Museo de Gigantes y Cabezudos

If you are doing the Camino de Santiago along the Way of the Silver, Puebla de Sanabria is the penultimate stop before entering Galician territory. This route is also known as the Camino Sanabrés for a reason, since this municipality of Zamora has more than 1,500 years of history.

From its strategic location next to the border with Portugal to its extensive architectural heritage, which is considered to be of cultural interest, Puebla de Sanabria is home to little-known treasures. One of those secrets can be found in the historic center, although it goes unnoticed. The Workers' Hall of the Catholic Workers' Association has been converted into the Museum of Giants and Big Heads, where you can see a well-preserved fragment of Leonese tradition. The ten Giants and 33 Big Heads that accompany the patron saint in her procession on September 7 and 8 are kept in this museum throughout the year.

The story of the Giants and the Big Heads

The group that gives life to these figures every year was born in 1848, with the foundation of the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Victories, the patron saint of the town. Two Giants and five Big Heads from this period are still preserved, which are kept in perfect condition thanks to the museum's own workshop. These figures gradually increased until the 1950s, when parading was prohibited. The bishop of Astorga considered that they were pagan figures and that they contaminated the religious spirit of the festivities of the patron saint, so for a while these figures were kept in a safe place. In 1956, just a few years later, they went out again to cheer up the streets due to popular pressure. Not only that, but the collection increased until it reached the current figures.

This museum is a portal to the history of this fun tradition and even to the history of Puebla de Sanabria. At the end of the hard stage that begins in Mombuey, this museum is the perfect visit to complete the walk around the historic complex of the town.