This post is based primarily on
Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our Camino in 2016.
When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers
or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).
Most of the photos that accompany
this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was
taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of
the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain
Wikimedia Commons) indicate that source in the caption.
We
went to the breakfast buffet at Hotel
Colón around 8:15 am.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016, 9:17 AM – Tui: Hotel Colón – view from our window,
to right, with hórreo at far right in
distance.
9:17 AM – Tui: Hotel Colón – view from our window,
to right, with hórreo (see red
circle) at right in distance.
9:17 AM – Tui: Hotel Colón – view from our window of
that hórreo (mixed wood and stone)
with cross and pinnacle finials on roof peak (telephoto 343 mm).
9:17 AM – Tui: Hotel Colón – view from our window
of that hórreo with cross and pinnacle
finials on roof peak (telephoto 624 mm). (This was the first time Don knew the
extreme telephoto capability of his new Nikon camera, versus max 360 mm for old
Kodak camera.)
9:18 AM – Tui: Hotel Colón – view from our window,
to left, of large white building with (all-stone) hórreo in front of it.
9:18 AM – Tui: Hotel Colón – view from our window,
to left, of large white building with (all-stone) hórreo (see red circle) in front of it.
9:18 AM – Tui: Hotel Colón – view from our window,
to left, with (all-stone) hórreo with
cross finials at ends of tile roof (there may be a third gable with finial on
the other side of the hórreo) (telephoto
218 mm).
We
departed the hotel at 9:30. However, we did not retrace our steps from the
previous evening back into the old (upper) city to follow the marked Camino
route, which would exit through the Túnel de las Monxas and wind down to Calle
Obispo Lago.
Instead,
we headed east on Rúa Colón, which turned into Rúa Augusto González Beseda, to
the Iglesia de San Francisco. The
church was open, but there was no sello
in sight.
9:35 AM –
Tui: Iglesia de San Francisco – view from rear of nave to main altar in apse
(unfortunately blurred).
For description of Iglesia de San Francisco, particularly
the interior, see
Then
we turned right on Rúa Corredera and left on Calle Obispo Lago, which took us
onto the Camino route. From there, the route was well marked with yellow arrows
and scallop shells (in Spain, the rays of the shell typically pointed which way
to go, a standard that had not been observed in Portugal).
On
the outskirts of Tui, we came to the Iglesia
de San Bartolomé de Rebordáns, with a cruceiro
(cross) near it.
9:51 AM – Tui: Cruceiro
near Iglesia de San Bartolomé de Rebordáns, silhouette shows both sides of
cross at top Crucified Christ and Pieta).
San
Bartolomé de Rebordáns (also known simply as Rebordáns or Rebordanes) is a
parish (pop. 1,198) in the municipality of Tui.
An imposing, finely carved
18th-century cruceiro, dating from 1770, rises beside the church, in the
Praza San Bartolomé. Among other allegories on the column are figures of San
Pedro (St. Peter) and San Bartolomé (St. Bartholomew). Represented on the cross
at the top are the crucified Christ on one side and the pieta (Virgin with her
dead son) on the other.
9:51 AM – Tui: Cruceiro
near Iglesia de San Bartolomé de Rebordáns – side with pieta at top, other
figures on shaft (St. Peter on right, with a large key) – and bandstand in
Praza San Bartolomé.
9:51 AM – Tui: MT approaching Iglesia de San
Bartolomé de Rebordáns - bell tower and façade; information panel to left of
gate and yellow arrow on corner of wall at right pointing the way of the Camino.
The Iglesia de San Bartolomé de Rebordáns (Church of St. Bartholomew of
Rebodáns) is located on the outskirts of the city of Tui, about 920 meters (in
a straight line) from the Cathedral of Tui, in the neighborhood of San
Bartolomé. In Roman times, the mansio
(stopover) known as Tude, located here, served as a resting place for users of
the Roman road, Via Romana XIX.
The church stands on what was a 5th-century
necropolis (cemetery) along the Via Romana XIX. At first, it was a monastic
church of the Benedictines (until 1225) and later with the Augustinians until
the 15th century. During the 11th and 12th centuries, it was the seat of the
Tudenese bishops and therefore served as the cathedral of Tui. The current
church replaced another pre-Romanesque one, probably Visigothic. In the 18th
century, the western facade was replaced by the current Neoclassical one. The
mural painting of the apse dates from the 16th century and corresponds to the
workshop of the Serveira family of Tui.
This church was already an
episcopal seat during the Suevi (Swabian) domination (409-585). When the
Visigothic king Leovigildo seized the Swabian Kingdom in 585, he persecuted the
Catholic Bishop Neúfila, who had his seat here, while he installed the Arian
Bishop Gardingo on the cathedral hill in Tui. In the 11th and 12th centuries,
it was again the episcopal seat, since Tui had been plundered by Norman
attacks. After these attacks, in 1071, the Tudenese bishops returned to have
their seat in this monastery until the Catedral de Santa María in Tui could be
restored. Architectural elements of the Romanesque reform in the second half of
the 11th century are the fruit of the presence of the episcopal see, works that
would remain unfinished due to the beginning of works on the Cathedral on the
hill of Santa María.
Tui: Iglesia de San
Bartolomé de Rebordáns - bell tower and façade
Its archaic appearance makes it
different from the rest of the churches in Galicia, since most of its structure
is from the 11th century. Only its central apse, remade in the 12th century “in
the usual way” is out of tune with its general style.
