Triacastela

Triacastela is a municipality in the province of Lugo, Galicia, situated in the valley of the Oribio river at the foot of the O Cebreiro mountain range. The town takes its name from three castles, tri-castela, that historically commanded the valley, none of which survive in significant form.

In the medieval period, pilgrims stopping at Triacastela would traditionally carry a piece of limestone from the local quarries for part of the route west, the stone eventually being burned in the kilns at Castañeda to produce lime mortar for the construction of the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela. This practice links Triacastela directly to the building of the great pilgrimage destination itself.

Triacastela is also the junction where the Camino Frances divides: the northern route via Samos, following the Oribio and Sarria rivers through a famous Benedictine monastery, or the southern route via San Xil to Sarria. Both routes reunite at Sarria.