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Vigo de Sanabria

Church of San Miguel
Church of San Miguel, from Google Maps

Vigo de Sanabria is a Sanabrian village belonging to the municipality of Galende, in the province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. This charming village is located in the heart of the Sanabria Lake Natural Park, the largest glacial lake in Spain and a protected natural area of great tourist attraction.

History
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During the Middle Ages, Vigo de Sanabria was part of the Kingdom of León, integrating into the repopulation process led by the Leonese monarchs. The first documented reference to the village dates back to 940, when King Ramiro II of León donated the town of Vigo to the monastery of San Martín de Castañeda. This area may have had Roman settlements, as suggested by the etymology of the name, derived from the Latin vicus, meaning “village”.

In the 16th century, Vigo de Sanabria appears in various historical records, including the Execution of the lawsuit of 1556 between the monastery of San Martín and the council of Vigo over the use of the Sanabria Lake. During the following centuries, the town remained relatively stable in population, with records showing around 120 neighbors in 1591 and 96 in the Cadastre of Ensenada in 1749.

In the 19th century, after the creation of the current provinces in 1833, Vigo de Sanabria became part of the province of Zamora and was integrated into the judicial district of Puebla de Sanabria. In the middle of that century, the municipality of Vigo merged with that of Galende.

Heritage
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Vigo de Sanabria is a prominent example of traditional Sanabrian architecture, characterized by the use of local stone, corridors, and viewpoints. The houses usually have a stable on the ground floor and the dwelling on the upper floor. Along the Forcadura River, the village is divided into three neighborhoods, preserving numerous examples of its popular architecture, including two 18th-century bridges and the Church of San Miguel, which houses a Renaissance altarpiece possibly dating from the late 16th century. The hermitage of the Virgin of Grace also stands out, which is an important place of worship in the town.

Bridge in Vigo de Sanabria
Bridge in Vigo de Sanabria, from Google Maps

Hiking Trails
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Vigo de Sanabria offers several hiking trails that allow you to explore its beautiful natural environment. One of the most popular is the Forcadura Canyon Trail, about 17 km round trip, which ascends from the upper neighborhood of Vigo and follows the course of the river until it reaches the plateau of the mountain range and the lagoon of the Fish. Other trails include traditional routes that connect Vigo with nearby villages such as San Martín de Castañeda, Pedrazales, and Murias.

Festivities and Traditions
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The main festivity of Vigo de Sanabria is the celebration of the Virgin of Grace, which takes place 52 days after Holy Thursday. During this festival, a procession is held in which the Virgin is carried from the parish church to the hermitage of the Virgin of Grace, accompanied by two banners. The celebration includes the singing of the Branch by the young women of the village and the Loya, a traditional ceremony. The following Monday, the Virgin is returned to the church of San Miguel in the lower neighborhood.