Myths and legends of Castrolandín (Cuntis)
“…a magical night for purification and fertility…”
The castro is a very special place for people who live in Cuntis, with the celebration of the “Festa dos fachos”. During this festivity, the locals surround the castro wall with 52 torches from which seven pine cones hang, representing the weeks of the year and the days of the week. The celebration was prohibited in the 1940s and revived in 2000, thanks to Cuntis’ Terra Termarum Foundation.
Known for its power of purification, jumping over the bonfire in Castrolandín is also a fertility ritual and a means of connecting with the hidden culture of the mouros and the mouras who live beneath our feet. As proof of this, the locals say that “even when it rains, the castro never floods”, despite its concave shape. As part of the tradition, pine cones are thrown at the bonfire after a wish is made, which, if kept secret, will surely come true.
“… an old man who spoke of the existence of a large golden door…”
Many are the legends surrounding the castro. In the northern part lies an area where large mica chips can be extracted. Alongside, another area hides bluish streaks under the vegetation. It has been speculated that this may be due to lead deposits, although the reality is that the soil has a high sulphur content. Historically, the local people attributed this unique characteristic to the presence of treasure hidden underground.
Another legend tells of a man who claimed that that there was a large golden door in the castro, “larger than Baño’s church door (Baño being the name given to Cuntis by other villages in the borough). Older inhabitants recall that when their great-grandparents were alive, some saw hens or partridges and chicks with feathers which shone, no doubt because they were golden. The castro is also said to be inhabited by the mouros and mouras, and there is said to be a secret entrance they used to use to fetch water from a fountain with supposed magical properties.
