Sacred Landscapes in Galicia: Small Religious Architecture and Symbolism

DOI: 10.2478/ahr-2019-0002

Pedro Calaza-Martínez et al. Acta Horticulturae et Regiotecturae 1/2019

Acta Horticulturae et Regiotecturae 1 Nitra, Slovaca Universitas Agriculturae Nitriae, 2019, pp. 8–13

SACRED LANDSCAPES IN GALICIA: SMALL RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE AND SYMBOLISM

Pedro CALAZA-MARTÍNEZ,* Nuria FREIRE-GONZÁLEZ, Camilo BLANCO-PAMPÍN Galician Landscape School, Spain

Cultural landscapes are multi-layered entities that constantly endure changes and transformations, especially in Europe due to its ancient history and anthropized nature, which reveals itself not only in physical elements, but also through immaterial heritage. This paper aims to analyse the connection between sacred landscapes, small religious architecture and folklore, focusing on the origin and transformations of several places in Galicia (northwest of Spain). Galicia is defined by its rich flora and fauna, a management of its land based on smallholding and the social idiosyncrasy of its people, defined by strong symbolism and the religious tradition that is reflected in a great amount of small sacred architecture. All this provide a paradigmatic territory for this research, allowing an approach to the case studies from the point of view of landscape architecture, assessing the small sacred architecture elements, their background, symbolism and associated vegetation. It is worth mentioning that, although vegetation had a very strong meaning and symbolism in the sacred history of Galicia, nowadays it only appears in 26% of the analysed case studies.

Keywords: small sacred architecture, cultural landscape, immaterial heritage, Galicia, trees

The European territory is immensely rich in terms of cultural the immaterial heritage. The Christianisation phenomenon landscape, due to the fact that it has been inhabited since involves a change of meaning, adding old beliefs and ancient times. Anthropization reaches every place, given the traditions to a new socio-ideological order (Pracero et al., great number of civilizations that have lived and transformed 1998). Frequently, a connection can be found between this territory over time, adapting it to their advantage in landscape, sacred symbolism and Christianity in religious order to survive. This phenomenon has been addressed by architecture. For example, in the Iberian Peninsula many some authors referring to it as rewriting landscape (Pracero places of pilgrimage to the Virgin are related to landmarks et al., 1998). Consequently, from a landscape architecture linked to pre-Christian sacred places, like the Virgin of point of view, territory is often explained as a palimpsest that Covadonga (Spain) or the Virgin of Fatima (Portugal). is made of many layers, both physical and intangible. These The study of these places has been so far approached layers create the genius loci of a place, which is highly related from very different points of view, from a historical to an to cultural heritage (Norberg-Schulz, 1980; Roger, 1997). The archaeological or architectural perspective. However, identity of places is thereby influenced by the way people in landscape architecture, it is very important to study see them, thus creating the immaterial landscape of each the different layers that create a specific landscape, both territory that reveals itself in memory and folklore, and is material and immaterial, getting to know its past in order frequently linked to physical elements such as small sacred to plan its future. That also applies to some of the spaces architecture. surrounding small sacred architecture, where the historical Then again, it is possible to identify common patterns in and present symbolisms are frequently linked to the the way some spaces are associated with certain symbolisms, physical remains. This paper aims to provide insight on this which appear all over Europe. This leads to the thought that matter, studying places where the connections between there might be some sort of special condition that imbues landscape, symbolism and sacred architecture are most specific landscapes, making them more capable of inspiring enhanced. or reaching human subconscious. In fact, some well-known To that purpose, the connection between physical sacred places are spaces with exceptional landscape qualities spaces and immaterial heritage needs to be addressed, as the Mont Saint Michel (France) or Stonehenge (UK). Some taking into account that Christian ideas are part of of them remain, as the latter, pretty unchanged, but others a syncretism where other ingredients appear, such as have been constantly modified, making it more difficult beliefs, superstitions, magic, myth, ritual and symbol (Lisón, to read the past layers, but at the same time enriching the 1974), and amongst all of them, death is a central subject. landscape experience. Death is a mystery that has always caused all sorts of Among all the agents that have transformed and superstitions and beliefs in all cultures, especially in some modified landscapes over the years, Christianity is perhaps areas due to the idiosyncrasy, the spatial configuration the one that has most influenced the physical space as well as of landscape or other cultural facts such as Celtic origins.

