Costa da Morte
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Costa da Morte (i.e., the Death Coast) is part of the Galician coast. The Costa da Morte extends from the villages of Fisterra and Malpica.
The Death Coast received its name because there have been so many shipwrecks along its treacherous rocky shore. Instead of being sheltered by an intricate coastline or by islands as the Rías Baixas region is, the shore of the Costa da Morte is exposed directly to the Atlantic Ocean. It is an area that has been impacted by a number of oil spills, including the spill from the Prestige in 2002.
The exterior cape region is known for anthropological, historical and geographical reasons. Its name in the Galician language is Fisterra, which descends from the pre-Roman legend which held that this area was the end of the world (Finis-terrae). The area was largely Christianized by the Catholic Church with the aid of a large flux of Christian pilgrims arriving on the Way of St. James.
The people of the area still preserve pre-Christian Celtic ritual places and pass on some of the traditional beliefs. For example, there are giant pedras de abalar (i.e., "oscillating stones"; the common term in English is rocking stone) throughout the region. These pedras de abalar were sacred Celtic locations and used in various rituals that are remembered in local culture. There is also a local legend that the wind creates wild nightmares.
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[edit] Major Commercial and Fishing Ports
- Malpica - Fishing Port -
- A Coruña Province
- Camariñas - Fishing Port - - A Coruña Province
- Muxia - Fishing Port - - A Coruña Province
- Fisterra - Fishing Port - - A Coruña Province
- Camelle - Fishing Port
- Arou - Fishing Port
- Santa Mariña - Fishing Port -
[edit] Geography
The Costa da Morte includes Cape Finisterre (Spanish: Cabo Finisterre; Galician: Cabo Fisterra), a rock-bound peninsula, sometimes said to be the most western point of Galicia, Spain. Cape Finisterre is not westernmost point of Spain; instead, Cabo da Nave and Punta Laxial on Cape Touriñán are further west. The name "Finisterre", like that of Finistère in France, derives from the name Finisterrae in Latin, which literally means "Land's End".
Cape Finisterre has a notable lighthouse on it and nearby is the seaside town of Fisterra.
Further north are the so-called Rías Altas[1]
The main landmarks of the area are the Trece beach in Camariñas, the Vilán lighthouse and the Traba beach in Laxe.
[edit] Locations along The Death Coast
These are some of the towns, villages, and hamlets along the Death Coast (that is, the "Costa da Morte"):
- Malpica
- Illas Sisargas
- Barizo
- Punta de Nariga
- Corme
- Balarés
- Laxe
- Praia de Traba
- Camelle
- Praia do Trece
- Cabo Vilán
- Camariñas
- Muxia
- Punta da Barca
- Cabo Touriñán
- Nemiña
- Ria de Lires
- Praia do Rostro
- Cabo da Nave
- Fisterra
[edit] See also
- The Upper Rias (also "Rias Altas") with its biggest City Port in Ferrol.
- The Lower Rias (also "Rias Baixas") with its biggest City Port in Vigo.
- A Costa do Marisco, Galicia (Spain)
[edit] References
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