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HISTORY, ART AND CULTURE
Consorcio Provincial Turismo León
Villafranca del Bierzo
Romanesque finale in Leonese lands
Villafranca del Bierzo, embraced by the
Burbia and Valcarce rivers, is the last ma-
jor town on the Camino in the province of
León. Its history is closely tied to the splen-
dour of Romanesque art, a style that left
here a profound and symbolic mark.
The finest example is the Church of San-
tiago, declared a Site of Cultural Interest
(Bien de Interés Cultural), whose most
famous feature is the Puerta del Perdón
(Door of Forgiveness). This richly decora-
ted entrance offered indulgence to ill pil-
grims who were unable to continue to San-
tiago. That act of mercy made the church a
sacred place within the Camino itself.
Another Romanesque treasure is the
Church of San Juan or San Fiz de Viso-
nia, also a Site of Cultural Interest, located
on the road towards Corullón. Built in the
12th century atop the remains of a Roman
structure, it stands out for its sober beauty.
Its south portal, with recessed archivolts
and simple columns, conveys the serenity
of an architecture built to endure time.
Church of Santiago
Detail of the portico of the Church of Santiago
Villafranca is not merely a stop along the Jacobean route:
it is a place where art, faith, and history are deeply inter-
twined, giving shape to a space rich in meaning. Here, in
the last major enclave before crossing into Galicia, every
church, every street, and every stone seems to whisper a
message of welcome to the traveller. It is a final moment
of pause and reflection before entering the mountains that
lead to Compostela.
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