Cruces they don’t discard that the positive evolution of the pandemic will allow the events to resume this year and they are already studying the possibility of rescheduling them for the month of September.

Museum of Pilgrimages and Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

If you want to know more about the Camino de Santiago and the role it has played in the evolution of the city of Compostela, you can’t miss this museum located in the heart of the old town, opposite its famous cathedral. Created in 1951 on the initiative of Manuel Chamoso Lamas, and after several decades of instability and various vicissitudes, the museum opened its doors permanently to the public in 1996 in the headquarters of the Gothic House, a building that currently houses the technical and administrative areas and the library. In November 2015, the Praterías building was inaugurated in the former Banco de España building, remodelled by the Consorcio de Santiago according to a project by the architect Manuel Gallego Jorreto. The museum’s permanent exhibition covers the three floors of the Praterías building, guiding visitors through three thematic areas: the pilgrimage as a universal phenomenon, the Jacobean pilgrimage and the Camino de Santiago, and the birth and evolution of the city of Santiago.

Galician Educational Museum (MUPEGA)

Santiago de Compostela

This is what teaching was like in Galicia in the 19th century. If you are looking to take a trip back in time and understand how Galician education has evolved from the 19th century to EGB, you cannot miss this journey through the Galician Pedagogical Museum. Inaugurated in October 2004, the aim of this exhibition located in the San Lázaro area is to recover, protect, show and disseminate Galicia’s rich educational heritage. To this end, it has, for example, curious school objects, toys or the recreation of a classroom of the period.  

Galician Centre of Contemporary Art

Santiago de Compostela

This museum has one of the main exhibitions in Compostela and has had a clear vocation for modernity and internationality since its beginnings in 1995. Its building, designed by the prestigious Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, is a work of art in itself, creating a harmonious contrast with the neighbouring convent of San Domingos de Bonaval, home to the Museo do Pobo Galego. Inside, in addition to a programme of temporary exhibitions, there are other initiatives such as workshops given by artists, cycles of conferences, meetings with creators and critics, and incursions into the fields of music, the performing arts and cinema. All these actions are focused on the exhibition, enjoyment and knowledge of trends and currents within contemporary artistic creation. A breeding ground for new creative currents, visitors to the CGAC will find a space for creativity. 

Museum of Fine Arts of A Coruña

A Coruña

After several provisional locations, the current building of the Museum of Fine Arts was inaugurated in 1995 in the city of A Coruña. Also the work of the aforementioned architect, Manuel Gallego Jorreto, this gallery houses an extensive collection arranged chronologically and structured in various sections: painting, engraving, drawing, decorative arts, numismatics, medals and sculpture. A must-see for art lovers, this museum features works by artists of the stature of Juan de Arellano, Rubens, Urbano Lugrís, Luis Seoane, Joaquín Sorolla and Francisco Leiro, among others. The collections of engravings by Goya and Sargadelos ceramics are also of great importance.

Museum of Castro de Viladonga

Castro de Rei

This is what life was like in a castro during the Iron Age. Located between the last two walls on the southeast side of the Castro of Viladonga, in the municipality of Castro de Rei, this museum brings us closer to one of the most legendary and historically interesting archaeological treasures in Galicia. Divided into four rooms, the building is dedicated to the interpretation and explanation of the site. In addition, the exhibition houses the materials discovered in the successive excavations of the castro, a visit to which is also part of the unique experience of visiting this monument in Lugo.

O Cebreiro Ethnographic Site

O Cebreiro (Pedrafita do Cebreiro)

In the village of O Cebreiro, the entrance to Galicia on the French Way to Santiago de Compostela, the O Cebreiro Ethnographic Site offers visitors a window into the traditional atmosphere of the mountains of Lugo. The four pallozas (traditional buildings in the area) that make up the site, three of which are musealised, bring the public closer to these characteristic dwellings adapted to the harsh conditions of the mountain and to the daily life of its former inhabitants, through the exhibition of furniture and tools related to textile, agricultural and livestock work. 