The church was built with the
usual raw material of Galicia: granite. This contributes to the unique and
lasting style of these buildings, although it is difficult to achieve
sculptures with quality finishes. The apses are flat, in Visigothic tradition,
with the exception of the central one, redone in the 12th century in
semicircular shape. The western façade is more modern.
9:51 AM – Tui: Sign by gate in front of church for
“Iglesia de San Bartolomé de Rebordáns” with text in Spanish only, which
translates:
“This
church is located on the outskirts of the city, and in its surroundings there
was an important Roman settlement. The temple itself is over [what was] an
imperial [Roman] necropolis. This church, with its monastery (at first
Benedictine and later under the rule of St. Augustine, and that existed until
the 15th century), was the seat of the Tudenese bishops in the 11th and 12th
[centuries].
“This
temple replaced a previous pre-Romanesque one, which some argue was Visigothic,
but the current structure corresponds to the late 11th or early 12th century,
in a very primitive phase of Romanesque in Galicia. Later reforms of the 12th
century already have the influence of the Cathedral of Santiago. In the 18th
century, its Romanesque façade was superseded by the current one.
“The
most valuable [parts] of the temple are the stories capitals that are preserved
from the first building, [in which] we can contemplate the decapitation of St.
John the Baptist and the supper of Herod, and various scenes with animals full
of symbolism.
“Also
noteworthy are the mural paintings of the apse, which date from the 16th
century and represent various scenes from the Passion of Christ and which
correspond to the workshop of the Tudenese painters of the Serveira family.”
Most
of this day’s Camino route was along quiet country roads and woodland paths that
follow the valley of the Río Louro.
Soon, we came to the Ponte da Veiga.
Soon, we came to the Ponte da Veiga.
9:59 AM – After Tui: Ponte da Veiga medieval
bridge, with picnic area in right foreground and part of the modern pilgrim
sculpture at far left.
The Ponte da Veiga (Bridge of the Fertile Plain), also known more
completely as Ponte da Veiga do Louro
(Bridge of the Fertile Plain of the Louro), although popularly known as Ponte
Romana (Roman Bridge), is in fact a medieval bridge that possibly replaced a
Roman one that crossed the Río Louro and was part in the infrastructure of the
Via Romana XIX. The bridge, in the parish of Rebordáns, rises on the river
terrace, the Vera del Louro, a few hundred meters from the mouth of the Louro
onto the Río Miño.
After domination by the Romans,
Swabians, and Muslims, when Tui became a diocese and provincial capital of the
Kingdom of Galicia, in the 11th and 12th centuries, the best stonemasons would
have been involved in construction there. However, despite that and the fact
that the route of the increasingly popular Camino Portugués passed over the
Louro here, the state of this bridge causes perplexity. The old Roman bridge
was reconstructed as a medieval work with a cluster of imperfections that are
not observed in other bridges of the 11th-12th centuries in the area, that were
presumably built by Galician masters and stonemasons. It has a granite base
with a rather disorganized surface in the upper area. It has almost a flat
gradient, with the road surface straight and then slightly curved. It has four arches,
two of irregular semicircle, followed by one pointed, and the last one ogival.
Its sloping terrain, winding profile, and roughness of appearance or
alternating shapes and sizes of arches provide a very unique, medieval image.
10:00 AM – After Tui: modern sculpture of pilgrim
near Ponte da Veiga medieval bridge (in background).
MT 10:02 AM – After Tui: Don standing in modern
sculpture of pilgrim near Ponte da Veiga medieval bridge.
10:00 AM – After Tui: modern sculpture of pilgrim
near Ponte da Veiga medieval bridge (in background).
10:02 AM – After Tui: modern sculpture of pilgrim
(from other side, in sun) near Ponte da Veiga medieval bridge.
10:02 AM – After Tui: modern marker post for Via
Romana XIX near Ponte da Veiga medieval bridge.
10:02 AM – After Tui: view across surface of Ponte
da Veiga medieval bridge.
However,
the marked Camino route no longer crosses this bridge.
We
soon left the parish of Rebodáns and entered the parish of Ribadelouro.
Ribadelouro (meaning Bank
of the Louro), also known as Santa Comba de Ribadelouro, is a parroquia (parish, pop. 900) in the northernmost
part of the municipality of Tui. This area has been inhabited since Paleolithic
times. In the earliest documentary record, this parish was cited by the name of
its patron, Santa Comba.
Soon
after entering the parish of Ribadelouro, the Camino route briefly left the
paved road we would follow most of this day and entered a densely wooded section.
There, we came to the Cruceiro de San
Telmo and Ponte de San Telmo in
an isolated glade on the forest path. We stopped there for 15 minutes for water
and ate 2 bananas.
10:51 AM – After Tui: Cruceiro de San Telmo, with other
granite posts and metal box for prayers near Ponte de San Telmo medieval bridge;
to left of prayer box is the granite signpost cited below.
The Puente de San Telmo (Ponte
de San Telmo in Galego, Bridge of St. Telmo) crosses the small Río San
Simón, near where it empties into Río Louro. It is also known as Puente de las Febres (Ponte das Febres in
Galego, Bridge of the Fevers), since San Telmo fell mortally ill with fevers (perhaps
malaria) here in 1251 on his way to a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela; he
was taken back to the city of Tui, where he died. In memory of this event there
is a stone cruceiro (cross) near the
bridge and a stone marker with the Spanish inscription “Caminante, aquí enfermó
de muerte San Telmo in Abril de 1251. Pidele que hable con Dios a favor tuyo”
(Wayfarer [literally Walker], here San Telmo became mortally ill in April 1251.
