Mondoñedo has several famous former residents, none more so than legendary pastry chef Carlos Folgueira. Known as O Rei das Tartas, or King of the Cakes, he’s credited with saving the local speciality, Tarta de Mondoñedo. A cake with its origins in the 12th century, Folgueira perfected the recipe – layers of pastry, sponge, almonds, cabello de ángel (angel’s hair jam), and candied fruit – and made it famous.
Folgueira was by all accounts ‘a character’. He had an instinctive knack for self publicity, wearing an oversized chefs hat and cultivating a huge bigote (the Spanish for moustache is so much more fun), his appearance was memorable. Winning numerous accolades and making appearances on primetime television, he was soon rubbing shoulders with celebrities and aristocracy.
There is a small ‘museum’ to O Rei das Tartas on the Rúa de Guevara, every wall is filled with photos and press cuttings of Folgueira’s successes. The photos of him in full chefs costume and big hat with young women on his lap are particularly telling of the era in which he and his confections became famous. The museum sits in one of the streets that make up the pretty and labyrinthine town centre.
Even with Folgueira’s fame, if the Camino de Santiago didn’t pass through Mondoñedo it would likely be even more of a backwater than it already is. Yet, as small Galician towns go, it has a lot to offer. We visited as a way to break our journey between Parque Natural de Somiedo and Camariñas on the Galician coast, but would come back. Mondoñedo feels a little unloved but we enjoyed the lively small town vibe.
Perhaps it was the fact that we visited Mondoñedo on the only day of our three week trip that the sun didn’t shine, because despite the wealth of historic buildings and the buzzing crowds who filled out the squares during lunchtime and in the evening, it felt like the town was in need of a sprucing up. That though shouldn’t distract from the fact that it deserves its place on the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain list.
The impressive Catedral-Basílica de la Asunción sits in Mondoñedo’s main square. The town was preparing for a festival and market stalls were being built in the square and streets leading from it. The Church played a major role in the history of Mondoñedo after Queen Urraca decided to move the original Basilica of San Martiño de Mondoñedo from the coast to avoid Viking and Norman raids.
Relocated to this inland valley for safety in 1112, it made Mondoñedo rich and powerful. Today, it houses the Diocesan Museum and is an UNESCO World Heritage site. Inside are fascinating 15th century paintings that were rediscovered during renovations. One set of paintings depict the Massacre of the Innocents, and due to the ongoing Reconquista at the time, Herod’s men are depicted as Moors.
Equally interesting are the ancient religious and trade connections with England before the Reformation. The cathedral houses the Virxe Inglesa, a statue of the Virgin Mary that was made in Tudor England. It was smuggled out of the country to Spain to prevent it being destroyed during Henry VIII’s reign. There are other English religious items in the museum that came via a similar route.
We had lunch in Praza do Concello and afterwards strolled to the Barrio de los Molinos. The area owes its existence to the influx of administrators and clergy in the 12th century. The River Valiñadares was diverted into channels to power watermills that ground grain to feed the growing population – you can still see the original buildings. Over time other trades – potters, blacksmiths and tanners – set up shop in the area.
The area’s most famous landmark though is A Ponte do Pasatempo, a medieval bridge over the river. It comes with a tragic legend. In 1483, Galician nobleman Marshal Pedro Pardo de Cela, was to be executed outside the cathedral. His wife had secured a pardon from the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, but was deliberately delayed by the Bishop of Mondoñedo’s men.
The Bishop, sworn enemy of the Marshal, had his wife intercepted at the bridge. There they wasted her time, hence the bridge’s name, and while they did so the Marshal was executed. The Barrio de los Molinos should be a big draw for the town, but there are too many dilapidated buildings in need of repair for that. We were staying the night so went for a siesta – the town was deserted by mid-afternoon – returning to busier streets in the evening.
And another to add to our list if we ever find time to get back to Spain! It looks like our sort of town with a lot places that we would find were of interest.