Provincial Archaeological Museum of Ourense

Ourense

The headquarters of this museum, which houses a wide selection of historical-archaeological elements, is located in the old Episcopal Palace, in the heart of the historic centre of Ourense. Declared a historic-artistic monument in 1931, the building is currently under renovation. That is why the collections have been moved to two locations. Those who want to visit this collection should go on the one hand to the Santa María de Europa building, where most of the works are stored, and on the other hand, to the San Francisco Exhibition Hall, where they will find a selection of the most representative sculptures of the museum under the title “Escolma de Escultura”.

Ethnological Museum of Ribadavia

Ribadavia

Although it originally functioned as an ethnographic section of the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Ourense, today it has its own independent headquarters. It is located in the historic centre of Ribadavia, in a mansion known as Pazo de Baamonde or Casa de la Fundación. Its visitors can learn about different aspects related to the world of textiles and clothing or popular music, among other issues linked to the rural culture of the province of Ourense. In addition, it currently hosts a temporary exhibition with works from the Abrente Collection that allows to contemplate oil paintings, engravings, serigraphs and sculptures by renowned Galician artists.

Galician Wine Museum

Ribadavia

Located in the rectory house of Santo André de Camporredondo, in the heart of the Ribeiro region, the Galician Wine Museum will surprise anyone who decides to visit this monumental complex with its beauty. The architecture of this building, formerly the priory of San Martiño Pinario, responds to the historical task of making, storing and distributing wine to the city of Compostela. This museum dedicates its permanent exhibition to the dissemination of Galicia’s wine-making cultural heritage through numerous objects, tools, technical instruments and writings. Visitors can learn about the entire winemaking process, from cultivation techniques and systems to the process of obtaining this beverage. 

Massó Museum

Bueu

Housed in the industrial premises of the former Massó Hermanos cannery, in the heart of the Pontevedra municipality of Bueu, the Massó Museum takes visitors on an adventure through the ocean and the great maritime expeditions. In its rooms you will learn more about Galician fishing activities and the canning and whaling factories. In its exhibitions, this maritime and industrial heritage coexists with the erudite spirit of the collectors of the period. Navigation instruments, old documents and books, curious objects and models of historic ships are some of the items that visitors can see in this collection.

Galician Museum of the Sea

Vigo

Located in the old Alcabre-Molino de Viento canning factory in Vigo, the building that houses the Galician Museum of the Sea was designed by the Italian architect Aldo Rossi and finished by the Galician César Portela, as a mixture of avant-garde and tradition. This museum complex is made up of five refurbished warehouses, a newly constructed building also comprising five warehouses and a quay, where the aquarium and the lighthouse are located. The museum brings visitors closer to the secrets of the surprising marine world in which the nexus of all its rooms will be fishing and aquatic resources.

The link with the land where he was born is also evident in the development of the characters in such notable works as “La Colmena” and “La familia de Pascual Duarte”, and in his last texts the author did not miss the opportunity to return to his homeland. It is there where his characters deposit their cultural legacy, moving from the coasts of the Galician sea to the inland landscapes. We review the life and work of the acclaimed writer to travel, together with the protagonists of several of his novels, through some of the scenarios of a land with which he never lost his link of union. “I am, I feel and I proclaim myself to be Galician. And one is never anything by chance or with impunity”.

Tui

The border town boasts a close relationship with Cela, since the writer’s father was born there and his grandfather was mayor at the beginning of the last century. As a child, Cela spent several holiday seasons in Tui and as an adult he did not fail to return there frequently to remember those times. That is why he was named adopted son and why a street in the centre of the town is named after him, so that the memory of Cela is always present. The writer was the crier of the San Telmo festivities in 1973 and in that speech he revealed some of his memories of his childhood in Tui, as he had done previously in “La Rosa” (1959) and as he would do again in “Memorias, entendimientos y voluntades” (1993).