Ask him to speak with God for your favor).” Between the cruceiro and stone marker is a metal box where pilgrims can leave
prayer requests for the saint.
The bridge has a single semicircular
arch of old stone ashlars, which was once an exemplary work of the Portuguese
Baroque architectural style in Galicia. At the end of the 20th century, the
Xunta de Galicia placed a wooden walkway over the upper part of the bridge so
that pilgrims can cross over the Río San Simón here.
See blog for September 19 for
more on Blessed Peter González,
sometimes referred to as Pedro González Telmo, Saint Elmo, or Saint Telmo (San Telmo in Spanish or Galego).
MT 10:54 AM – After Tui: granite signpost near
Cruceiro de San Telmo and Ponte de San Telmo with inscription in Spanish:
“Caminante, aquí enfermó de muerte San Telmo in Abril de 1251. Pidele que hable
con Dios a favor tuyo” (Wayfarer [literally Walker], here San Telmo became
mortally ill in April 1251. Ask him to speak with God for your favor).”
10:53 AM – After Tui: MT where we stopped for
water and bananas near Ponte de San Telmo (in background).
10:53 AM – After Tui: Ponte de San Telmo, covered
by wooden walkway, with yellow arrow on post at near end of bridge and a
standard Galician Camino marker post on the far bank.
10:53 AM (Cropped) – After Tui: Ponte de San Telmo, covered by
wooden walkway, with standard Galician Camino marker post (see red circle) on
the far bank.
Another photo on the Internet appears
to show the same Camino marker post for “P.K. 108.692.”
10:52 AM – After Tui: pilgrims near Galician
Camino marker post at far end of Ponte de San Telmo, covered by wooden walkway
(telephoto 81 mm).
After
the cruceiro and bridge, the path returned
to the asphalt road.
11:13 AM – Ribadelouro: all-stone hórreo, with no finials on roof.
11:13 AM – Ribadelouro: man with sheep on our
paved path.
11:14 AM – Ribadelouro: stone hórreo, with brick sides (with vents in stone beam above bricks and
stone column between sections of bricks) and no finials on roof (telephoto 156
mm).
11:15 AM – Ribadelouro: another hórreo, with wooden slat sides (vents in
stone elements above and below wooden slats) and finials (cross and pinnacle)
on roof (mild telephoto 63 mm).
11:17 AM – Ribadelouro: delivery slot for “Pan”
(bread) in wall in front of house.
11:31 AM – Ribadelouro: MT by sign pointing to bar
where we got sellos.
We
got sellos and a bottle of water (€1)
at a bar in Ribadelouro.
Ribadelouro: sello for “Comisión de Fiestas Sta. María Magdalena [Commission of
the Feasts of St. Mary Magdalene], C.I.F. [Certificado de Identificación Fiscal
= tax identification certificate or VAT (Value Added Tax) number]:
G-36.194.157, Ribadelouro – Tui.”
The Fiesta(s) de Santa María Magdalena (Feast(s) of St. Mary Magdalene)
is celebrated in late July in the parroquia
(parish) of Ribadelouro, in the municipality of Tui. These 4 days of
festivities in honor of the patron saint of the parish follow the official
feast day of the saint (July 22). This saint was known as an advocate against
malarial fevers, and this marshy place was propitious for spreading that
disease.
11:32 AM – Ribadelouro: Centro Cultural de
Ribadelouro building with bar in it.
11:33 AM – Ribadelouro: hórreo in disrepair, with wooden slat sides and finials on roof
(mild telephoto 63 mm).
11:33 AM – Ribadelouro: nearby, another hórreo in disrepair, with brick sides
and no roof; blue arrow on utility post may be for Fátima (telephoto 187 mm).
Before
the village of Orbenlle, the Camino route came to the Ponte de Orbenlle medieval bridge.
11:40 AM – Before Orbenlle: Ponte de Orbenlle.
The Puente de Orbenlle (Ponte de
Orbenlle in Galego) over the Río
Louro has a single arch, which is slightly pointed, and a surface of large
stone slabs (like a Roman bridge). This 13th-century bridge is also known as
Puente Nova (New Bridge) or Puente de la Magdalena (Bridge of the Magdalene).
There is a wooden sign, next to the “P.K. 106.307” Camino marker (typically Galician),
that identifies it as “Ponte de Orbenlle,” in the “Concello de O Porriño” on
the “Camino de Santiago.”
Orbenlle: Ponte de Orbenlle - surface of large stone slabs
11:44 AM – Still before Orbenlle: wooded path
ahead.
Orbenlle is a village
(pop. 143) in the parish of San Salvador de Budiño (pop. 1,985) in the municipality
of O Porriño. The parish, also known simply as Budiño or San Salvador, is in
the most southern part of the municipality.
Before
the original Camino path reached the village of Orbenlle, we came to a large mural on a wall in the woods.
11:49 AM – Still before Orbenlle: at junction in
woods - MT with large mural of the Pórtico de la Gloria (Portico of Glory), sculpted
by Master Mateo, at the main entrance of the Santiago Cathedral and smaller
mural of a statue of Santiago Peregrino on the west façade of that cathedral,
above the Pórtico de la Gloria (the paintings were so realistic that we first
thought they were photos); the larger mural behind those panels shows other
parts of the cathedral; the Camino marker post is for “P.K. 106.048.”
