Fisterra (; es, Finisterre) is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the

province of A Coruña The province of A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical en, link=no, Corunna) is the northwesternmost province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia. This province is surrounded by the A ...

, in the

autonomous community eu, autonomia erkidegoa ca, comunitat autònoma gl, comunidade autónoma oc, comunautat autonòma an, comunidat autonoma ast, comunidá autónoma , alt_name = , map = , category = Autonomous administra ...

of Galicia, Spain. It belongs to the comarca of Fisterra. Fisterra is on

Cape Finisterre Cape Finisterre (, also ; gl, Cabo Fisterra, italic=no ; es, Cabo Finisterre, italic=no ) is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain. In Roman times it was believed to be an end of the known world. The name Finisterre, like ...

, the final destination for many pilgrims on the

Way of St. James 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 Twelve Apostle ...

. Fisterra is on the rocky

Costa da Morte Costa da Morte (; es, Costa de la Muerte; "Death Coast") is part of the Galician coast. The Costa da Morte extends from the villages of Muros and Malpica. The Costa da Morte received its name because there have been so many shipwrecks along it ...

(Galician: "Coast of Death"), named because of the large number of shipwrecks along these shores. The name ''Fisterra'' comes from Latin FINIS TERRAE, meaning "Land's End". This name stems from the fact that this area is on a remote peninsula that is one of the westernmost points of land in Galicia, and hence in Spain. Fisterra is an ancient port and fishing village, formed by narrow streets leading to the Plaza de Ara Solis. The chapel of Nosa Señora do Bon Suceso, dating from the 18th century, is on the plaza. There is a lighthouse on a 600-metre promontory called "Monte Facho" at the tip of

overlooking the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. On the road up to the lighthouse is the parish church of Santa María de Fisterra which contains the Chapel of Santo Cristo. Fisterra is 108 km from

A Coruña A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...

, and 98 km from

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...

Geography

Fisterra has several beaches like O Rostro, Arnela, Mar de Fóra, Langosteira, Ribeira, and Corveiro. Many of the beaches are framed by steep cliffs leading down to the "Mare Tenebrosum" (or dark sea, the name of the Atlantic in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

). There are several rocks in this area associated with religious legends, such as the "holy stones", the "stained wine stones", the "stone chair", and the tomb of ''Orcabella''.Orcabella is a

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...

that takes the form of a hag and has a prodigious sexual appetite. Humans cannot hurt Orcabella; they only see her or feel her. Orcabella has many features that are similar to the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

crone-goddess, ''Cailleach Bhéirre''
''LA MITOLOGÍA Y EL FOLKLORE DE GALICIA Y LAS REGIONES CÉLTICAS DEL NOROESTE EUROPEO ATLÁNTICO''
, Manuel Alberro, Inst. of Cornish Studies,

University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a public university , public research university in Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of Min ...

)

History

After the discovery of the remains of St. James, pilgrims on the

started to arrive from

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...

to Fisterra to worship in front of an image of Sacred Christ, view the relics of San Guillerme, and see the "End of the Earth". In 1479, a hospital to accommodate the arriving pilgrims was built. Many of the pilgrims were noblemen or otherwise famous. Thousands of visitors continue to arrive in Fisterra every day.

Pre-Christian beliefs

In the area there are many remnants of pre-Christian beliefs and sacred locations. On Cape Finisterre, some claim that there is the "Altar Soli", where the

Celts The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancien ...

engaged in sun worship and assorted rituals. The Monte Facho, on

, was the place where the Celtic Nerios from Duio carried out their offerings and rites in honour of the sun. St.

William of Gellone William of Gellone ( 755 – 28 May 812 or 814), the medieval William of Orange, was the second Duke of Toulouse from 790 until 811. In 804, he founded the abbey of Gellone. He was canonized a saint in 1066 by Pope Alexander II.

also lived in a house located there. Near St. William's house, sterile couples would have sexual intercourse on one specific stone to try to conceive, following a Celtic rite of fertility.

Main sights

*Castle of San Carlos, built during the reign of

Charles III of Spain it, Carlo Sebastiano di Borbone e Farnese , house = Bourbon-Anjou , father = Philip V of Spain , mother = Elisabeth Farnese , birth_date = 20 January 1716 , birth_place = Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Spain , death_d ...

. *Church of ''Nosa Señora das Areas'' (late 12th century, modified later). It houses the image of the Holy Christ of Fisterra. *Bon Suceso Chapel (18th century) *Fisterra Lighthouse, the main on the

Culture

Every Easter there is a local festival featuring the Christ of the Golden Beard.

Civil parishes

* Duio (San Vicenzo) * Fisterra (Santa María) * San Martiño de Duio (San Martiño) * Sardiñeiro (San Xoán)

Demography

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INE Archiv
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References

External links

Official websiteCape Finisterre and the Camino de Santiago - Secret World

{{authority control Municipalities in the Province of A Coruña