Portomarín, a picturesque village in the province of Lugo, is primarily known for being a very special stop on the Camino de Santiago. However, there is something more in its history that makes it unique and mysterious: what we see today is not what it once was. In the 1960s, the original village, with its old buildings and cobblestone streets, bid farewell to its ancestral location in a surprising way. But what exactly happened to that old Portomarín? How did it go from being a charming medieval village to the reborn town we know today? To understand it, we must go back to a time of great change when the waters of the Miño River covered what had been its home for centuries.
The great protagonist of Portomarín is the Miño River (besides the eel and the aguardiente)
The history of the original Portomarín: a submerged village
In the 1960s, the Spanish government approved the construction of the Belesar reservoir as part of a hydroelectric project. This involved flooding several areas of the Miño River, including the old Portomarín. In 1962, the waters began to rise, covering the houses, squares, and streets that had been the heart of the village for centuries. The inhabitants of Portomarín, over 1,300 people, were forced to leave their home, but before the town was completely submerged, a titanic effort was made to save its most emblematic buildings.
Church of San Nicolás de Portomarín
Monumental transfer: reconstruction stone by stone of the Church of San Nicolás
The Church of San Nicolás, the main symbol of Portomarín, was dismantled stone by stone. Architects and workers worked for months to move it to its new location, preserving its original Romanesque structure. This church, built in the 12th century, not only represented the architectural heritage of the village but also its soul.
Today, in addition to visiting it to stamp the credential and attend mass, pilgrims can identify on its exterior the numbering of the different stones that make it up, so they were placed correctly.
Old photograph of Portomarín, with its old bridge in ruins and the Church of San Nicolás in the background
Other buildings saved from the water
The relocation of the church was not an isolated task. Other important buildings from the village, such as the Church of San Pedro and others, were dismantled and rebuilt to ensure that the essence of the old Portomarín continued to live on in the new one. However, from this temple, only the façade, built in granite with an ornamented portal with semicircular arches, was preserved and moved stone by stone.
When the reservoir lowers, the submerged Portomarín emerges
Sometimes, when the water level of the reservoir drops due to drought or maintenance work, the old Portomarín emerges. The ruins of the village, such as the old stone streets and the remains of the houses, become visible for a time, a poignant reminder of what has been lost.
Arriving at Portomarín…
Upon arriving at Portomarín, before crossing the new bridge, pilgrims can enjoy a privileged view from the Campana de la Libertad, before crossing the current bridge. From this viewpoint, when the water level is low, you can see the old submerged village, a unique vision that connects the present with the past, evoking the memory of the original Portomarín. The remains of the pillars of the old medieval bridge, which once crossed the Miño, are also visible when the water recedes, exposing the traces of the past. Alongside this, there is also the old 19th-century bridge.
Bridges of Portomarín
Legends and memories of the old Portomarín
Portomarín is surrounded by legends that have passed from generation to generation. One of the most well-known is that of the staircase of the Capilla de las Nieves, one of the most emblematic structures of the new Portomarín. This staircase, built in granite, has 82 steps and a height of 17 meters, and was built using an arch from the old medieval bridge. The local legend says that, if a pilgrim climbs the steps and stops to look back, they will suffer a punishment related to their love life.
Staircase of Portomarín and Capilla de las Nieves
Today, Portomarín is a place full of life and historical memory. Despite the changes it has undergone, the village remains an important destination for pilgrims walking the last stretch of the Camino Francés. Pilgrims who arrive in Portomarín today can enjoy the history of the village: as they walk through its rebuilt streets, they can admire the Church of San Nicolás and the other relocated buildings, which are witnesses to the perseverance of a community that managed to maintain its identity. Although the old Portomarín no longer physically exists, its legacy remains alive in the memory of the Galicians and in every pilgrim who visits the village, and if you’re planning to walk the Camino from Sarria, Portomarín will be a stop that will surprise you.
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