11:49 AM – Still before Orbenlle: sign at that
junction in woods; labeled “Camiño Portugués” on the side margin; text in
Galego only translates (roughly) as:
“At
this point the path of the [greas ?] is crossed by the Portuguese Way that goes
from Tui to Santiago. After the episcopal city, this road goes to O Porriño
passing by the Capela da Virxe do Camiño [Chapel of the Virgin of the Camino],
which guards the image of the Virxe do Leite [Virgin of the Milk], protector of
[herios ?] and pilgrims, opening onto the Río Louro, attaches itself to the o
Porriño camino of Redondela. In the distance stand out the [poldras ?] for
avoiding the [enchoupadas ?] zones, some pieces of the traditional
architecture. Also there are [sallientables ?] old bridges such as that of the
Magdalene and small bridges full of grace to history such as that of the Fevers
or San Telmo. This way, very harmonized by distant [laxeados ?], walls or
crosses, [discorre ?] by the exceptional natural landscape of the [souto ?] of
the riverside of the Río Louro.”
11:51 AM – Still before Orbenlle: giant murals at
that junction in woods; articles from the newspaper Faro de Vigo about this place are on the wall to the right of the
(painted) staircase.
11:50 AM – Still before Orbenlle: at that junction
in woods; articles from the newspaper Faro
de Vigo [Lighthouse of Vigo] about this place.
11:50 AM (Cropped) – Still before Orbenlle: at
that junction in woods; front page of 3 August 2016 issue of the newspaper Faro de Vigo with the headline “El
Pórtico de la Gloria de Porriño: Un mural del pintor Xai Óscar recibe a los
peregrinos en Orbenlle.”
A Google search found this
article at http://www.farodevigo.es/comarcas/2015/08/02/portico-gloria-porrino/1289119.html – Spanish text
translates as:
“Porriño’s Portico of Glory
“A mural by the painter Xai Óscar receives the pilgrims in Orbenlle”
“The painter Xai Óscar of Vigo
wanted, through his passion, to pay homage both to the town that saw him born
and to the pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago, which for years he watched in
front of his grandparents’ house in Orbenlle. Therefore, he decided to
materialize an idea that matured in his head for months: painting the Pórtico
de la Gloria of Mateo and displaying it on a wall of the family home.
“‘My grandparents’ house is
located on a stretch of the Portuguese Way, and from there I witnessed for
years the passage of pilgrims with whom I had comforting conversations since
walkers always have a smile on their face despite physical fatigue,’ says Xai
Óscar.”
Photo caption: “Xai Óscar, in
front of his mural on the Camino de Santiago.”
“Thus, the painter wanted to give
pilgrims the beauty of the art of the sculptor Mateo, ‘ahead of time,’ and
install a 9-square-meter mural on the wall of his family home and convert the
home that saw him grow up into a space to share art.
“After a visit to Santiago to
observe the delicacy of the work of Mateo, Xai went to work for almost four
months and developed a project for the people, ‘this picture is for pilgrims
and people, is exposed outdoors, like the pilgrims, with the dangers that this
entails, but I assumed them from the beginning; if unfortunately someone would
break it or manipulate it, I will repair it again; it is a work for people,’
says the painter.
“A special oil protects the paint
from the inclemencies of the weather, although in the hardest months of winter,
Xai will remove it and, instead, another painting will remain on the surface of
the family wall and on which he is already working.
“The wall of the house that hosts
the superimposed mural is 100 meters long, a whole canvas that Xai seeks to
decorate with his works, ‘my dream is to make a museum outdoors,’ he says. Thus,
Orbenlle puts its name on the Portuguese Way to advance the Pórtico de la
Gloria a few kilometers.
“Xai assured that the
installation of the mural-painting was not easy. There was a sign on the wall
of the house, so he had to overcome several obstacles to be able to remove it.
‘I went through bad times but finally we have the expected result thanks to the
help of Rafael Sánchez Bargiela, Managing Director of the Sociedad de Gestión
del Xacobeo [Jacobean Management Company].’
“Xai Óscar dreams of continuing
to decorate the façade of his grandparents’ home with works for the public
that, with a cleaning and tidying of the plaza adjacent to part of the town
hall, would create a pleasant transit space and tourist interest, ‘an
improvement in the square would benefit everyone,’ he adds.”
11:50 AM (Cropped) – Still before Orbenlle: at
that junction in woods; front page of 5 August 2016 issue of Faro de Vigo with photo with caption
beginning with “El Pórtico de Orbenlle.”
The front page of the 5 August 2016 issue has
a photo with a caption beginning with “El Pórtico de Orbenlle.” Since this was
not available online, the following translation is based on the text in Don’s
photo, which is partly obscured by reflections:
“The Portico of Orbenlle. Indeed, in a first and rapid [glance?] [it]
makes us mistakenly believe we are in front of the Pórtico de la Gloria. It is
true that those who pose are Galician pilgrims, but it is no more than the
great [artistic?] work of the painter Xai Óscar (in the center) in front of the
wall of his house with this … Pórtico like … to which he later added other
scenes in later works. And it is that his house is on the Camino de Santiago
Portugués, at half the distance between Tui and Porriño, in the neighborhood of
Orbenlle. Already [you see?] that Xai is a realist who paints in a magic mode.”
