Fisterra (; ) is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

province of A Coruña The province of A Coruña ( ; ; historical ) is the northwesternmost province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia. This province is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and north ...

, in the

autonomous community The autonomous communities () are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the nationalities and regions that make up Sp ...

of Galicia, Spain. It belongs to the comarca of Fisterra. Fisterra is on Cape Finisterre, an alternative final destination for pilgrims on the Way of St. James who seek to travel beyond

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela, simply Santiago, or Compostela, in the province of Province of A Coruña, A Coruña, is the capital of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city ...

. Fisterra is on the rocky Costa da Morte (Galician: "Coast of Death"), named because of the large number of shipwrecks along these shores. The name ''Fisterra'' comes from Latin FINIS TERRAE, meaning "Land's End". This name stems from the fact that this area is on a remote peninsula that is one of the westernmost points of land in Galicia, and hence in Spain. Fisterra is an ancient port and fishing village, formed by narrow streets leading to the Plaza de Ara Solis. The chapel of Nosa Señora do Bon Suceso, dating from the 18th century, is on the plaza. There is a lighthouse on a 600-metre promontory called "Monte Facho" at the tip of Cape Finisterre overlooking the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

. On the road up to the lighthouse is the parish church of Santa María de Fisterra which contains the Chapel of Santo Cristo. Fisterra is 108 km from

A Coruña A Coruña (; ; also informally called just Coruña; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality in Galicia, Spain. It is Galicia's second largest city, behind Vigo. The city is the provincial capital of the province ...

, and 98 km from

Geography

Fisterra has several beaches like O Rostro, Arnela, Mar de Fóra, Langosteira, Ribeira, and Corveiro. There are several rocks in this area associated with religious legends, such as the "holy stones", the "stained wine stones", the "stone chair", and the tomb of ''Orcabella''.Orcabella is a

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...

that takes the form of a hag and has a prodigious sexual appetite. Humans cannot hurt Orcabella; they only see her or feel her. Orcabella has many features that are similar to the Irish crone-goddess, ''Cailleach Bhéirre''
''LA MITOLOGÍA Y EL FOLKLORE DE GALICIA Y LAS REGIONES CÉLTICAS DEL NOROESTE EUROPEO ATLÁNTICO''
, Manuel Alberro, Inst. of Cornish Studies,

University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of ...

)

History

After the discovery of the remains of St. James, pilgrims on the Way of St. James started to arrive from

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...

to Fisterra to worship in front of an image of Sacred Christ, view the relics of San Guillerme, and see the "End of the Earth". In 1479, a hospital to accommodate the arriving pilgrims was built. Many of the pilgrims were noblemen or otherwise famous. Thousands of visitors continue to arrive in Fisterra every day.

Pre-Christian beliefs

In the area there are many remnants of pre-Christian beliefs and sacred locations. On Cape Finisterre, some claim that there is the "Altar Soli", where the

Celts The Celts ( , see Names of the Celts#Pronunciation, pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples ( ) were a collection of Indo-European languages, Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient Indo-European people, reached the apoge ...

engaged in sun worship and assorted rituals. The Monte Facho, on Cape Finisterre, was the place where the Celtic Nerios from Duio carried out their offerings and rites in honour of the sun. St.

William of Gellone William of Gellone ( 755 – 28 May 812 or 814), the medieval William of Orange, was the second Duke of Toulouse from 790 until 811. In 804, he founded the abbey of Gellone. He was canonized a saint in 1066 by Pope Alexander II.

also lived in a house located there. Near St. William's house, sterile couples would have sexual intercourse on one specific stone to try to conceive, following a Celtic rite of fertility.

Main sights

*Castle of San Carlos, built during the reign of

Charles III of Spain Charles III (; 20 January 1716 – 14 December 1788) was King of Spain in the years 1759 to 1788. He was also Duke of Parma and Piacenza, as Charles I (1731–1735); King of Naples, as Charles VII; and King of Sicily, as Charles III (or V) (1735� ...

. * Church of ''Santa María das Areas'' (late 12th century, modified later). It houses the image of the Holy Christ of Fisterra. *Bon Suceso Chapel (18th century) *Fisterra Lighthouse, the main on the Costa da Morte.

Culture

During

easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...

there is a local festival featuring the Christ of the Golden Beard.

Civil parishes

* Duio * Fisterra (Santa María) * San Martiño de Duio (San Martiño) * Sardiñeiro (San Xoán)

Demography

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INE Archiv
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References

External links

Official websiteCape Finisterre and the Camino de Santiago - Secret World

{{authority control Municipalities in the Province of A Coruña Way of the Lighthouses