Sarria

Sarria is a municipality in the province of Lugo, northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Sarria is the most densely populated town on the French Way in Galicia, with 13,700 inhabitants. It is head of the region and a popular starting point for the Camino de Santiago; many pilgrims choose Sarria because the distance from this point to Santiago allows them to cover the necessary kilometers to reach the Compostela. King Alphonse IX died in Sarria in 1230 while making a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Sarria also represents the point of entry to the beautiful landscapes, such as Os Ancares and O Courel, east of Galicia.Artistic heritageSarria has a rich artistic heritage primarily characterized by churches, which are essential to the Way of St. James. Sarria's artistic heritage includes the early-Gothic, 13th-century church, O Salvador, which is located on Rúa Maior. In this town, from its unusual rúa Maior, it is possible to see the only tower that remains of the medieval fortress belonging to the town.Around this tower, a popular fair is held three times a month to showcase the traditional products of the area. From its medieval past, Sarria conserves the Convent of A Madalena, presently belonging to the Mercedarian Fathers, founded at the beginning of the 13th century as a pilgrim hospital by Italian monks of the Order of the Blessed Martyrs of Jesus, who were also pilgrims. The present building, which houses a small but lovely cloister and an interesting church, is a mixture of different styles of construction ranging from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Today, it is also a private school.