Vigo

Camilo José Cela spent four years of his childhood (from 1921 to 1925) living in the city of Vigo, as is recalled by the plaque that the writer himself unveiled in April 1986 in the building located at the junction of Policarpo Sanz and Velázquez Moreno streets. The plaque, made in bronze, includes a reproduction of an image of the author from his childhood, but it is not the only effigy of Cela that can be seen in Vigo. In the park located between the streets Pi y Margall and Torrecedeira, and named after the writer, there is a bust made by the sculptor Francisco Otero Besteiro, which was inaugurated in 1991.

A Coruña

A Coruña is one of the cities that appears recurrently in Cela’s work. We find it, for example, in “La familia de Pascual Duarte” (1942), when the main character travels there with the aim of emigrating to America and stays there for a year and a half living in the city and doing various jobs. It is also represented in “La cruz de San Andrés” (1994) and “Del Miño al Bidasoa” (1976). In fair correspondence, the city named one of its avenues after Cela. In addition, in the neighbourhood of Ciudad Jardín stands a mansion known by the name of Casa Felisa, which is well known for having been Cela’s residence in the early 1940s. There he was welcomed by the couple formed by a sister of his mother and the architect Eduardo Rodríguez-Losada Rebellón and it was there that “La familia de Pascual Duarte” was conceived.

Lands of Ourense

The map that welcomes the reader of “Mazurca para dos muertos” (1983) invites him to enter the geographical space where the provinces of Pontevedra, Lugo and Ourense are meeting, although two municipalities of the latter (Piñor and San Cristovo de Cea) will become the central settings for many of the episodes of the novel. Cela thus delves into the land inhabited by his ancestors through his father’s line before heading to Tui to construct a novel of manners and avant-garde at the same time as he wanders through the mountains of the area and among the centuries-old stones of the monastery of Oseira and the church of Santa María de Carballeda. The streets of the city of Ourense and the waters and legends of the Antela lagoon, in the region of A Limia, are also seen in this work for which Cela received the National Literature Prize.

Costa da Morte

If “Mazurca para dos muertos” reflects the rural world, “Madera de boj” (1999) looks at the Galician coastline to portray the people of the sea. It is a project that had been in the writer’s mind for several decades and which began to materialise in the mid-1980s, when he made the first of a long series of visits to Fisterra and the Costa da Morte. Settled in a chalet on Langosteira beach for several summers, Cela travelled from there to some of the most emblematic places of the region and immersed himself in the local and seafaring atmosphere in search of testimonies and inspiration for a work in which the story of the shipwrecks that occurred over several centuries was guiding his steps and his pages throughout the Costa da Morte: Scenarios and tragedies of Malpica, Corme, Laxe, Camariñas, Muxia, Cee or Corcubión also appear in a text whose genesis sealed the close relationship between Cela and this mythical region. As a testimony of that stage, apart from the pages of “Madera de boj”, there are still the road that leads to the beach of Langosteira, which has been baptised as Corredoira de Don Camilo, and the monolith with the bust of Cela and the commemorative plaque that can be seen at the beginning of that same beach.

Padrón

The municipality where he was born and where his mortal remains were buried is the place in Galicia where Cela’s mark is most present. There, between the landscapes of his childhood in Iria Flavia, the family home and the railway line that led his maternal grandfather, John Trulock, to settle in Galicia, his legacy is preserved. The former House of the Canons of Iria Flavia houses the headquarters of the Camilo José Cela Foundation and the Camilo José Cela Museum. “Within these stone walls, my dream of giving back to the Galician land everything it has given me has become a reality, the unmistakable sign that I have lived here.”, Cela himself said, and so it is, since the institution offers its visitors the opportunity to approach the figure of Cela through objects related to his life and work, as well as collections of paintings, drawings, newspaper archives and other diverse materials. Integrated within the museum and with the collaboration of the Fundación de Ferrocarriles Españoles, you can also visit the John Trulock Railway Museum. Historical pieces such as uniforms, a collection of lanterns or the tapestry of the company The West, as well as the recreation of a period station, an old freight wagon and a steam locomotive that will transport the visitor to the time when the company of John Trulock built the first railway line in Galicia: between Santiago de Compostela and the port of O Carril, in the Arousa estuary. In addition, opposite the museums stands the church of Santa María de Iria Flavia, in whose cemetery lies Cela’s tomb, and in the square next to the cemetery you can see the bronze bust of the writer made by the sculptor Pablo Serrano. In the centre of Padrón, another monument, the work of Manuel Ferreiro Bahía, also immortalises the author.

