Verín is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

and

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 southeast of the province of Ourense,

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 , 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 ...

. The population of the municipality is about 14,433. It is located 70 kilometers east of the provincial capital of

Ourense Ourense (; es, Orense ) is a city and capital of the province of Ourense, located in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path of the Way of St ...

and 15 kilometers north of the

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

city of Chaves. The

Tâmega River Tâmega may refer to: * Tâmega River, in Spain and Portugal * Tâmega Subregion, Portugal * Guilherme Tâmega Guilherme Tâmega is a Brazilian bodyboarding Bodyboarding is a water sport in which the surfer rides a bodyboard on the crest, face ...

flows through the town. 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 ...

it was known as Santa María de Verín.Rebeca Blanco-Rotea, Sonia García-Rodríguez, Alberto Rodríguez-Costas and Anxo Rodríguez Paz (2008)
"Análisis y recuperación de un paisaje urbano fortificado en la villa de Verín (Orense, Galicia)"
''Arqueología de la Arquitectura'' 5: 223–42. The town is linked with Madrid and Ourense by the four-lane A-52 (Autovia das Rias Baixas) and by the N-525. The main railway line linking Ourense to Madrid passes through mountains north of the town, but the nearest station is at La Gudiña, 31 km to the east. Verín is a town of services with declining agricultural activity. There is a denominated

wine region This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant growing regions where vineyards are planted. Wine grapes mostly grow between the 30th and the 50th degree of latitude, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Grapes will sometimes ...

—Monterrei—located in the surrounding area. There are also three

mineral water Mineral water is water from a mineral spring that contains various minerals, such as salts and sulfur compounds. Mineral water may usually be still or sparkling (carbonated/effervescent) according to the presence or absence of added gases. T ...

bottling plants in the town: Cabreiroá, Fontenova and Sousas.

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

here is one of the most original in Spain with the Cigarrón, masked figures running through the streets brandishing

whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

s and making an interesting sound caused by

cow bell A cowbell (or cow bell) is a bell worn around the neck of free-roaming livestock so herders can keep track of an animal via the sound of the bell when the animal is grazing out of view in hilly landscapes or vast plains. Although they are t ...

s tied to their waists (See '' zanpantzar'' for a similar tradition in the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...

). Everything has a medieval air, with little influence from the Brazilian-style carnival, which has become popular in other Spanish and Portuguese cities. Verín has one major tourist sight, which is Monterrei Castle, a huge complex looming over the rather non-descript urban area. To reach the

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

you drive about two kilometers in the direction of Ourense on the old highway, turning off on the right to climb two kilometers, passing a winery on the left. There is a

parador A ''parador'' (), in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries was an establishment where travelers could seek lodging, and usually, food and drink, similar to an inn. In Spain since 1928, a Parador is a state-owned luxury hotel, usually locat ...

next to the castle. Monterrei Castle played an important role throughout the Portuguese-Spanish wars, having been strategically built on the frontier for the purpose. It was more than a castle since included within the perimeter were a monastery, a hospital and a small town which was abandoned in the 19th century. The castle itself is more impressive from afar than at closer look, but the view from the heights is worth the drive up. At night it is lit up and you can see it for miles on clear nights, even from the hills of Chaves in neighboring Portugal.

Notable residents

* Eloy Luis André - psychologist, philosopher, educator and Galician writer *

Pedro Vásquez Pedro Vásquez, OP, also known as Peter Vásquez, (1591 – 25 August 1624) was a Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic missionary from Spain. He was beatified in July 1867 by Pope Pius IX.Fros SJ, Henryk "Book of names and saints", pp. 423–37 ...

- Dominican (Order of Preachers) Priest and Martyr of Japan

References

External links

Concello de VerínMap of Verín by MapQuestFotografía Panorámica de Verín en ALTA DEFINICIÓN - Desde "Pozo do Demo"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Verin Municipalities in the Province of Ourense