Hospital de Órbigo .

HOSPITAL DE ORBIGO

Órbigo river is “no source, no mother to baptize.” His birth is double, the moon and the Omaña. When both rivers join their flows, the resulting takes the name of Órbigo, hidrónimo root prehistoric orbi-cua, confluence of rivers.

It river with history and legend. They say their to

guas bloodstained fell for several days in the year 456, when the battle between the Goths of Theodoric and the Swabians of Requiario. There is also talk of fighting in the times of the Reconquista. Órbigo climbed up the Hagrites armies, Port Road Bureau, normal route of penetration in Asturias.

Bridge also gave fame to the river and the river gave its name to Bridge last name. The layout is medieval, but is considered as one of the oldest in the province of Leon. For his long and tortuous road, they spent thousands and thousands of pilgrims of all kinds, from the beggars and rogues even kings and saints.

To the left of the road, a small town, dominated by the church of Santa Maria with its belfry and stork nest, permanent neighbor, who renounces emigration it was formed. In this neighborhood it was called Bridge.

The Hospital was founded by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, on the right bank of the river at the mouth of the bridge. Hospital Órbigo: Around the hospital another neighborhood, which took the name of the building that presided and for which the town is still known was formed.

Besides the name, there are still other sanjuanistas memories, as the title of the parish church, the cross of the Knights, the cruise of the pilgrims and the site of the hospital. Today is a prosperous town, with more than 1,200 inhabitants, commercial center of the region, tourism and resort, with good hotel establishments, camping and recreational areas for visitors.

Apparently it was not always so, because when there happened in the seventeenth century Laffi bolognese, who called this town Puente del Agua, writes. “Here we had a bad night, lying on holy ground The neighborhood is so poor, rather it is to receive alms to give it, so it is imposed pay the accommodation you offer in a bad cabin “. Neither dreams would have gone through the lie to the good wanderer cleric, three hundred years later, would be in place comfortable hotels, good camping properly installed and a renowned kitchen for their soup with trout.

El Paso who entered the literature with the title deHonroso were fair who kept Don Suero de Quinones and nine other knights, leoneses like him, from July 9 to August 10, 1434, Jacobean Holy Year. Don Suero was constituted prisoner of love of an elusive lady, carrying an iron neck, a sign of slavery, which hoped to free himself, holding Paso, in honor of the apostle James

He challenged all the knights of Europe, “near the bridge Órbigo, somewhat daunted the Way”. the Fair were concluded with royal approval, the regulation was published, shops, stockades and palisades rose and the contest was held for thirty days. In the end, the ten champions, bruised and clouted marched to Compostela.