Historical-artistic heritage Astorga's architecture reflects the legacy of its inhabitants over centuries, boasting significant monumental wealth in both religious and civil buildings, spanning Roman, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Modernist styles. The municipality has seven
Bien de Interés Cultural designations: the Historic Site of Astorga itself and that of Castrillo de los Polvazares, and, in the Monument category, the Surroundings of the Episcopal Palace, the Santa María Cathedral—designated a National Monument since 1931—the Roman Ergastula, the Episcopal Palace, and the Town Hall.
Roman Route The first excavations took place in 1835, but it was not until the 1940s, under
José María Luengo, that they gained prominence. Work continued from the late 20th century, leading to a route showcasing various preserved Roman remains beneath the city. The most notable findings relate to public spaces, including two
bath complexes—the Major and Minor Baths—and the
sewer system, still in use. In the forum, the Aedes Augusti, a temple dedicated to the imperial cult, and the Roman Ergastula, a cryptoporticus gallery housing the Roman Museum, are preserved. In the private sphere, the Domus of the Bear and Birds Mosaic, a residence following the traditional Roman
domus layout, is one of the city's most characteristic Roman structures. Also part of the Roman legacy is the city wall. The initial defense of the Roman settlement was the
vallum of the camp where the Legio X Gemina was based, dating to before the turn of the era. It consisted of two V-shaped trenches accompanied by an embankment and a wooden palisade. Later, in the 1st century, a first walled enclosure with circular towers was built, and in the 3rd century, a new wall fully encircled the hill on which the old town sits. This wall, slightly over two kilometers long and nearly rectangular, featured 27 semicircular towers spaced approximately 16 meters apart and was reused in the medieval period. The War of Independence caused significant damage to the wall during the 19th century, and the northern and southern sections, along with many western towers, were almost entirely demolished. No traces of the ancient gates remain, though their names persist in street nomenclature: Puerta Obispo, Puerta del Rey, El Postigo, Puerta del Sol, and Puerta de San Miguel.
Cathedral The origin of the cathedral, dedicated to Saint Mary, dates to 1069, when a first temple was consecrated by Bishop Pedro Núñez. It was rebuilt in 1087 under Bishop Osmundo and in the 13th century under Bishop Pedro Fernández. This last reconstruction served as the basis for the definitive expansion, which began in 1471. The works continued until the 18th century, resulting in a blend of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements. The cathedral has a rectangular plan, a three-apse chancel, three naves, and a false
crossing; two towers flank the main facade. The initial Gothic section was built in the late 15th century and early 16th century. During the latter, the works were directed by Francisco de Colonia,
Juan Gil de Hontañón, and
Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, who introduced Renaissance elements, particularly in the transept and southeast door. In the late 17th century, the main facade was begun: the ensemble, in
Churrigueresque Baroque style, features three arched doorways flanked by two towers and is organized like a stone altarpiece with abundant decoration. The left tower, started in 1678, was affected by the
1755 Lisbon earthquake and the War of Independence, not being completed until 1965; the right tower, begun in 1692, was finished in 1704. On the exterior, atop one of the turrets crowning the chancel, stands the statue of Pedro Mato, a legendary figure linked to the
Battle of Clavijo. Inside, in addition to the 16th century choir with its seating and 17th century grille, various
chapels are distributed: seven along the sides of the three naves, three in the chancel, one in each arm of the false crossing, and two at the base of each tower. Notable among them are the Chapel of Our Lady of Majesty, housing the 12th century Virgin of Majesty altarpiece; the Main Chapel, with a Renaissance-style altarpiece by
Gaspar Becerra; and the Chapel of the San Miguel altarpiece, an example of 16th century Hispano-Flemish art. The cathedral complex also includes the crypt, built in 1521 beneath the presbytery as a pantheon for the marquises of Astorga; the neoclassical cloister from 1755, with five arches per wing joined by Ionic pilasters; the sacristy from 1772, featuring a Rococo altar-reliquary; and the facilities of the Diocesan Museum and Diocesan Archive.
Episcopal Palace After the 1886 fire that destroyed the previous episcopal palace, Bishop Joan Baptista Grau i Vallespinós commissioned a new palace from the modernist architect
Antoni Gaudí, with whom he had a longstanding friendship. Construction began in 1889, but after the bishop's death in 1893, Gaudí resigned from the project due to disagreements with the Chapter, when the second floor and attic were still incomplete. Architects Francisco Blanch y Pons and Manuel Hernández Álvarez-Reyero took over without success, until Bishop Julián de Diego y Alcolea appointed Ricardo García Guereta, who completed the building in 1913. During the Spanish Civil War, it served as a barracks and headquarters for the
Falange. Repairs were made in 1943 and 1956 to convert it into the bishop's residence, a purpose never fulfilled. Under the pontificates of
Marcelo González Martín and Antonio Briva Miravent, it was promoted as the Museum of the Ways, inaugurated in 1963. The palace, constructed from grey granite sourced from El Bierzo, adheres to the historicist principles of late 19th and early 20th-century architecture—in this case, in the Neo-Gothic style—and features a Latin cross plan with four facades and four towers at each corner. The initial aim was to combine the characteristics of a castle and a palace, as evidenced by elements such as a moat. The entrance is a portico with three flared arches, separated by slanted buttresses, topped with a
pediment; Gaudí had planned to crown the facade with a five-meter-tall angel, but this idea was ultimately not realized. The rear section features an
apse, corresponding to the chapel, surrounded by three smaller
apsidioles. The ground floor houses a large vestibule, from which the grand staircase rises, its height allowing for triangular windows that provide ample light, a design previously used by Gaudí in the
Palau Güell and repeated in other rooms of the episcopal palace, such as the office, throne room, dining room, and bedroom. The building's structure is supported by pillars with decorated
capitals and
ribbed vaults over glazed ceramic pointed arches. On the exterior, three angel figures, bearing episcopal attributes (
mitre,
pectoral cross, and
crosier), designed by Gaudí as roof finials, remain but were never placed in their intended position.