Twenty-five years later, the different pilgrimage routes are facing the new Holy Year with the exceptionality of its extra duration (the Jubilee has been extended to 2022) and the added challenge of overcoming the consequences of covid and resuming the successful path prior to the pandemic. So that you too can start planning your participation in this extraordinary event, we invite you to discover the different routes of the Way of St. James officially recognised by the Xunta de Galicia. 

French Way

It is the main pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and its routes extend through a large part of France before converging at the entrance to the Iberian Peninsula. The French Way is the maximum representation of those now universal sentences that refer to the route as the “main street of Europe” or that explain that “Europe was made by pilgrimage to Compostela” and was the first route to be declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, since it was the focus of that recognition achieved in 1993. This Way, which enters the Peninsula via Somport and Roncesvalles to merge into a single route shortly before Puente La Reina, is still the route chosen by most pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Primitive Way

Its very name refers us to the origins of this route and reveals its antiquity. The Primitive Way largely follows the itinerary along which King Alfonso II, the Chaste, set out from Oviedo to Galicia to visit the place where the city of Santiago de Compostela stands today, having received news from Bishop Teodomiro of the appearance of the remains of the Apostle. That journey, made at the beginning of the 9th century, was therefore the first pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James and sowed the seeds of the phenomenon that would develop over the following centuries. This route enters Galicia through A Fonsagrada and passes through the municipalities of Baleira, Castroverde, Lugo, Guntín, Friol and Palas de Rei before joining the French Way in Melide.

Northern Way

As with the Primitive Way, the Northern Way also links Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela and its popularity also dates back to the early days of the Jacobean phenomenon. In addition, both were recognised as World Heritage Sites in the extension that Unesco made in 2015 of the recognition granted in 1993. Ribadeo, in the Mariña Lucense, and Trabada, are the municipalities through which the two variants of the Northern Way enter Galicia before converging in Mondoñedo and crossing other towns full of history and art such as Vilalba and Sobrado. In Arzúa it meets the French Way and the Primitive Way.

English Way

The pilgrims who arrived by boat from England give this route its name, although over the centuries the itinerary has welcomed people arriving in Galicia from many other parts of Europe by sea. A Coruña and Ferrol, cities with a long port tradition, are nowadays the official starting points of the two routes with which the English Way starts before merging into one in Bruma (municipality of Mesía). Betanzos and Pontedeume, on the route from Ferrol, and Culleredo and Cambre, on the route from A Coruña, are some of the municipalities that pilgrims will visit on their way to Santiago, crossing bridges and visiting churches of great historical and monumental value.

Winter Way

The natural access from the Meseta to Galicia also serves as a gateway to a route that in the case of the pilgrimage to Santiago was outlined as an alternative route to avoid the snows of the highest points of the French Way. It has the singularity of being the only route of the Camino that passes through the four Galician provinces and even allows you to contemplate them at the same time, as happens from the top of Monte do Faro. Before the pilgrims, the Romans already travelled through lands where their footprint is still present. Rubiá is the first Galician municipality on this route which, after crossing the lands of Valdeorras, enters the Ribeira Sacra, crosses the region of Deza (where it joins the Silver Way) and crosses the lands of Ulla before reaching Compostela.