At
the junction with the mural, we met a Spanish man, from Pontevedra, who had
lived in Portugal and had started his camino that morning in Valença. He had
had two back surgeries and a heart attack last year. He would travel at about
our same pace for some time. He took photos of us and the mural with MT’s
iPhone.
MT 11:49 AM – Still before Orbenlle: at junction
in woods - MT and Don with large mural of the Pórtico de la Gloria (Portico of
Glory) at the main entrance of the Santiago Cathedral and smaller mural of a
statue of Santiago Peregrino on the west façade of that cathedral, above the
Pórtico de la Gloria; the larger mural behind those panels shows other parts of
the cathedral; the Camino marker post is for “P.K. 106.048.” (Our friend from
Pontevedra took this photo.)
MT 11:49 AM – Still before Orbenlle: at junction in
woods - MT and Don with part of large mural of the Pórtico de la Gloria (Portico
of Glory) at the main entrance of the Santiago Cathedral and smaller mural of a
statue of Santiago Peregrino on the west façade of that cathedral, above the
Pórtico de la Gloria; the larger mural behind those panels shows other parts of
the cathedral (our friend from Pontevedra took this photo).
At
this point, before reaching the village of Orbenlle, we had the option of an alternative Camino route, which began
150 meters to the left of the Pórtico de la Gloria mural, versus the old road
route continues to the right, into the village of Orbenlle and on through the
industrial area of O Porriño. The man from Pontevedra convinced MT to go that
way because the original was dangerous, on the highway and through an
industrial area (including a Citroen plant). When Don had told her about this
option at breakfast, she didn’t want the extra distance.
In the vicinity of Orbenlle,
since 2013, there has been the start of a scenic alternative route, created by the Asociación Galega de Amigos do
Camiño de Santiago (AGACS), that avoids following the N-550 highway into O
Porriño and passing through the town’s infamous industrial area (Polígono
Industrial) and is only 500 meters longer (Brierley says it is 1 km longer and
several Internet sources say 500m, but a sign showed the difference more like 2
km). The association felt that today’s pilgrims deserved a “better Camino.”
Their alternative takes pilgrims along the beautiful Louro valley instead and
follows the Old Royal Way (Vello Camiño Real) from Tui to Vigo (Camiño Real
Tui-Vigo), where walkers encounter vineyards, cruceiros (crosses), chapels and other historic points. The
alternative begins 300 meters after the P.K. 106.048 Camino marker post; the
entrance to the new path is on the left.
This variant slightly descends
from dense vegetation to the ford of Ponte Baranco, over the Louro, and then
crosses a winter pass. From this point, a dirt road between vineyards and
woodland reaches an asphalt track, which runs through the parroquia (parish) of San Xurxo de Mosende, visiting the villages
of Monte, Vides, and Cruceiro. Another winter pass, known to the residents as the
Paso de Botate (Pass of Botate), flows into a terrous (dirt?) path. Later, a
local track accesses the parish of Santiago de Pontellas next to the houses of
Centeáns. Here, a “cruz dos mortos” (cross[ing] of the dead) leads to a
magnificent cruceiro (cross), as well
as the Quinta do Adro or da Inquisición (Manor House of Adro or the
Inquisition), where the track separates from the Camino Real. A local road with
a lane for pedestrians and cyclists leads from this point to the path that
follows the Río Louro.
We
decided to take the alternative route.
11:55 AM – Alternate route from Orbenlle: old wooden
hórreo, overgrown with vines (mild
telephoto 56 mm).
11:55 AM – Alternate route from Orbenlle: side
view and other end of that wooden hórreo,
overgrown with vines (mild telephoto 38 mm).
11:58 AM – Alternate route from Orbenlle: granite post
(pink from O Porriño) at end of row of grapevines in vineyard.
Soon,
we got our first view of the famous pink
granite quarries of O Porriño,
11:58 AM – Alternate route from Orbenlle: first
view of pink granite quarries of O Porriño (telephoto 284 mm).
We
began to see so many hórreos that, after a while, Don
would have to get more selective in his photo taking. Our friend from
Pontevedra said these were for storing potatoes and corn.
12:01 PM – Near O Porriño: another hórreo (stone with brick sides) with no
finials on roof (telephoto 218 mm).
12:02 PM – Near O Porriño: another hórreo (stone with brick sides) with
pinnacle and cross finials on roof.
12:03 PM – Near O Porriño: end view of same hórreo (stone with brick sides) with
cross and pinnacle finials on roof.
When
we reached Bar Laguna, in the
village of Os Eidos, there was another
option for taking either the
alternative route or the original route toward the industrial area; we chose
the former.
12:06 PM – Os Eidos: Bar Laguna with sign giving
option of “alterntiva” route to left or “original” to right (mild telephoto 63
mm).
Os
Eidos
(meaning “the fields” in Galego) is a village in the parroquia (parish) of Atios in the municipality of O Porriño. It is
located just north of Orbenlle, which is in the parish of San Salvador de
Budiño, also in the municipality of O Porriño. Aside from Bar Laguna, there is
a Restaurante Orbenlle in Os Eidos.
12:16 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: gravel
path in woods.
12:26 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: hórreo with brick sides; pinnacle and
cross finials on roof. (Don also saw a small one like this that was probably a
dog house.)
12:28 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: MT
taking photo (which she must have deleted) of pink granite wall around house.
12:30 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: MT
and another pilgrim on stone path above mud and water on trail; yellow arrow at
left.
