Mugardos is a small fishing borough and municipality in the comarca of Ferrol, located 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, northwestern

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 ...

. It is bordered with the municipalities of

Ares Ares (; grc, Ἄρης, ''Árēs'' ) is the Greek god of war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war b ...

and

Fene Fene is a municipality in the province of A Coruña in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is located to the northeast of Galicia on the Ria of Ferrol. Economy The Navantia Shipyards and services in the parts which ...

Climate

Due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Mugardos does not enjoy extreme oscillation in its weather conditions between winter and summer. The summers tend to be a bit drier than the winters, but the weather is mild all year round unlike most other parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Like the rest of Galicia, it is rainy and green.

Description and history

The municipality comprises the main township of Mugardos, and several smaller villages. It is part of the historical ''

comarca A ''comarca'' (, or , or ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, ...

'' of

Ferrolterra Ferrol is a coastal ''comarca'' in the northwest of the province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. It is also known as Ferrolterra. The area is 613.4 km2, and the overall population of this ''comarca'' was 161,154 at the 2011 Census; the latest offic ...

, and is situated near the metropolitan outskirts of the city of Ferrol. The municipality is subdivided into four ''parroquias'' ("

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

es"): Santiago de Franza, San Vicente de Meá, San Xulián de Mugardos and San Xoán de Piñeiro. During the 1960s and 1970s Mugardos was much larger than it is now, it included a

movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

and was regarded as a summer visiting place for many Spaniards in the surrounding areas. Recently, however, it has undergone drastic changes. It is now very small and with the recent oil spills the coastal fishing industry consisting mainly of cockle pickers has temporarily declined, even though a rise in tourism is expected soon, especially with the creation of several new lodgings. One of the most historic places in Mugardos is the A Palma Castle, which is a military fortress standing on the southern bank of the Bay of Ferrol. The castle was built in 1597 with its original name being "Nuestra Señora de la Palma" (Our Lady of the Palm) and later reformed in 1869. When it was built, the castle was merely used as a "watch tower" but later when it was reformed and became a crucial part of the defensive system of the estuary of Ferrol. Facing the castle is "Castelo de San Filipe" (Castle of Saint Philip) which forms the other part of the defensive system. These two castles are adjoined by a large and sturdy chain that was used to prevent the entrance of enemy ships. Later, the castle was also used as a military prison where the most famous prisoner,

Antonio Tejero Antonio Tejero Molina (born 30 April 1932) is a Spanish former Lieutenant Colonel of the Guardia Civil, and the most prominent figure in the failed coup d'état against the newly democratic Spanish government on 23 February 1981. Career Tejer ...

, was held captive. Tejero was responsible for the attempted coup de etat in 1981. Recently, the Palm Castle has been bought by a hotel chain and is pending restoration.

Culture and Gastronomy

Festivals

* Fiesta de La Virgen del Carmen: The Carmen Festival is celebrated the weekend of July 16, the day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. On this day there is a ceremony and procession where men hold up the statue of Our Lady and walk her down from the main parish church until the harbour, where they embark it on a traditional boat, to continue the procession by sailing. * Fiesta del Pulpo: The Octopus Festival is celebrated the Saturday before the Carmen festival. On this day Octopus stew is prepared using a recipe that Mugardos is famous for, "Pulpo a la Mugardesa" and many tourists and town folks join in the festivities from morning until night with musical groups and flea markets. * Dia de San Julian: Saint Julian's day, January 7, is the Patron saint of the town.

Economy

Mugardos is a predominantly rural borough, though important industries like

shipyards A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...

foundries A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...

, and

workshops Beginning with the Industrial Revolution era, a workshop may be a room, rooms or building which provides both the area and tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Workshops were the only ...

are to be found in nearby Ferrol.

Fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

and

services Service may refer to: Activities * Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty * Civil service, the body of employees of a government * Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a pu ...

are the main local industries. Due to the economic crisis that has stricken the country and town's economy for the past few years, more than 60 shops in the town started accepting in 2011 the obsolete Spanish currency of peseta, accepting it alongside its replacement, the 2002-introduced

euro The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...

Notable residents

* Amada García (1911 – 1938)

References

Tourist Information from Label (A Coruña.-Galicia.-Spain). Retrieved on July 21, 2013.

External links

* ttp://www.turismorural.com/Ficha_Inf_Turistica.aspx?ID=7597&len_fi=002&len_ap=002 Tourist information from Mugardos, Galicia, Spain {{authority control Municipalities in the Province of A Coruña