Xinzo de Limia

Los romanos temían al olvido si cruzaban el río Lethes. Fotografía: Santi M. Amil

In the second century BC, the Roman General Décimo Junio Bruto ventured to cross the River Lethes. Consequently the conquest over territory previously dominated by Castro culture began. Xinzo de Limia, which grew on the banks of the now defunct and legendary lagoon of Antela, is one of the towns in the province of Ourense where its history is still apparent, since antiquity.  

In the same way as Laza and Verin, Xinzo also boasts its celebrations of carnival. It has some 10,000 inhabitants.

The Lagoon of Antela, also known as Lake Bión, occupies 8,000 hectors and is 7 kilometres long and 6km wide. Its depth ranges between 0,60 meters and 3 meters in the wells. It was a centre of ecosystems rich in fauna, flora, history, anthropology, toponymy, landscape and traditions.

However this wetland disappeared after drying work, ordered by Franco’s government, began on the 8th of September in 1958.