12:43 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: crossing
bridge over AP-9 highway.
After
crossing over the AP-9 highway, the alternative route followed asphalt roads.
12:54 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: fence
of vertical granite slabs around vineyard.
12:58 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: another
hórreo (all stone with vents on sides
and ends, no finials on roof (telephoto 119 mm).
1:00 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: another
hórreo (stone with bricks on sides and
stone vents between brick sections, cross and pinnacle finials on roof
(telephoto 119 mm).
1:01 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: another
granite slab wall.
1:04 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: purple
sign for “parroquia de Pontellas” (pointing off Camino route to right); green
sign from “Concello do Porriño” (Municipality of O Porriño) with coat of arms
of municipality, pointing to Centeáns in Parroquia de Pontellas (to left), or
to Parroquia de Mosende (straight ahead); white sign (pointing to the left) for
“Campo de Fútbol de San Campio” (Soccer Field of San Campio [another village in
Parroquia de Pontellas]); behind the signs is another fence of vertical granite
slabs.
1:10 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: sign (from
“Concello do Porriño” [Municipality of O Porriño] with coat of arms of
municipality) for “San Andrés” in Parroquia de Pontellas.
1:12 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: MT and
other pilgrims on asphalt road.
1:35 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: another
glimpse of quarries of O Porriño, this time from the northwest (telephoto 156
mm).
1:35 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: MT and
more granite posts by cornfield.
MT 1:37 PM – Alternative route after Os Eidos: close-up
of pink granite post by cornfield.
1:39 PM – Alternative route after Os
Eidos: all-stone hórreo with vents on
sides and ends, cross finial and illegible word (probably family name) on near
end (near mansion).
1:41 PM – O Porriño: castle-like mansion on outskirts
of town, with statue on (fountain?) in front.
O
Porriño
is a sprawling industrial town (pop. 15,000) in the municipality (pop. 16,576) of
the same name in the province of Pontevedra. The municipality contains eight parroquias (parishes), one of which is
also called O Porriño (Santa Maria). It is sandwiched between the Río Louro and
the steep cliffs to the east, where granite quarries provide much of the raw
material for the intense industrial activity. This granite is known worldwide
as Granito Rosa Porriño (Pink Granite of Porriño) or just Rosa Porriño. The
granite is exported from the port of Vigo, a few kilometers away, mainly to
Italy, Japan, and China.
According to legend, the name of
O Porriño comes from its origins near the present Praza de San Sebastián
(Square of St. Sebastian), where houses were built by Juan Porro.
In the medieval period, it was a
very small settlement that belonged to the Monastery of Melón. A document from
1292 indicates that it was on the road to Santiago from Tui to Redondela.
Later, in 1569, O Porriño had a hospital for the poor and pilgrims, located in
the square, next to the City Hall; it was dedicated to the Mother of God (Avila
and La Cueva).
The best parts of O Porriño are
in the pedestrianized old town. The origins of the town are closely linked with
the Camiño. It is now a significant industrial center with one of the highest
population growth rates in the providence of Pontevedra. The urban landscape is
highlighted by the work of the architect Antonio Palacios, born here in 1874.
Coat of Arms of O Porriño
The coat of arms of O Porriño has
a shield with a field of blue, on which there is a masonry bridge of three
arches over waves of silver and blue. At the top is a masonry church of silver,
moved to the right flank. Above the shield is a royal crown
4:12 PM – O Porriño: approaching Hotel Azul, with
“Benvidos” (Welcome, in
Galego) sign stretched across street (photos of hotel actually taken later in the day).
4:13 PM – O Porriño: Hotel Azul – exterior front.
4:14 PM – O Porriño: Hotel Azul – front corner
with entrance under blue awning.
We
arrived at Hotel Azul (2-star but no
air conditioning) in O Porriño, at
2:30, after a long walk through town, even after we got on the right street. MT
had kept asking people about the hotel, and they always said it was “lejos” (far).
At the hotel, we got sellos.
O Porriño: sello for “Hotel Azul, Calle Ramiranes, 38, Porriño (Pontevedra),
Galicia, [Telephone] 0034 986 330 032, hrazul@terra.com”
including a scallop shell with the cross of Santiago and the inscription “El
Camino está dentro de ti” (The Camino is inside of you) and two medieval
pilgrims.
We
went to the Wash-up coin-operated
laundromat, just a few blocks north of the hotel, to wash and dry a load of
clothes for €6. MT stayed and used the WiFi there while Don took a quick tour
of chapels, church, and city hall.
4:08 PM – O Porriño: Wash-up lavanderia (laundromat),
with parking for “solo clientes” (clients only).
Next
to the laundromat was the small Capela
da Nossa Señora das Angustias (Chapel of Our Lady of the Sorrows).
4:08 PM – O Porriño: Capela da Nossa Señora das
Angustias – façade with bell gable; the small stone plaque above the door says
“Ano 1911.”
4:08 PM (Cropped) – O Porriño: Capela da Nossa
Señora das Angustias – façade ; the small stone plaque above the
door says “Ano 1911”; note the chain from the round window in the façade up to
the bell gable, apparently for ringing the bell
4:09 PM – O Porriño: Capela da Nossa Señora das
Angustias – façade and side; note the chain from the round window in the façade
up to the bell gable, apparently for ringing the bell.
4:10 PM – O Porriño: cruceiro (cross) next to Capela da Nossa Señora das Angustias –
side of cross with Crucified Christ.