Contact address: Pedro Calaza Martínez, Galician Landscape School, Salvador Allende 92, Oleiros, A Coruña, Spain, e-mail: [email protected]

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This is the case of Galicia (Finis 7th centuries. In the classical era they Terrae by the Romans), a region with honoured Mercury, protector of Results and discussion isolated and dispersed small villages travellers, by placing stones in strategic along hostile valleys where these places to form milladoiros. With The study seeks to reveal the beliefs were strengthened, providing the arrival of Christianity they were importance of landscape as the a paradigmatic territory in terms of adapted by adding crosses on top. spatial framework where religious connection between landscape, sacred Petos de ánimas: material architecture elements appear, symbolism and Christian worship. manifestation of the cult to the taking into special consideration dead. Usually they are small and the transformations of these sacred simple monuments of popular piety places endured along Christianisation. Material and methods associated with the idea of Purgatory. On that account, landscape According to the Galician belief, the transformations have a dual physical- In order to analyse small sacred dead live, awaiting in another place symbolic nature that implies the architecture in Galicia (northwest that occupies a different dimension apparition of religious architecture Spain) from a landscape architecture from the world of the living, where elements and the construction of perspective, based on the study of time does not pass (Vaqueiro, 2011). a narrative, or the modification of both physical context and immaterial Thus, petos de ánimas were built as a previous one, that justifies the heritage, it was necessary to select places to offer alms to these souls sacred character of the place. These case studies that represented this of Purgatory, being their temporary changes imply an intention to connection between landscape, punishment and allowing them to transmit a symbolic message (the symbolism and sacred architecture in reach Heaven. In return, the liberated Christian message), easy to interpret, different areas of the Galician territory. souls would intercede for those with teaching purposes (Burgoa, Every case study selected was classified who made the offerings (monetary 2000), directed to imprint itself in according to its spatial location, parish or agricultural products). These are the idiosyncrasy of Galician people, and province, typology of the sacred elements that have been widely generally ruled by the importance of architecture, original configuration of studied, usually from a descriptive family, the self-sufficient environment the surrounding landscape, symbolic perspective, both in Portugal and the limited and difficult meaning of the place and vegetation (Gonçalves, 1959), and in Spain (Bas, communications with the outside associated. All the information was 1980; Menor, 1983). Its origin can be world. These conditions created contextualized in a map (Figure 1) found in the Counter Reformation, a compendium of beliefs, most of and collected in a table (Table 1), thus being the oldest ones from the 17th them related to the interweaving of making it possible to establish similar century, although the most frequent live and death, strengthened by the patterns in the way Christianization examples date back to the 18th century. great connection between people modified sacred places throughout the They are made of stone and usually and their land, a bond that reaches studied territory, and how the different have a cross with images of the souls the highest level with the death when historical layers can still be read in the in the fire of Purgatory and a figure they are buried and merge into the existing landscapes. that keeps vigil such as a saint, king or ground (Pellón, 1997). Being that so, One of the most interesting facts bishop. the Christianization process slowly of small religious architecture is that it brings the spiritual message to open spaces and to the landscape (Toth, 2018). The case studies of small architecture range from chapels, churches or small monasteries located in singular places, to architectural or sculptural sets with several elements that configure the space of cult. Some of these elements are repeated throughout the Galician territory and appear generally linked to the same spatial typology, as it is the case of cruceiros and petos de ánimas. These are two paradigmatic elements of small sacred architecture in Galicia that will appear in most of the study cases, therefore a further and more accurate description is needed. Cruceiros (High cross): legacy of the prehistoric menhirs, the Roman milladoiros and the crosses of the Figure 1 Spatial distribution of the case studies. Galicia (northwest Spain) th evangelized Ireland of the 6 and Source: made by the authors

