Page 85 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

GALICIA  83

Cybele, but it also facilitated the it belonged to a convent,
Christianization of the temple, inhabited first by nuns (hence
since St Eulalia is the patron the name – Donas) and later
saint of birds. by the Knights of the Order of
St James. The Knights’ Chapter
would meet here each year.
. Vilar de Donas Tombs of the knights are
preserved inside the church, as
Lugo. Road Map B2. * 130. n Av.
de Compostela 28, Palas de Rei; 982 are 14th-century Gothic murals
38 00 01. Church: Open Easter–Oct: depicting biblical scenes and
A wall painting of birds in Santa Eulalia de 11am–2pm & 3– 6pm Tue–Sun; Nov– the figures of King Juan II and
la Bóveda Easter: ask priest for key (Tel 669 54 40 his wife with melancholy
09). 8 _ San Antonio (13 Jun), San expressions. The external
, Santa Eulalia de Salvador (6 Aug). ornamentation comprises plant
la Bóveda motifs, birds, figures that are half
In this hamlet on the road to human and half bird, griffins and
Santalla de Bóveda s/n, Lugo. Road Santiago stands the small, angels. The doors of the church
Map B2. Tel 982 23 13 61. Open aisleless Romanesque Iglesia bear the original Roman esque
8am–3pm & 4–6pm Mon–Fri, de San Salvador, dating from fittings – precise and elegant.
11:30am–7:30pm Sat & Sun (until 6pm the early 13th century and built Notable, too, is the tower (a
in winter year-round).
on the plan of a cross. Initially, later addition) that is visible
Situated 14 km (9 miles) from from afar, and the
Lugo, this small temple was remnants of the
originally pagan, was later put portico, which stands
into use by early Christians, in front of the main
and then forgotten until its western entrance. The
rediscovery in 1962. church was built of
One of the great mysteries granite, which in
of Lugo province, the building places has now
probably dates from the 3rd or become covered
4th century AD, and its purpose with weeds.
has been the subject of various
interpretations. Some suggest it Environs
was a bathhouse, others say it West of Vilar de
was a temple to the Phrygian Donas, the village
goddess Cybele (the Roman of Palas de Rei
equivalent of the Greek goddess has an abundance
Rea, the mother of all the gods). of Romanesque
It is possible that sacrificial bulls churches and
and rams were slaughtered here, chapels; there are
their blood being collected in a also several dolmens
special shallow basin. Centuries The portal of the church of Vilar de Donas and castros here.
later, the temple was used as a
church for christenings. Galician Fiestas
Originally, the church had two
storeys, but only the lower one Os Peliqueiros (Feb/Mar), Laza. Dressed in grinning masks
has survived – an almost and outlandish costumes, with cowbells, Os Peliqueiros take
perfectly preserved square crypt, to the streets on the last Sunday of the carnival.
whose vaulting was damaged A Rapa das Bestas (May–Jul), various places. Semi-wild horses
during the demolition of the are rounded up by local farmers for their manes and tails to be cut.
chapel that had been added to Flower pavements
the upper floor. Three sides of the (May/Jun), Ponteareas
crypt are covered with earth; the and Gondomar.
fourth has two small windows The streets along
the Corpus Christi
providing the only source of proces sion are
light, apart from the entrance. carpeted with
Inside the church you can designs in petals.
see the atrium leading to the St James’s Day
semicircular entrance, the basin, (25 Jul), Santiago de
a few columns, various bas- Compostela. Firework
reliefs, and, above all, the barrel display in Praza do
vaults covered with murals of Obradoiro the A band of folk musicians performing at a fiesta
birds. The symbolism of birds night before. in Lugo
seemingly points to the cult of

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