A Fonsagrada is a town and municipality in the

province of Lugo Lugo is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northeastern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of Ourense, Pontevedra, and A Coruña, the principality of Asturias, the State of León, and in the nor ...

in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwest

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

which is 25 miles east-north-east of

Lugo Lugo (, ; la, Lucus Augusti) is a city in northwestern Spain in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. It is the capital of the Lugo (province), province of Lugo. The municipality had a population ...

by road. Its population in 2004 was 5,007. A Fonsagrada is situated above sea-level on the watershed between the rivers Rodil and Suarna. Historically it was an important market for a variety of agricultural produce, and it manufactured linen and frieze for local trading. The history of Fonsagrada (traditional name) is linked to the pilgrim

Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...

. A variant of the Way, the

Camino Primitivo The Primitive Way ( es, Camino Primitivo, link=no) is one of the paths of the Camino de Santiago. It begins in the old Asturian capital of Oviedo and runs west to Lugo and then south to Santiago de Compostela joining the more popular French Way ...

, (the original path) goes through the municipality.

History

The City Council of Burón was composed of the existing councils of Fonsagrada and Negueira de Muñiz. Subsequently, the council Negueira de Muñiz separated from Fonsagrada. In 1943 the provincial council elected its mayor Benjamin Alvarez Fernandez to the position of prosecutor in courts in the First Legislature of the Spanish Courts (1943-1946), representing the municipalities of this province.

''Camino primitivo''

The "primitive way" to Santiago refers to a stretch between

Oviedo Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located ap ...

and

Palas de Rei Palas de Rei is a town in the province of Lugo, Galicia in northwestern Spain. It belongs to the comarca of A Ulloa. According to the INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear rese ...

. It enters Galicia through Fonsagrada, among whose landmarks is the "New Royal Hospital of Santiago de Montouto", a half-ruined building, which was used by pilgrims. This hospital has its origin in the "Old Royal Hospital of Santiago de Montouto", founded by Pedro I "The cruel". The hospital gives its name to a local mountain range, the "Serra do Hospital".

Carnivals and festivals

A Fonsagrada and its villages has a particular tradition of celebrating carnival or Antroido. During the festivals the lights are turned off and turn on torches (called locally in Galician "''fachas''") and the people leave for a pilgrimage. Also to note is the "Feria de septiembre," or "September Fair" in English, one of the largest and most traditional livestock festivals across the province of Lugo. However, due to the abandonment of many small farms in nearby villages, its importance was lost in the late 20th century. The "Feria del emigrantes," or "Fair of Emigrants" in English, is held in early or mid-August and has replaced the importance of the "Feria de septiembre." It is celebrated as a reunion with those that left and never came back but return to the area for vacations. The Day of Galicia, 25 July, is held next to the "New Royal Hospital of Santiago de Montouto" in the parish of Padrón. It is held in a chapel that was recently built in for a procession in honor of St. James.

Vegetation

Almost the entire region, except a few villages, is located in mountainous areas, so the vegetation is relatively poor. The region has Atlantic mountain characteristics with an influence of Mediterranean characteristics as well. The region has not registered any type oak nor orange tree. Highlighting the pine (after a repopulation), the native black pine is considered extinct in the region.

Civil parishes

Wildlife

Wildlife includes the rare

Kerry slug The Kerry slug or Kerry spotted slug (''Geomalacus maculosus'') is a species of terrestrial, pulmonate, gastropod mollusc. It is a medium-to-large sized, air-breathing land slug in the family of roundback slugs, Arionidae. Adult Kerry slu ...

.Carballido

References

{{Coord, 43.133, N, 7.067, W, display=title, source:eswiki Municipalities in the Province of Lugo