4:10 PM – O Porriño: cruceiro (cross) next to Capela da Nossa Señora das Angustias –
other side of cross with pieta.
4:11 PM – O Porriño: sign for Amieirolongo in
Concello de Mos, with cruceiro
(cross) and Capela da Nossa Señora das Angustias in background to north;
Wash-up laundromat visible between the signpost and a utility pole.
It
was only by taking this photo that we realized that the laundromat, chapel, and
cruceiro, although just a few blocks
from our hotel, were actually in a different village and a different
municipality.
Amieirolongo is a village in
the parroquia (parish) of Sanguiñeda
(Santa María) in the concello (municipality)
of Mos in the province of Pontevedra. The municipality of Mos is immediately
north of that of O Porriño.
4:17 PM – O Porriño: Fuente del Cristo; Capela de
Cristo behind trees at the entrance to the old town of O Porriño.
The Fuente del Cristo (Fonte do
Cristo in Galego, Fountain of Christ), in Plaza del Cristo (Praza do Cristo
in Galego, aka Plaza Central), is part of the architectural legacy that Antonio
Palacios (1874-1945) left in his hometown of O Porriño. It is sometimes called
Fuente do Palacios. The fountain was built in 1904-1905 (or 1907?) in honor of
an ancient cruceiro (cross) that was
located here. It has two bodies, the first with an octagonal base to compensate
for the unevenness of the square; that base has four steps and is surrounded by
eight short but thick columns. Placed on top of that base is the fountain, the
water pipes of which are alternated with ornamental elements with very colorful
floral motif. Above the fountain, the column in classic cut it topped with a
capital with vegetal decoration, on which stands the statue of a page, the work
of the master Cerviño, with the coat of arms of O Porriño on his shield and
holding a wrought iron spear in the form of a cross. Behind the fountain, one
can access the Capela del Cristo by the stairs.
4:17 PM (Cropped) – O Porriño: Fuente del Cristo -
figure of page with the coat of arms of O Porriño on his shield and holding a
wrought iron spear in the form of a cross.
4:18 PM – O Porriño: Capela do Cristo – façade
(with bronze plaque to left of door) and bell tower.
The Capilla del Cristo (Capela
do Cristo in Galego, Chapel of Christ) was built in 1898-1899, thanks to Don
Servando Ramilo Nieves, who donated the land and paid all the expenses to build
a chapel in honor of Cristo de la Agonía (Christ of the Agony). Its full name
is Capilla del Cristo de la Agonía or, in Galego, Capela do Cristo da Agonía.
“Centenary
Commemoration – Capela do Cristo da Agonía [Chapel of Christ of the Agony] –
Donated by D[on]. Servando Ramilo Nieves 17 September 1899 in memory of the
virtues of his spouse D[o]ña. Prudencia Diz Fortes. Porriño, 17 September 1999.”
At the top of the plaque is the coat of arms of O Porriño.
4:20 PM – O Porriño: Capela do Cristo – interior,
view from rear of nave to main altar.
4:22 PM – O Porriño: Capela do Cristo – schedule
of masses at this chapel and at Iglesia Santa María (including one on Wednesday
for “Funeral for the dead in the train accident.”
4:23 PM – O Porriño: Casa Consistorial (City Hall)
– front (west) side with portico and statue of the architect seated on bench.
The impressive Casa Consistorial or Casa del Ayuntamiento
or simply Ayuntamiento (all meaning City Hall) is made of the local granite.
With an almost castle-like appearance featuring crenellated towers, it
dominates the street on which it sits. It is the work the famous architect
Antonio Palacios, a native of O Porriño. The building, erected in 1919-1924 in
the modernist style (with neo-medieval character derived from Gothic and
Romanesque), inspired by medieval cathedral-fortresses It replaced the original
city hall, which was in ruins. The architect was challenged in creating a
building of monumental character on the small plot of land on which the old
city hall was located. The architect added a nice portico to give greater
continuity to the area of the arcades that are arranged on a square corner. A
statue seated on a bench in front of the portico pays homage to this prolific
architect, the best ambassador of the granite of O Porriño. In 1919, the
architect delivered the plan for the building free of charge, dedicated to his
mother, and it was executed thanks to the generosity of Ramón González.
4:25 PM – O Porriño: Casa Consistorial (City Hall)
– front corner (with portico) and south side; the small stone plaque above the
first arch to the right of the portico is for the name of the street “Calle de Antonio
Palacios.”
4:28 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María –
north side and west façade with bell tower.
The Iglesia de Santa María (Igreja
de Santa María in Galego, Church of St. Mary), also known as Capilla de
Santa María (Capela de Santa María in Galego, Chapel of St. Mary), is in the
heart of the old town, at the intersection of Rúa Ramón Gonzalez and Rúa Manuel
Rodriguez. It was built in the same place as an earlier church from the middle
of the 16th century. Initially it was dedicated to San Jorge (St. George). In
1778, it seems that it was dedicated to Nossa Señora da O (Our Lady of the O),
but from 1809 the name concentrates on Santa María. The chapel is considered
the parish church of O Porriño, as it is dedicated to the Purisima Concepción
(Most Pure Conception).
4:29 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María – west
façade with bell tower.
4:29 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María – cross
at base of bell tower, with inscriptions: “Iose Antonio Primo de Rivera” (at
top) and “Presente” (at bottom); the bricks behind the cross also have names
inscribed (mild telephoto 93 mm).