Silver Way

The most extensive of the pilgrimage routes within Galicia connects with the ancient Roman road that linked the present-day cities of Mérida and Astorga and owes its name to a misunderstanding. An Arabic word used to refer to the cobbled roads and not to the trade of this precious metal would be the origin of the name of this route whose trace is especially visible in the lands of Ourense. Silver Way with its different variants (Verín and Laza) crosses almost thirty municipalities in that province before entering the lands of neighbouring Pontevedra, picking up the pilgrims of the Primitive Way in Lalín and entering the province of A Coruña, close to the final goal. The lands of the entroido máxico, Allariz, Monterrei and the city of Ourense are some of the attractions of this route.

Portuguese Way

The Roman legacy is also very present in the main pilgrimage route to Santiago from Portuguese lands. The international bridge of Tui has served for almost a century and a half as an entry point into Galicia for pilgrims who formerly had to use boats to cross the waters of the river Minho. The considered as the oldest city of this community welcomes them by putting within their reach a rich history and a huge heritage and routes them north through other municipalities such as O Porriño, Redondela (where pilgrims join the variant of the coast), Pontevedra and Caldas de Reis. Before reaching Santiago they must also pass through Padrón, a key town in the Jacobean phenomenon for being the place of arrival of the boat that transferred the remains of the Apostle from the Holy Land.

Portuguese Way of the Coast

The port of A Guarda serves as the entrance to this route which, as its name indicates, follows the coastline. Its route takes pilgrims to centuries-old monuments and stunning landscapes, crossing the municipalities of Oia, Baiona and Nigrán before reaching the city of Vigo. The estuary guides the pilgrims’ steps towards the east to meet in Redondela with the Portuguese route that ascends almost in a straight line from Tui and to continue together in the direction of Compostela.

Route of the Sea of Arousa and River Ulla

The waters of the Arousa estuary and the river Ulla saw the arrival two millennia ago of the boat that brought the remains of the Apostle St. James to Galicia, and today they once again seal their relationship with the Jacobean phenomenon through a maritime and river pilgrimage route. Some twenty municipalities form part of a route that has been signposted from its shores with 17 crosses forming the only maritime Way of the Cross in the world. The forty miles that separate the entrance of the Arousa estuary from Padrón give way to another 25 kilometres on foot for those who opt for this route in their eagerness to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James.

Fisterra and Muxía Way

The list of official routes of the Camino is completed with another unique route. Unlike the previous ones, this route does not end in Compostela, but starts precisely from the city of the Apostle to allow pilgrims to visit the Costa da Morte and know two places also full of symbolism. Fisterra was already considered in Roman times as the end of the earth and its Cape was therefore a pilgrimage destination even before Compostela itself. Muxía and its famous sanctuary of Barca are intimately linked to Santiago since, according to legend, the Virgin appeared there during the Apostle’s lifetime in a stone boat to encourage him when he was evangelising the Peninsula. Ames, Negreira, Mazaricos and Santa Comba are the municipalities that pilgrims travel through before reaching Dumbría, where they must decide whether to head towards Fisterra Cape or towards the sanctuary of Muxía.

And if you want to access more detailed information on each route, its stages, attractions and particularities do not hesitate to visit the website www.caminodesantiago.gal

Four decades after this recognition, the monastery and the bridge are still two of the main tourist attractions in the Ourense municipality of Leiro, and are a reminder in stone of several centuries of history. The origins of the monastery date back to the first millennium and the agricultural development that the area was already experiencing at that time. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact date of its creation, and although the first document referring to the monastery dates from 928, experts suggest that it may have been founded three or four centuries earlier.

Its inhabitants played a fundamental role in the development of the wine industry throughout the municipality, which is why the monastery is considered to be one of the cradles of Ribeiro wine. In fact, the Caravaca Cross that can be seen on its façade has been the object of veneration by the inhabitants of the area for centuries as a symbol of protection for the vineyards against bad weather.

