Santuario de Santa María das Ermidas en Ourense

Today this news is published on the web page on Galicia, which is building Xacobeo year and refers to land Valdeorras wanted us to share with you.

Architecture and Landscape, Landscape and Architecture. It looks by all means, this is just two elements that have gone together as a couple in love, in the spell of Galicia.

If there is a place where romance becomes a marvel is in the Sanctuary of Santa Maria das Ermidas in the town of O Bolo, in the province of Ourense.

From our height, the river Bibei appears to us as a small glass thread running through the gorge. In the impressive rocky hillside that surrounds it stands, like a magic spell of stone, the sanctuary. According to legend, some shepherds, were found back in the seventh century, the image of the Virgin.

It was the same image, it seems, appeared to the bishop of Astorga in another of the many legends that roam the ancient past of Galicia. The appearance was closer to the bishop at the time, in 1624, while visiting the region. They say the bishop, passing the chapel to be built in the throat of the gorge, he recognized that the Virgin had appeared years ago.

So full of joy, the bishop of Astorga immediately ordered the construction of a temple better. finally becoming the Sanctuary of Santa Maria das Ermidas. Many miracles are attributed to the sanctuary. Indeed, in 1912, a small earthquake leveled villages bordering. When everyone thought that the sanctuary had suffered the same fate, not even an inch of stone temple was affected.

If we approach the shrine, discover a facade decorated with twisted columns and several saints. Two towers with balconies flank the entrance. We see that, next to the shrine, is the House Administration, which was once a pilgrims' hostel.

Inside the sanctuary we must highlight the beautiful Stations of the Cross of the court, consisting of 14 chapels and 72 stations-figures. The last of the seasons, the Resurrection is in the churchyard.

Foto Vía Amaianos