Housing and supply of goods.

Visiting the historical files of the provinces in which Manuel Blanco Romasanta could wonder, sometimes it is not a work they go.

According to the documents consulted of the box 1086/Albergues in the Historical Provincial File of León, situated in the square Puerta Castillo, such a Manuel Blanco R., it was put several times in the one that had been a lodging of pilgrims of Carracedelo in León. In concrete May 22, 1839, June 25, 1841, and in January, 1842.

It is no possible to contrast that was Romasanta, but the coincidences are many and not only for the name which appears I will say that these facts place between the widowhood (1834) and the case of someone of León (, justly when Romasanta begins with his hardware dealer's trade and before there had turned out to be murdered someone who was taking an order of search against him. In the same epoch, Manuel Blanco, was approaching with certain asiduidade Ponferrada to be supplied of goods in the trade of Alonso and Sardinian then to sell them in Ourense. So much that he accumulated a debt of 600 coins ( reais) , motive for which someone was looking for it.

Carracedelo is a passing place for the pilgrims that from near 2.000 years, and probably also a long before the Christianization that had suffered this land by the Romans. The pilgrims come from any Europe’s place walking up to Santiago de Compostela, and his its cathedral, in which the legend says there rest the remains of the apostle Santiago, an important personality of the catholic church. Some historians and writers affirm that Europe was constructed travelling to Santiago de Compostela.

The “Camiño de Santiago” (Santiago´s road) is crammed with lodgings for pilgrims. Today the hotels abound, but in the middle of the 19th century the pensions were depending on the clergy, and were giving put those who were peregrinating Compostela.


The monastery of Santa María of Carracedo that Romasanta knew is today in ruinous condition. The first stones date of the 10th century, though it had later reforms in the XIIth and XIVth century. The part restored in 1988 is today a museum. The beauty of this monastic building would not pass unnoticed for Romasanta, which was so accustomed to the places of worship.

Like in other occasions, I complain about the silent condition of the stones, which so much might count. Romasanta would pass totally unnoticed among the thousands of pilgrims who here were passing a year, and probably he was just what wanted.


The night receives Ponferrada. It is a city of approximately 70.000 inhabitants of modern urban development planning that placed roundabout in every crossing. The small houses of the boundaries of the city are changing into high buildings the more to the center If you goes. It is a city marked by the history of the Templars and that grew in the shade of a majestic castle that it dates of the 11th century.

I am strange in such an urban environment after these days, probably the Romasanta happened to him the same, since he calls the attention that only if he had reached to the cities to be supplied of goods (so much here like in Chaves, Portugal).

The natural habitat where he felt comfort were the villages, surely he dominated of the situation all the time.


Some days ago I wrote to the Institute of Studies Bercianos to investigate for the location of the trade Alonso & Sardo who existed in the decade of the 30 of the 19th century, and so well he that knew the Sacamanteigas. The answer was positive, he was in the street of the clock, where the craftsmen were selling handmade things, in fact like that it is indicated by the names of the parallel streets (Butcher's shops, Oil-shops ...)

The (calle del reloj) street of the Clock starts in the Square of the Municipality up to the own castle and passes under the Arch of Eras situated in the unique tower that is part of the wall of the Middle Ages. Today it is places were the youngs go to have fun and there abound the places of night leisure.
The excursion comes to your end and of return for Ourense I digress on the quantity of miles that Romasanta was crossing, and the time that would take the trip to him between Ponferrada and A ermida (The Hermitage).


Monastery "Santa María of Carracedo"

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Ponferrada location
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