The monks of San Clodio came to wield great power, especially after their incorporation into the Cistercian order. The disentailment of Mendizábal put an end to this period in the 19th century and some areas of the enclosure were put to various civilian uses, such as municipal buildings, a school and even a municipal prison. However, deterioration was taking its toll on the complex and its integrity was endangered well into the last century. Its recognition as a national monument in 1981 was the first step towards a recovery that began to take shape in the 1990s and which, after a major regional restoration project, allowed it to reopen two decades ago as a four-star spa hotel. 

Its two cloisters (from the 16th and 18th centuries) are now used for weddings, banquets and other celebrations, but the memory of its former inhabitants is still present in the place. The undoubted artistic value of the complex is especially visible in its adjoining church, dedicated to Santa María and built during the first half of the 13th century. The church preserves its original style intact with few modifications, although the bell tower added at a later date and the partial enclosure of the enormous rose window that presides over the façade do stand out. The original wooden roof was also replaced in the 16th century with star-shaped vaults. Three beautiful apses form the chevet of this church, the interior of which houses some of the images that could be seen in the monastery in earlier times. 

One kilometre from the monastery and over the waters of the river Avia stands the bridge that shares the monastery’s status as a national monument. It was built during the last years of the 15th century, underwent major repairs in the first third of the 18th century and has a stone cross in its central part which, according to some scholars, was added in the 19th century. Its structure of more than 80 metres in length, formed by three large arches (the central one is 19 metres long), has allowed monks, neighbours and travellers to cross from one side of the river to the other for more than half a millennium. And this important function also meant that in 1809, during the War of Independence, it became the scene of major clashes between the opposing sides.

Nowadays, those convulsive times are long gone, and the bridge of San Clodio invites us to step on its centenary stones to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the river and complete the visit to its monastic and illustrious neighbour.

After long days of fierce fighting for control of the town, the population took refuge behind the walls of the “Ciudad Vieja” (Old City) from where they put up great resistance. The enemy would end up knocking down these walls, but when everyone thought they had succumbed, María Pita, with a lance, killed the British ensign who was trying to lead the victory and, according to legend, snatched the flag he was carrying and, shouting “He who has honour, let him follow me!” she whipped up the spirits of the people of A Coruña, making the enemy flee. María Pita thus became an undisputed protagonist of the history of A Coruña and as such, today we offer you a tour through the city focused on the role of this local heroine.

María Pita Square 

We begin our visit in the Plaza de María Pita. The centre of this 10,000 square metre rectangular square, designed in the mid-19th century, houses the sculpture dedicated to our heroine. This bronze statue is just over 3 metres high and stands on a stone pedestal that is over 5 metres high, reaching a total height of over 9 metres. The work, by the sculptor Xosé Castiñeiras, represents the heroine of A Coruña holding in one hand the lance with which she killed the English ensign and with the other, the lifeless body of her husband who died in the battle. 

Municipal Palace

This modernist building built between 1908 and 1912 occupies the northern front of the square. Inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1927, it houses the administrative offices of the City Council of A Coruña. It has three floors and an attic. Its façade of Galician ashlar masonry with a clear French Renaissance style is 64 metres long and is made up of 43 windows and 15 arches, which serve as wide arcades. Carved in white stone on the front of the building are four statues representing the four Galician provinces: A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra. On the upper part of the front we can see the city’s coat of arms and the inscription “very noble and very loyal city of La Coruña, head, guard and key, strength and antemural of the Kingdom of Galicia”. Entering the interior, the first floor houses the noble area, made up of several rooms as well as the Clock Museum and the Gallery of the Mayors. On this floor, the Mayor’s office, the councillors’ meeting rooms and the staircase of honour that connects the Mayor’s office with the Plenary Hall stand out. The first floor houses offices and offices. Finally, the attic is where the caretaker’s house used to be located. Of the three towers, the highest one houses the clock and the bells.