9 Pedro Calaza-Martínez et al. Acta Horticulturae et Regiotecturae 1/2019 Social/ Impact CC, TI, CC, F4 CC, TI, CC, F3 CC, TI, CC, F6 CC, TI, CC, F7 TI, CC, F8 CC, TI, CC, F7 CC, TI, CC, F9 CC, LV, F5 LV, CC, religious CC, DP, F2 DP, CC, CC, DP, F1 DP, CC, CC, TI, CC, F10 CC, TI, CC, F10 T – – T – – ST ST CS QR QR NLE NLE NLE NLE (Lost) (Lost) QR woods Vegetation stone 1. Cross 1. Cross 1. Cross 1. Cross 4. Shrine 2. Cloister 3. Sanctuary 2. High cross 1. High cross 2. High cross 1. Monastery 3. Three 3. Three fonts 4. Virgin 4. Virgin cradle 1. Virgin 1. Virgin statue 4. Stone statue 4. Stone 2. Forno da Santa 2. Forno 1. Peto de animas 1. Peto 1. Peto de animas 1. Peto 2. Small bell tower 6. Apostle rock bed rock 6. Apostle 1. Sta Eulalia Chapel Eulalia 1. Sta 2. Sculpture of apostle 2. Sculpture 2. Sculpture of St. Telmo of St. 2. Sculpture 2. Peto de animas (near). 2. Peto 5. Miracle water fountain 5. Miracle water 1. Stone cross on top of the existing of the existing on top cross 1. Stone Small sacred architecture elements architecture Small sacred 1. Santa Mariña1. Santa mausoleum and chapel meaning Fertility rituals Cult of the trees Cult Cult of the dead Cult Cult of the dead Cult Cult of the stone Cult Cult of the stone Cult Cult of the water Cult Cult of the water Cult Preborn Baptism Preborn Preborn Baptism Preborn Preborn Baptism Preborn Preborn Baptism Preborn Cult of the snakes Cult Original Symbolic Original Symbolic Cult of the mountain Cult Bridge Bridge Bridge Bridge formation formation formation Viewpoint Viewpoint Crossroads Crossroads Singular rock Singular rock Singular rock Singular rock snake carving. configuration configuration Three water springs water Three Espenuca mountain with healing powers Original Landscape Singular rock with old Singular rock Magic forest of Merilán Magic forest (C) (C) (PO) (OU) Location As Pontes As Padrón (C) Padrón Allariz (OU) Nigrán (PO) Nigrán O Rosa l (PO) A Coruña (C) A Coruña Parroquia de Parroquia Parada de Sil, de Sil, Parada Augas Santas, Santas, Augas Celanova (Ou) Celanova San Clodio, Leiro Leiro San Clodio, Ribeira (OU) Sacra Corme, Ponteceso Ponteceso Corme, A Espenuca, Coirós A Espenuca, Coirós Ferreira. Moeche (C) Ferreira. Cruceiro Cruceiro Cruceiro Cruceiro Cruceiro Typology Peto de ánimas Peto Peto de Ánimas Peto Sacred place with place Sacred Sacred place with place Sacred Sacred place with place Sacred Sacred place with place Sacred Sacred place with place Sacred multiple elements multiple elements multiple elements multiple elements multiple elements Elements of small sacred architecture in Galicia (Spain) architecture of small sacred Elements Monte Virxe da Virxe Element Pastoriza Bridge of Ramallosa Ribas de Sil A Espenuca Bora BridgeBora de Leiriña (2) de Leiriña Romanesque of San Clodio Augas Santas Augas Tamuxe Bridge Tamuxe Pedra da Serpe Pedra Santiaguiño do Santiaguiño Peto de ánimas Peto Peto de ánimas Peto Santa MariñaSanta de Medieval Bridge de Milmanda (1) Santa Cristina de Santa 6 5 N 4 1 3 2 7 8 9 10 11 12 Table 1 Table

10 Acta Horticulturae et Regiotecturae 1/2019 Pedro Calaza-Martínez et al. Social/ Impact religious CC, TI, CC, F10 TI, CC, F10 CC, TI, CC, F10 NLE NLE NLE Vegetation 1. Peto de animas 1. Peto de ánimas 1. Peto 1. Peto de animas 1. Peto Century, with a sculpture of the souls in the purgatory represented of the souls in purgatory represented with a sculpture Century, th Small sacred architecture elements architecture Small sacred meaning Cult of the dead Cult Cult of the dead Cult Cult of the dead Cult Original Symbolic Original Symbolic Bridge Crossroads Crossroads Crossroads configuration configuration Original Landscape Location Coeo (LU) Coeo Chantada (LU) Chantada de Figueirido (Po) (Po) de Figueirido Vilaboa, parroquia parroquia Vilaboa, Typology Peto de ánimas Peto Peto de Ánimas Peto Peto de Ánimas Peto Castanea Impact:Castanea – . Social/religious CC sativa CS – Castanea robur; QR – quercus tree; of trees/monumental ST – singular formation T – tree/s; element; small sacred NLE – not linked to Vegetation: referring F1 – legends of the apostle (Santiago) heritage. legends and immaterial F – folklore, – landscape viewpoint; LV interest; TI – touristic of pilgrimage; DP – destination Christian Cult; sativa offerings still appear in the chestnut F4 – elements; martyrdomto the different referring F3 – legends of Santa Mariña’s Virgin; performed F2 – legends of miracles elements; by the the different to Baptism rituals; of Preborn F7 – folklore disappeared; that F6 – pagan legends of snakes and an old oak forest and Christian Eulalia; legends about Santa F5 – pagan legends of witches old tree; in the details of can be read that the cult of dead and souls in purgatory, around in 1809; F10 – folklore battle a historic Miracle; around F9 – folklore Telmo’s F8 – legends of St. in the descriptions below as presented sculptures, of top of them. 2 – element on Monumental niches and a Christ Itfigure three 1883, made of serpentine. in Galicia, contains from de ánimas” “Peto 1 – Bigest de Ánimas: Description of Petos two bodies with consists of altarpiece frontal – The 3 of Christ Crucified. and in the upper side a figure 3 and the souls in purgatory, × ItAntón a piety by Saint flanked contains 2 meters. king and including a crowned souls burning in flames, Purgatory several over watching Lucifer by presided In the upper side an unusual Inferno is represented, symbolic iconography. abundant rectangularconstruction 4 – Small the 7 from appear below. of demons and monsters figures while several bishop, a mitred among the flames. 5 – From 1872, it has a semi-circular arch with a niche containing alms for the blessed souls and St. Antonio St. for the blessed souls and alms containing with a niche 1872, it has a semi-circular arch From 5 – among the flames. Element de Coeo (5) de Coeo de Belesar (4) de O Toural (3) Toural de O de San Vicente Peto de ánimas Peto Peto de ánimas Peto de ánimas Peto N 15 13 14 Continued by Table 1 Table by Continued

