Castroverde (Lugo) (0)

Did you know that... Castroverde

It's the capital of the municipality of the same name and is part of the parish of Vilariño in the center of the province of Lugo. Castroverde is situated at the foot of the Alto da Bacariza, in a natural pass between Mount A Lomba on its left and that of O Castelo, in the heart of the biosphere reserve, being an obligatory pass of the Primitive Way. The history of Castroverde, old Santiago Vilariño, and its primitive population settlements go back even before the time of the galician castro, then romanized, which would be those who gave it its name, which would not be official until the nineteenth century when it definitively replaced Santiago Vilariño. The first written document of this area dates from the late Middle Ages, when Alfonso III El Magno refers to Silo and the battle fought by him and his troops, on Mount Cubeiro, against the Galician nobles who refused to recognize him as sovereign.

A little more history

These documents refer to the place as Castrum de Vallis Viridis and were written in the fortress that dominated the town, which may have been the beginning of one of the eleven suevos counties of Galicia, Flammoso. Castroverde, former capital of "Terra de Luaces" was the lordship of the House of Lemos, which built walls of which only a few canvases remain, and built the Tower of Homage. In the 16th century they sold town, fortress and land to the Counts of Altamira to whom they belonged until the 18th century. A warden appointed by them was in charge of their government. There are writings from the year 1343 that refer to the route of the Way through the place and the existence of two important hospitals for pilgrims and lepers, that of Pilgrims of Castroverde that had its own chapel dedicated to San Lázaro and that of Pilgrims of San Bartolomé. In the 19th century Castroverde was the scene of Carlist confrontations. Today it is a coquettish town that reminisces about the past and looks to the future.

To discover What to see in Castroverde?

The historic or old centre of Castroverde revolves around a square where the parish church dedicated to Santiago, built in the 20th century on top of a previous temple, is located. Inside it keeps baroque altarpieces, such as the Concepción, which comes from the chapel in the fortress, from where it was also the image of the Virxe do Camiño or Virxe do Castelo, work of the seventeenth century and restored in 1955. In front of the temple you can see what has become a symbol of this Jacobean route, A Fonte dos Nenos, a sculpture that represents a group of children taking refuge, under a bronze umbrella, from the rain created by the water that flows from the fountain. The town hall is also located in the square. Above the hillock that shelters Castroverde stands the famous 14th century Tower of the Homenaxe of the Castle of Castroverde, unquestionable emblem of the town, historical memory of the disappeared Castle of Castroverde. The tower maintains its defensive structures, battlements, matacanes and displays the stately coats of arms. In the door of the tower, as a perpetual guardian, you can see the representative image of a warrior.

Festivities

Castroverde celebrates Santiago on July 25, in April celebrates the Feast of Grandparents and the Feast of Youth is at the end of December. It also celebrates the Martes de Entroido, carnival.

Traditions

In Castroverde it is celebrated the first and third Sunday of every month and since the XVIII century, a traditional fair where the products and agricultural tools, the pigs and the rich sausages and meats that are obtained from it, besides baskets, clogs, hats and handicrafts, coexist in a typical fairground with its traditional "pendellos", stone stalls, and in the shade of centenary trees, with pulperías that offer the rich octopus to feira accompanied by the broth obtained from the fertile vineyards of this land.

Curiosities

The Valiña cave in the municipality of Castroverde is the only archaeological site in Galicia in which bones, stones and even a azagaia point have appeared, documenting the hunting activity, in the area, of the man from the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic.

The Legend

Legend has it that the goat and the bread on Castroverde's coat of arms are a reminder of the event that took place during the Muslim siege of the inhabitants of Lugo. It is said that when the food within the walls of Lugo was already weak, one of the old counts of Flammoso managed to enter with food and at the same time devised a stratagem to raise the site. When the Moors, thinking that victory was near, saw bread and goats thrown at them from inside the wall so that they could celebrate their feast, they took it for granted that the siege had been useless and that it was better to leave. They did so by taking the road to Castroverde where the troops of the Lord of Castroverde cut off their retreat and defeated them.