Galleries

Under the rest of the porticoed buildings we will find various establishments, among which we can enjoy a good coffee on their terraces or the typical Galician gastronomy in their restaurants, taking advantage of the atmosphere of this charming square.

Old City 

Leaving the solemn Plaza de María Pita behind, we will find the Old City. Characterised by its historic buildings and cobbled streets, this harmonious ensemble is well worth a visit. Living side by side with the hustle and bustle of the city, it opens a door to history. Through its buildings, now occupied by small shops, taverns and restaurants, we walk through these streets that will transport us through different historical stages from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. The old quarter of the city preserves the noble residences and mansions of the aristocratic families that inhabited the city. These include buildings such as the Palace of the Marquis of San Martín de Hombreiro; the family home of Emilia Pardo Bazán, today converted into a house-museum and which shares rooms with the Galician Royal Academy; the residence of the poet Rosalía de Castro and her husband, the writer Manuel Murguía; the Pazo de Cornide or the former mansion of the Counts of Montaos, today the headquarters of the Military Government. 

María Pita House Museum

Located at number 28 of Herrerías Street, this museum recalls the life of the illustrious heroine, whose heroic deed took place just a few metres away. The installations are divided into four rooms that offer a journey not only through the life of María Pita and the attack by the English, but also through the city of A Coruña at the time. Throughout the year, the ground floor of the house also hosts exhibitions on a variety of themes.

Religious legacy

Continuing our walk through the streets of the old town we find numerous religious buildings, among which we can highlight the Church of Santiago, probably the oldest in A Coruña; the Convent Church of Santo Domingo, which although initially built outside the walls, was rebuilt inside the Old Town in the 17th century; the Convent and the Plaza de Santa Bárbara; the Collegiate Church of Santa María do Campo or the Church of the Third Order. 

San Carlos Garden

A visit to the Garden of San Carlos is also a must. It was first built in the 14th century as a defensive castle outside the city walls, and was joined to the city in the 16th century. This garden houses the tomb of the English general John Moore, who died in 1809 defending the city from attack by the French. The park has a wide variety of native species and other exotic trees, including two centenary elms. It also offers wonderful views of the city from its viewpoint.

The fortresses

Finally, we lose ourselves amidst memories of battles and times gone by, visiting the remains of the old walled city that our brave heroine defended. The fortified remains can be seen today through the bastion of San Carlos: an old bastion that formed part of the city’s defences; and the Castle of San Antón: built in the 16th century on a small rocky island and under the orders of King Felipe II, it acquired its current configuration at the end of the 18th century. It served as a prison until the middle of the 20th century and from 1968 to the present day it has housed the Archaeological and Historical Museum.

Wenceslao Fernández Flórez Foundation 

Today, located in the building where the author spent long periods of time immersed in the creation of his works, is the homonymous foundation dedicated to the writer. The house, known as “Villa Florentina” and located at number 24, Apeadero, can be visited through the foundation. This House-Museum houses a permanent exhibition of works, personal objects, a bibliographic collection and period utensils belonging to the author. In addition, the entity organises numerous cultural activities related to music, theatre or literature, as well as literary routes that offer the opportunity to immerse oneself in the surroundings of the charming landscape that inspired the author to write his work.

Fraga de Cecebre, the true enchanted forest

“The fraga is a tapestry of life pressed against the wrinkles of the earth; in its caves it sinks, in its hills it rises, in its plains it evens out. It is all life…” (Fragment from El Bosque Animado – Wenceslao Ferández Flórez). In the parish of Cecebre (Cambre), the steps of Fernández Flórez through the forest transport us to that dream location where the adventures of Geraldo and his beloved Hermelinda, Pilara and her mistress Juanita Arruallo, the bandit Fendetestas or the mole Furacroyos took place. It won’t take much to realise that the Fraga de Cecebre is not just a forest: its trees, fauna and enormous biodiversity contain a world of their own, full of magic, in which it is very easy to get carried away.  Although its dimensions are smaller than when Fernández Flórez wrote his work, its great density, formed by willows, chestnut trees, carballos, holly trees and bushes of guaranteed greenery, mean that we only have to enter among its trees to be able to perceive in all its essence that fairytale forest.