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Figure 2 Monte da Pastoriza (to the left) and Santiaguiño do Monte, 2018 Source: made by the authors

Figure 3 Examples of Petos de ánimas in Galicia, 2018 Source: made by the authors adapted the pagan sacred places and the folklore around Padrón, a singular space with rock formations and water them, taking into account that the presence of the dead springs considered magical for its medicinal properties, in Galician traditional life has been an element of prime which indicates the existence of ancient cults to the divinities importance, with spatial-temporal constraints (Menor, of water and rocks. The Christianization is carried out by the 1983). The use of small architecture elements, very common construction of a High-cross and a statue, assuming this was in Galicia, provides structure to a landscape with a character the altar where St James used to preach. and identity that blend perfectly with the vegetation and This sort of monumental sets articulated through the territory morphology. a legend are very frequent, as in the case of Santa Mariña The classification of the case studies, presented in Table de Augas Santas, where the whole village is built around the 1, allows us to identify common patterns in the way sacred legend of the martyrdom of the saint. “The legend of Santa places were managed all over the Galician territory. Three Mariña adheres to the territory like a mantle of narrative that different typologies were identified: sacred places with covers it and gives it meaning” (García Quintela, 2014). Thus, multiple elements that create a monumental set, Cruceiros the place awakened a touristic interest through the visits (High crosses), and Petos de Ánimas. The original landscape to the different elements such as the three miracle springs configuration and meaning columns collect both physical or the disappeared Carballo da Santa, an old oak tree that remains and symbolic interpretations extracted from takes part in the tale, representing perfectly the symbolism folklore. They provide evidence on the sacred character of some tree species regarding sacred spaces. “When the of each case study, previous to the arrival of Christianism. Christian missionaries undertook the conversion of the The small sacred architecture elements column refers to pagan peoples, one of their first actions was to prohibit the the physical process of Christianization, usually by adding worship of trees and destroy the sacred forests” (Fischesser, stone crosses, while the social religious impact column 1995). This phenomenon is evident in Santa Cristina de Ribas collects the symbolic transformation, recording the folklore de Sil where an ancient chestnut tree contains offerings legends, as well as the interest (touristic, pilgrimage…) of hanging from their branches, due to the ancient pagan each place. The vegetation column registers the existence of cult that still remains. Many places linked to pre-Christian certain trees and plants linked to small sacred architecture, rituals were converted to Christianism by adding a Cruceiro so important from the landscape architecture point of view, or peto de ánimas. That is the case of Pedra da Serpe and but also for its sacred meaning and symbolism. many high-crosses located on bridges where the traditional Every case study shows the transformation of both ritual of bautismo anticipado1 used to take place. The same physical and symbolic landscape dimensions through the occurs with petos de ánimas located in crossroads where, Christianization process. This way, in Monte da Pastoriza, according to folklore, the veil between this world and the there are traces of old singular rock formations that, according to popular legends and ethnographical studies, are related to ancient fertility rituals and pagan cults to the 1 Bautismo anticipado (in English preborn baptism) is a traditional stones. The Christianization process implied the creation Galician ritual that was performed before the birth took place, in of a narrative about the apparition of the Virgin, and the order to guarantee its success. For this purpose, the family members construction of a temple and a sculpture. The same thing should go to the designated bridge and wait for a person to cross it. Then, they had to convince him (it had to be a man) to help them happens in other places of pilgrimage, some of them in The with the ritual, and if he agreed and everything went as it was way of St. James, as in the case of Santiaguiño do Monte in expected, he would become the godfather of the child.

