A stop at the height of the best pilgrims: the Cruz de Ferro

Discover the history and symbolism of the Cruz de Ferro, one of the most emblematic landmarks of the French Way: an iron cross on a post on Monte Irago (León) where pilgrims leave a stone as an ancient tradition to shed burdens and continue their spiritual journey towards Santiago.

The Cruz de Ferro is one of the elements with the most history and symbolism of the Camino de Santiago, also known in Leonese as "Cruz de Fierro", which translates to "Iron Cross" in Spanish. Located on the French Way in the stage that goes from Foncebadón to Ponferrada, it is situated between Foncebadón itself and Manjarín, and belongs to the municipality of Santa Colomba de Somoza (León). From here, there are 230 kilometers remaining to the city of Santiago de Compostela.

The Cruz de Ferro: the highest point of the French Way

The Cruz de Ferro is found at the highest point of the French Way of Santiago. In these Montes de León, we will encounter it at the Puerto de Foncebadón, also called Monte de Rabanal, which at 1,504 meters above sea level is the highest peak of this route from Roncesvalles, although if starting from the Puerto de Somport, one would reach 1,600 meters above sea level.

Montes de León

This area is also known as Monte Irago, an ancient toponym that is already mentioned in the Codex Calixtinus (12th century). It is a very special place and a landmark of the Camino de Santiago, as it separates the great northern plateau from the hills of El Bierzo and the subsequent entry into Galicia, with a change of landscape that encourages the pilgrim to continue.

History of the Cruz de Ferro and its origin

It is a wayside cross, that is, a wrought iron cross that crowns a five-meter tall wooden post, at the foot of which there is a humilladero; a collection of stones that would have its origin in ancient times. Being in a high place, some theories suggest that it would have served as a landmark for orientation since Roman times, in an area where snowfalls hinder visibility and transit. It is even believed that there was a temple dedicated to the god Mercury, protector of travelers.

Over time, and as is customary in history, the place would be Christianized as the French route of the Camino de Santiago gained strength in the Middle Ages, with the advance of the Christian Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula. The placement of the Cruz de Ferro is attributed to the monk Gaucelmo, as well as the construction of a hospital for pilgrims: he was an 11th-century hermit with a strong vocation for hospitality who aimed to guide and assist pilgrims.

Cruz de Ferro

As for the humilladero, there are various theories regarding its meaning. Humilladeros are the result of a symbolic action by man, and we can see examples in many cultures. It could refer to an offering that the traveler and/or pilgrim makes, materialized in a stone or pebble, as a sign of gratitude and remembrance of passage. It could also represent a request for divine protection, or a release from problems and even sins.

Not only pilgrims, but also Galician farmers who, between the 18th and 19th centuries, traveled to Castilla for harvesting work, would also leave a stone when passing by the Cruz de Ferro. The geographical dictionary of Pascual Madoz, from the mid-19th century, states regarding the act of throwing stones that "it is rare for a traveler to pass by and not throw one."

The tradition of the stone at the Cruz de Ferro

Be that as it may, many, if not all, pilgrims continue to uphold the tradition of leaving a stone at the humilladero, with this one at the Cruz de Ferro being one of the largest in Europe and the most important of the Camino de Santiago. Some do it facing the cross, others with their backs turned, and many even bring the stone from kilometers before. In fact, in ancient times, pilgrims carried stones to contribute to the transport of such material, intended for the construction of hospitals, bridges, churches, and even the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela itself.

The cross we see today is not the original. It is preserved a few kilometers before, in the Museum of the Ways in Astorga, where it was taken in 1976. Later, in the 1980s, a chapel dedicated to Santiago and a fountain were built nearby.

Museum of the Ways of Astorga

The recent controversy at the Cruz de Ferro

In recent years, a controversial landscaping intervention in the area promoted by the Town Hall of Santa Colomba de Somoza has been rejected by the pilgrim community, which expressed its total disagreement with the project and, fortunately, it has not gone ahead, as the Territorial Commission of Cultural Heritage of León did not give its approval. As the protest cry goes, "the Cruz de Ferro is not to be touched".

Thus, fortunately, our Cruz de Ferro remains and will continue to stand guiding our steps, and it will be waiting for every pilgrim to visit and enjoy its significance and views. And you, what are you waiting for to get to know it? You can undertake the entire French Way of Santiago or just a section, for example from León, and thus you will discover firsthand the magic of the Cruz de Ferro. As always, we are here to help and advise you on your pilgrimage adventure.