Cecebre reservoir route

This circular route of 14 km surrounds the reservoir passing through the municipalities of Cambre, Abegondo and Carral, there is also the possibility of doing the route in small linear sections. The reservoir was built in 1975 to supply the city of A Coruña and its metropolitan area with water from the rivers Mero and Barcés. In its depths are the remains of the 17th century Pazo de Santa Ana and the 18th century Pazos de Borreiros and Folgoso, which can be seen in the dry season when the water level is lower. Its great autochthonous diversity gives this area the distinction of Biosphere Reserve of Mariñas Coruñesas e Terras do Mandeo, placing it also within the Natura 2000 Network. 

Bird observatory

Bird lovers will also find in the Cecebre reservoir a point of ornithological interest, since throughout the year, more than 45 different species nest in its surroundings. In this environment you can see different varieties of ducks, herons, waders and grebes, as well as some species of gulls and birds of prey. Among the fauna of this natural space we can also observe other animals such as otters or several species of amphibians, some of which are endemic to this area.

Peirao Mill

Following the course of the river Mero we also find the Peirao Mill. Although it is a private house, it is worth visiting this modernist style building which houses an old stone mill. It is made up of an exterior vertical wheel and two cogwheels that serve for the circular movement of the millstone. The Peirao mill is the only mill of these characteristics still in use in the area. In the surrounding area you will also find a picnic area and an place suitable for bathing, ideal for enjoying a day of leisure in a natural setting.

Although that was not an easy one, as shown by the modifications that are visible in several points of its walls. In fact, the very existence of the Wall was endangered at various points in its history. Its possible demolition to facilitate the growth of the city, as happened in other towns, was the subject of intense debate during the 19th century, which was happily resolved in favour of conservation.

The scars of the struggle between those who did not see it possible to reconcile progress and heritage conservation and those who defended the importance of respecting history and monuments are still visible. Among these scars, the Bishop Odoario gateway occupies a prominent place. Its opening in the 1920s was precisely what marked the turning point for the protection of the Wall and its subsequent enhancement. 

Ángel López Pérez, mayor of the city in four different periods between 1905 and 1931, carried out the project to open this access with the aim of facilitating transit to the new hospital of Santa María. He followed in the footsteps of similar initiatives undertaken in previous decades to also provide access to other newly created facilities: the train station, through the Station Door (opened in 1875, but rebuilt in 1921); the prison, through the Campo Castelo or Bishop Izquierdo Door (opened in 1887), and the seminary, through the Bishop Aguirre Door (1894).

At the beginning of 1921, coinciding with the laying of the first stone of the Santa María hospital centre, which today houses part of the offices of the Provincial Council of Lugo, Ángel López ordered the dynamiting of the nearest section of the wall in order to build the new passageway. However, the action was met with rejection from the local residents and a complaint that ended up in the courts, as the proper legal channels had not been followed to act in this way on the wall. That legal process was not enough to repair the damage, and although the project was prolonged for several years, finally, in 1928, the last of the accesses opened in the millenary enclosure was inaugurated: the Bishop Odoario Gate.

But the opposition that this new action aroused and the commotion it caused hastened the process for the Spanish government to approve the declaration of the Lugo Wall as a national monument, a process that had begun several years earlier, but which had not progressed at the pace desired by those in favour of protecting the monument. The official agreement was finally adopted on 16 April 1921. Since then, with the exception of occasional work on the existing gates, the structure of the Wall has remained intact and projects have even been undertaken to remove part of the constructions that had grown up around it over the centuries. Nowadays, the Wall is not only a symbol of Lugo, but it has also become a meeting and leisure point for the locals who walk along its parapet and for the tourists who come to the city attracted by its monumentality.