Thread by @magago

The Castro Lupario hillfort (Rois,#Galicia) has alway captivated the attention of writers and scholars. It is located very close to Santiago de Compostela, had some intriguing findings, uncommon features and a strong legend on a powerful queen.
#HillfortsWednesday

At least since the 16th century, travellers have visited the ruins, looking for the legend. The Castro Lupario was the seat of the Raíña Lupa, the She-Wolf Queen, sovereign of these lands when the corpse of Saint James arrived from Palestine in a stone boat.
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The queen built a pagan temple to which crowds flocked. The Apostle's disciples asked the queen to bury him there. This pagan seat of power was so relevant for Saint James' myth that in 1610 Mauro Castellá depicted the hillfort in the centre of the territory.
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The extremely well preserved and masive stone ramparts excited the imagination of 19th century scholars. Here are two pics with the famous lady (and young priest) scale. 😉
Maybe the walls were Late Roman or even early medieval. It is still unclear.
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In spite the hillfort never was scientifically excavated, some intriguing finds were located, like this severed head, possibly placed at the rampart. These walls were also like a strange 'panel of memory', integrating ancient rock art coming from Bronze Age.
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When you visit the Castro Lupario hillfort, you realize that this is not the usual Iron Age hillfort. The ramparts, the internal structure...everything shows you that it is a special place. But through the centuries visitors were visiting a story, not a site.
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This hillfort was a place between history and legend. Like Camelot, the seat of the She-Wolf Queen was one of the mythical palaces of the Middle Ages, widely depicted in art throughout Europe, showing how pagan Old World and the New Christian were integrated.
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