Galicia

Galicia is a Spanish region, located northwest of the Iberian peninsula formed by the provinces of La Coruña, Lugo, Orense and Pontevedra. Geographically bounded on the north by the Cantabrian Sea, southern Portugal, the west by the Atlantic Ocean and the east by the Principality of Asturias and the community of Castilla y León (provinces of Zamora and León).

In the archipelago belong Galicia Cies Islands, the archipelago of Ons, and Sálvora Archipelago and other islands as Cortegada, Arosa, the Sisargas, or Malveiras.

Galicia has about 2,796,089 inhabitants, with a population distribution that agglomeration in most coastal areas between Ferrol and La Coruna in the northwest and between Villagarcía and Vigo in the Southwest. Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia, in the province of La Coruña. Vigo, located in the province of Pontevedra, is the most populous municipality with 297,332 inhabitants Galicia.

Geography

In Galicia highlights the contrast between the coastal relief and the interior, higher than the first. It also contrasts the morphology between the high northern plains and southern mountains and valleys.

The orographic aspect presented inside Galicia is low mountains and blunt, with numerous rivers, structured as tax Miño River in the interior, and the Atlantic and Cantabrian basin, shortest rivers (particularly those who go to sea Biscay). The gentle slopes often give way to rugged hills, as in the Canyons of the Sil. In other areas appear extensive valleys, while the minority.

The Galician coast has 1,500 km 2 and is characterized by the presence of the estuaries. The estuaries are traditionally divided into Rías Altas (Ribadeo, Foz, Nursery, Barquero, Ortigueira, Cedeira, Ferrol, Betanzos, La Coruña, and Lage and Camariñas Corme) and larger Rias, located south of Finisterre and point Western Galicia (Corcubión, Muros and Noya, Arosa, Pontevedra and Vigo). Between the Rias Altas are continually made a division between so-called proper Rías Altas (east of Stake Bars) and the Rias Medias.

The estuaries are noted for their important contribution to the fisheries of Galicia, helping along the Galician coast is one of the most important fishing areas in the world.

The erosion of the Atlantic Ocean on the Galician coast also contributed to the presence of multitude of strands among them Stake Bars (point north of Galicia and the separation between the Atlantic Ocean and Cantabrian Sea), Ortegal Cabo, Cabo Prior, Punta Holy Adra Vilán Cape, Cape Touriñán (westernmost point of Galicia), Cape Finisterre, regarded by the Romans as the end of the known world, and Cape Silleiro closing the estuary to the south of Vigo.

Along the Galician coast estuaries are closing a large number of islands that stand out both for its sea and for its seabird colonies. It is estimated that on the coast of Galicia there are 316 islands, islets and rocks, according to an inventory made in the year 2007.43 The main groups of islands are the islands of Cies, Ons, and Sálvora Cortegada Islands (along with the three regions earlier form the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia), Arosa, and Malveiras Sisargas.

Galician orographic appearance inside is low mountains and blunt. Gentle slopes often give way to rugged hills, as happens in the canyons of the Sil River. In other areas appear extensive valleys, while the minority.

The main peaks of Galicia are Trevinca Peña (2127 m), Peña Surbia (2,095 m), Alto do Torno (1,942 m), Maluro (1925 m), Los Ancares (1,821 m) and Head of Manzaneda (1,778 m).

Climate

Galicia is characterized by humid oceanic climate. Its main features are the regularity of rainfall during the year, from 1,000 to 1,500 mm annually and the mild temperatures with low annual oscillation. The decisive factors in climate are the polar front and the Azores anticyclone.

The coastal areas are hit by constant winds. Dominate the west and Galicia have to moist air masses from the pole and from the tropics, causing the rains. But the distribution and frequency of rainfall is not uniform across the region, indicating that in Galicia there is a diversity in climate. To the north we see a maritime type climate of the west coast mainland and in the south the same climate has a tendency to the Mediterranean climate. The rainfall reaches its maximum in winter and in summer you can even talk about one or two months of dryness.

The annual average minimum temperatures are between 7 and 13 º C and maximum average are between 15 and 24 º C. Although the influence of the mountains is very noticeable, where over 1,000 meters high temperatures are cold in winter and cool in summer, with one or two months of frost and snow possible.

Architecture

In Galicia can be found, somewhat unexpectedly, great masterpieces of architecture concentrated in a small space. This wealth can thank, in part, to the capital of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, a place of pilgrimage. El Camino de Santiago offers a wide range of these architectures, especially Roman.