4:30 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María – mass
schedule (same as at Capela do Cristo, still none for this evening).
4:30 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María – mass
schedule (same as at Capela do Cristo, still none for this evening).
4:31 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María –
interior, view from rear of nave to main altar in apse.
4:32 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María – main
altar in apse.
4:34 PM – O Porriño: Iglesia de Santa María – west
façade, bell tower, and south side.
4:35 PM – O Porriño: Capela de San Benito, through
trees, with street sign for “Paseo de Enrique R. Rodriguez” in front of left
bell tower and sign for “Capela de San Benito” on wall at right (mild telephoto
56 mm).
4:36 PM – O Porriño: Capela de San Benito – north
side and west façade with twin bell towers.
The Capilla de San Benito (Capela
de San Benito or Capela de San Bieito
in Galego, Chapel of St. Benedict) is a simple Baroque chapel with a façade
made of blocks of stonework and simple geometric decoration. It is located in
the center of the neighborhood to which it gives its name, in a space that was
formerly the ancient town market. In the 19th century, a small but beautiful mall
was created there. The reason for the chapel’s construction was the large
increase in population that this neighborhood experienced in the late 19th
century. This request was responded to by Enrique and José Rodríguez of
Guayaquil (the brothers of philanthropist Manuel Rodríguez of O Porriño),
Manuel Seijo from Buenos Aires, and Manuel Pereira from Montevideo, who bought
the necessary land and defrayed the cost of construction of the chapel, which
was erected by 1890. Years later, the building was already insufficient for the
growing population, which was the reason why the same donors, Manuel and Ángel
[?], paid for the restoration and extension of the church in 1908.
4:36 PM – O Porriño: Capela de San Benito –
interior, view from rear of nave to main altar.
4:37 PM – O Porriño: Capela de San Benito – main
altar, with model of chapel to right.
4:39 PM – O Porriño: Capela de San Sebastián – north
side and west facade (mild telephoto 63 mm).
The Capela de San Sebastián (Chapel of St. Sebastian), in the Praza de
San Sebastián (Square of St. Sebastian), marks the area where the municipality
was born, next to the collapsed houses of Picollo, built according to legend by
Juan Porro, which would give rise to the name of “O Porriño.” Although its
historical value is linked to the birth of the municipality, it is small and simple
in terms of architecture, since it was built by the residents themselves so
they could hear daily mass without having to travel to the parish of Atios (to
the east, where the quarries are located) to do so. The façade has a single
door and a small semicircular window above it. The window, decorated on the
outside with elements of wrought iron, is set in a truncated triangular
pediment that forms the upper part of the façade, decorated with pinnacles on
the sides. The bell at the top of the façade is not housed in a bell gable or
tower but is supported only by a wrought iron framework.
The roof was replaced recently
with a copper covering. Previously, it had a stone roof with a semicircular
section, probably not original but the fruit of a later reconstruction (18th
century?). The date 1552 that appears on the façade of the building would
correspond with the first stage of the building’s construction in a much more
distant time. In fact, evidence of this reconstruction or later enlargement of
the primitive building can be observed clearly on its north side, with the
change in the cut, size, and disposition of the stones of the wall.
4:40 PM – O Porriño: Capela de San Sebastián – statue
of St. Sebastian at left rear of nave, by door, with sign and self-service sello.
4:40 PM (Cropped) – O Porriño: Capela de San
Sebastián – The sign reads: “Capela de San Sebastián · 1552. Bo Camiño, Good Way,
Buen Camino, Bonne Vole, Gut Weg. O Porriño · Pontevedra.”
Don
didn’t have his credencial with him;
so he took a photo of some of the “practice” sellos stamped on a paper on that table.
4:41 PM – O Porriño: Capela de San Sebastián – “practice”
sellos with figure of St. Sebastian
and scallop shell with text that reads the same as on the sign: “Capela de San
Sebastián · 1552. Bo camiño, Good way, Buen camino, Bonne vole, Gut weg. O
Porriño · Pontevedra.”
Don
then went back at the laundromat. We
folded clothes and took them back to the hotel.
Then
we walked as far as the city hall (which was closed) and then to Restaurante Paso a Nivel (which means
railroad track crossing), with a voucher from our hotel for their menu. We got bread, 2 glasses of red
wine and a bottle of water; 1st course: MT spinach salad, Don soup with pasta
and chicken; 2nd course: both had merluza
a la plancha (grilled hake, one cross-section) with cooked potatoes and
(roasted) peppers and onions (very good); dessert: both had cheesecake.
5:55 PM – O Porriño: Restaurante Paso a Nivel –
MT’s merluza a la plancha, with
cooked potatoes and roasted peppers and onions.
We
also got sellos there for “Cafetería (Coffee House) Paso a Nivel.”
O Porriño: Sello for “Cafetería Paso a Nivel, Porriño”
and a scallop shell with a chalice on its front and crossed pilgrim staffs
behind it, along with “A.G.A.C.S.” (which stands for Asociación Galega de
Amigos do Camiño de Santiago [Galician Association of Friends of the Camino of
Santiago].
When
we got back to Hotel Azul, the desk
clerk told us the waiter from the restaurant had called to tell her he had
found our credenciales, which had apparently
fallen out of Don’s pocket while sitting at the restaurant after getting sellos. The clerk had already sent her chica (sister) to get them for us. We finally got our credenciales back at 8:55 pm.
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