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supernatural drops, allowing phenomena such as the Compaña2 to manifest. Small sacred architecture appears to References Christianise these places. BAS LÓPEZ, B. 1980. Construcciones populares galegas. Coruña. S.l. Conclusion Bankunión, imp. Galicia is a region with a clear historical relation between BURGOA FERNÁNDEZ, J. J. 2000. El patrimonio etnografico y el arte landscape, religion (pre-Christian and Christian cults) popular: cruceros y petos de animas de los municipios de Moeche and society, and houses a large number of small sacred y San Sadurnino. In An. Brigantino, vol. 23, 2000, pp. 477–494. architecture. The analysed case studies show how the GONÇALVES, F. 1959. Os painéis do Purgatorio e as origens process of re-writing landscape (Pracero et al., 1998) over das alminhas populares. In Boletim da Biblioteca Municipal de the years has resulted into complex spaces where many Matosinhos, 1959, no. 6, pp. 78–79. layers of history can be read. As it was demonstrated, the FISCHESSER, B. 1995. Connaître les arbres (Editorial El Drac, S. L. apparition of small sacred architecture elements is usually Trans.). Paris : Ed Nathan, 1995. linked to the existence of a singular landscape imbued with GARCÍA QUINTELA, M. V. 2014. Paisajes duales en la galicia tradicional: Estructura, génesis y transformación. Dual Landscapes a previous sacred meaning that can still be read through in Traditional Galicia : Structure, Genesis, and Transformation. In some remaining natural elements as well as the folklore Revista De Dialectología Y Tradiciones Populares, vol. LXIX, 2014, around them. However, these landscapes endured a great no. 1, pp. 29–30–52. change with the arrival of Christianity, which modified both LISÓN TOLOSANA, C. 1974. Perfiles simbólico-morales de la cultura its physical form through the construction of architecture gallega. Ed. Akal, S.A., 1974. and sculpture elements, and its symbolic narrative, adapting MENOR CURRAS, M. 1983. Los Petos de animas de la provincia de the existing myths, legends and tales to the Christian Orense. In Folklore, 1983, 25. doctrine. Trees and all sorts of vegetation have also been NORBERG-SCHULZ, C. 1980. Genius loci, towards a phenomenology sacred elements of veneration, as well as elements of of architecture. Rizzoli, 1980. accompaniment to some sacred religious structures. The PELLÓN REVUELTAS, S. 1997. Los petos de ánimas de Ourense. arboreal vegetation that was identified consists mainly Narria 79–80: 1–6. Museo de artes y tradiciones populares de la of Quercus robur and Castanea sativa, and its use linked universidad autónoma de Madrid, 1997. to sacred elements has continued until our time. Yet PRACERO, C. – CRIADO, F. – SÁNTOS, M. 1998. Rewriting landscape: nowadays, it appears only in 26% of the case studies (4/15), Incorporating sacred landscapes into cultural traditions. In World indicating that small sacred architecture in Galicia is based Archaeology, vol. 30, 1998, no. 1, pp. 159–160–176. in the direct lecture of the anthropic religious constructions, ROGER, A. 1997. Court traité du paysage. Paris : Éd. Gallimard, 1997. independently from the linked vegetation. VAQUEIRO, V. 2011. Mitoloxía de galicia. lendas, tradicións, maxias The evolution of sacred landscapes through the different e milagres. Ed. Galaxia, 2011. eras has changed the meaning and use of these spaces, TÓTH, A. – VEREŠOVÁ, M. 2018. Small Sacral Architecture and Trees maintaining sometimes its religious character, as is the case as Monuments in Diverse Cultural Landscapes of Slovakia. In Plants of the many destinations of pilgrimage, but they also bear in Urban areas and landscape. International Scientific Conference a cultural and touristic interest nowadays. The study of the Proceedings, 2018, pp. 7–13. these multi-layered spaces from a landscape architecture nnn point of view is essential to guarantee their conservation and ultimately preserve the identity and the genius loci of every one of them, for they are a fundamental part of the European cultural heritage.

2 Compaña, also known as Santa Compaña, is one of the most famous folklore myths in Galician territory, linked to the mystery of Death. The multiple accounts of sightings of Compaña refer to it as a procession of dead spirits carrying a candle, that usually appear in crossroads and other sacred places.