Unpublished historical documents relating to bridges on Winter Road indicate that pilgrims passed at these places on the way to Santiago. laopiniondezamora.es
The Medieval pilgrimage path to Santiago, el Camino Invierno, has its origins in a secondary Roman road that linked the Roman gold mines Las Médulas XVIII of the Via Antonino Route as it passed through Valdeorras. This route followed the rich bimillennium gold of the Sil River basin to the south of Lugo. It is the Montefurado tunnel, one of the greatest Hispanic Roman engineering works of that era. While we talk about secondary road, that is not to say that it was not significant. On the contrary, due to the rich gold fields that dotted the entire basin of Sil there where extended numerous settlements.
The route continued to the plain of Chantada Lemos and followed those of the Deza, along the riverbeds Cabrera, surroundings, Lor, Cabe, Arnego Minho and the many bridges of Roman origin . Therefore, the existence of such bridges on the Camino Invierno highlights the importance of this route. Importance grew with the creation of the highway, which overlaps in a large part, the Roman roads, the bridges becoming crucial elements for transit.
In two papers, one in 1566, referring to the bridge Barx of Lor (A Pobra do Brollón) and another of 1671 referred to the bridge Villaverde (Quiroga) shows, as we shall see below, the importance of these bridges for passengers of the Kingdoms of Castilla to Santiago, as the necessary path. And importantly, (for what it represents to our defense of the route as a way of pilgrimage), so that they are necessary for pilgrims on their way to Santiago, especially in winter.
Original Texts
The first document, which is in the ARG (Real Audiencia Neighbors, Leg.1182, n º 9) refers to the residents of Bridge Lor, concerning distribution (560,000 mrs) for composition of the bridge. The letter mentions the need for repair, as it the main arch had fallen, because so much damage it was causing to the pilgrims and also it was most necessary to go to Castilla and Santiago "
Adding elsewhere in the document there is a clear reference to it being a path of pilgrims who were exempt from being charged, while it was common for such an order is breached.
In the same impact again on the importance of this route to Santiago, the more necessary in the winter when it snows in the mountains of Cebreiro. The bridge (Vilaverde of Pousa) is coming real , path from Castile to the city of La Coruña and Santiago during winter when most needed ports are taken from Cebrero. And that river of flowing Quiroga is quick and that much of the year no badea or foot or on horseback? ".