Weird buildings are also before and after the Middle Ages, for example, Celtic forts or the museum of contemporary art in the Santiago neighborhood of San Pedro, Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza. Lugo is impossible not to run into the wall, declared World Heritage by UNESCO. In A Coruna stands the Tower of Hercules, the old town, the Plaza de María Pita, the castle of San Anton to name a few. In Pontevedra highlight all the old with the Church of the Pilgrim as attractive. In Vigo, the port, the Museum of Contemporary Art

The five cathedrals Galicia have a common element: the overlap of styles over the centuries. In all of them predominantly Romanesque, but following reforms have been introduced and added. From this we have the first example in the Cathedral of Santiago. Stand in Tui Gothic elements. Also in Mondoñedo, which is crowned with Baroque towers. the most significant additions of Ourense is the ambulatory neoclassical and Renaissance dome. Neociásica The facade of the cathedral of Lugo does not suspect the magnificent Gothic Romanesque interior of the ship.

Upon entering Galicia us attract your attention three types of original buildings, the barns, the stone crosses and manors. The first is a type of barn is the main use mature, dry and store corn. In some places are and have cabaceiros cabazos or as decorative elements in the corners of the roof a cross and the cone or pyramid, a symbol of fertility. The stone cross, religious element which is planted by a vote, a mournful memory, or simply to mark a path, begins to appear at the end of the fourteenth century and continues to build until today. Melide is considered as the oldest and that of the most spectacular Hío.

The country houses are mansions built in the field as permanent or temporary residences of the ancient noble families Fidalgo Galicia. Were built mainly during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were distinguished not only by their dimensions, bearing the coats of arms, towers, sunny, chapel and lush gardens that surround it.

Gastronomía

The main attraction of Galician cuisine is its variety, to the extent that it is hard to say which is the typical dish of the region. But if there is something common to all would be a loving family cooking, crafts, leisurely, abundant and varied. The same product is prepared in many ways and in each place has a different flavor. You could say that the Galician cuisine is classical cuisine, in the sense given to this word in the history of art, because it reaches the peak of its beauty with the most simple and naturally combined.

The pork with turnip tops is one of the most typical foods during the colder months, from San Martino, in early November, to Mardi Gras. In addition to ham and turnip greens cooked whole, add potatoes and sausage. Another highlight is the Galician stew, made with ham, beef and chicken, and pork sausage with turnip or cabbage, potatoes and chickpeas. Attention fixed on the winter and especially in the days of Christmas, one of the most tasty meats is the gelding, born in April and meticulously primed capoeira one month before slaughter.

Pies deserve separate chapter. It does everything and anything can get inside of the pie. One of the characteristics of the Galician empanada is the softness, lightness and delicacy of bread, especially in coastal areas. Compango is always the saffron, oil, pepper and plenty of onions.

Speaking of fish and shellfish in Galicia may be a cliché, but we are not going to shut up. There are a variety of fish, the tastiest are certainly those who are caught in the estuaries or near the coast, hake, turbot, sea bass, grouper, flounder ... Be enjoyed in classic preparations, grilled, in the Galician or stew, or by specialized cooks marinated sophisticated.

Turning to shellfish and mollusks, in the exquisite shrimp have a precious snack, such as squid and cuttlefish, fried or in ink, or crab. Barnacles concentrated the quintessence of all the flavors of the sea. Next come those that are eaten raw as clams and oysters. Another group of seafood entree makes the crab, lobster, lobster, shrimp, scallops and clams in a thousand varieties of sauces or mussels nutritious and affordable. There is, finally, a mollusk, octopus, which we cite for his humility and that is taken in all months of the year and in all fairs of Galicia. The octopus "to the trade fair", cooked, sliced, seasoned with paprika and salt, and spray with olive oil.

Among freshwater fish, we can taste the trout and salmon, eels and eels, shad, trout, lamprey ...

To conclude this brief tour of the Galician cuisine, remember the goodness of fresh cheeses, exquisite pastries and making the crepes, which are the most original and pleasant dessert that can be savored

Festivals

The Galician population is grouped in nearly 3,800 parishes, institutions typical population of Galicia, which has its origin in the Swabian administrative division. However, each parish has its own party or parties, especially during the summer months, so it is easy to imagine how far he can get the number of celebrations on earth. In addition to these festivities, Galician folklore, rich and varied traditions and legends, has given rise to countless pilgrimages and religious festivals and secular. Cite only some way of example, to celebrate spring, the bonfires of San Juan in the summer solstice, or magosto, when the first chestnuts roasting and taste the first wines.

Among the pilgrimage, if we could only choose one from each province, perhaps could be among the most popular of the miracles of Amil in Moraña (Pontevedra), that of Virxe Muxía da Barca (A Coruña), the Xira of Santa Cruz Ribadeo (Lugo) and the battle of the Moors and Christians Sainz (Ourense). Floral rugs Ponteareas Corpus, which are also in Ares and Gondomar, form a separate chapter.

Among the most original and indigenous parties have to highlight the Curros, or Rapa Beasts, born as an extension of the work of breeders who breed horses in the mountains on probation. Twenty gigs are held from May to August at various locations in the provinces of Lugo, A Coruña and Pontevedra. It is well known, too, with the spectacular carnival held in Galicia, especially in Laza (Verín) and Xinzo of Limia.