Town Hall Construction of the town hall began in 1683, based on a design by Francisco de La Lastra, and was completed in 1703. Later additions included balconies (1730, Francisco García Casella), finials on the side towers (1739, José Álvarez de la Viña), and the central
bell-gable (1748, Domingo Martínez), which houses the clock and bells, the largest of which is accompanied by two figures dressed as
maragatos, named Juan Zancuda and Colasa, who mark the hours by striking it with a mallet. The facade consists of three stories, with a symmetrical axis formed by the semicircular arch at the entrance, the bell-gable, and the royal coat of arms. The sculptural ensemble includes elements functioning as
gargoyles and the coats of arms of the city and the marquises of Astorga on the right and left towers, respectively. Inside, the plenary hall stands out, presided over by several commemorative plaques honoring notable figures such as
Manuel García Prieto,
Pío Gullón Iglesias, Lope María Blanco de Cela, Manuel Gullón y García Prieto, and Marcelo Macías, as well as marking significant dates in the city's history. The building was renovated in 1987 by Andrés Lozano.
Other monuments The city is home to other culturally and architecturally significant buildings, primarily located in the historic center. Among them are the Sanctuary of Fatima, formerly known as the Church of San Julián, which retains four Romanesque capitals in its portal; the Church of San Bartolomé, also originating in the Romanesque style but later modified with Baroque interior decoration, where council meetings were held in its atrium until the town hall was built; the Church of Santa Marta, dedicated to the city's patron saint, constructed in 1741 on the site of an earlier church with a Neoclassical facade and Baroque interior; the Convent of Santa Clara, which faced hardship in 1810 during the
Siege of Astorga, when General
José María Santocildes fortified its walls against French troops, but resumed housing its community in 1816, unaffected by the confiscations due to its educational activities; the church and convent of San Francisco, from the 13th century, over which the Redemptorist Fathers built a new structure, causing the original convent to be listed among the city's lost heritage; and the Convent of Sancti Spiritus, which dates from the 16th century and features Baroque decorations inside. File:Iglesia de Santa Marta.jpg|Church of Santa Marta, one of the oldest churches in the city File:San Bartolome, iglesia y cabildo.jpg|Gable of the Church of San Bartolomé File:Iglesia de San Francisco, Astorga.jpg|Church of San Francisco File:Astorga - Convenrto de Sancti Spiritus.jpg|Exterior of the Convent of Sancti Spiritus Also of religious significance are the Major Seminary, a 1756 structure with a three-story facade in the
Herrerian style, featuring three enclosed cloisters and a Neoclassical chapel; the Church of Santa Colomba de Puerta de Rey, established since the 17th century—though the current building results from multiple renovations—near the site of the vanished Convent of San Dictino; the Chapel of Vera Cruz, from the 15th century but rebuilt in 1816; the Church of San Pedro de Rectivía, located along the Camino de Santiago, with a modern design and a facade covered in mosaics installed in the 1990s; and the Church of San Andrés, built in brick in the early 20th century by Hernández Álvarez-Reyero—influenced by Gaudí—following
historicist architecture principles with Gothic aesthetics, housing a Baroque altarpiece from the vanished Church of San Miguel. Another building influenced by Modernism is Casa Granell, constructed between 1910 and 1915 by
Antonio Palacios Ramilo—known for works such as the
Palace of Communications in Madrid—commissioned by a chocolate entrepreneur. File:Iglesia de San Pedro, Astorga.jpg|Church of San Pedro de Rectivía File:Casa Granell.jpg|Casa Granell File:Celda de la emparedadas.jpg|Cell of the Walled-in Women File:Capilla de la Vera Cruz.jpg|Chapel of Vera Cruz Other notable structures include the Hospital of the Five Wounds, one of the city's most important pilgrim hospitals, with origins in the 11th century, though only its 18th-century portal remains; and the Cell of the Walled-in Women, a small space between the Chapel of San Esteban and the Church of Santa Marta, used in the Middle Ages by women who enclosed themselves for life as penance, featuring a barred window for receiving charity, above which is the inscription "remember my condition, for it will be yours. me yesterday, you today".
Property registrations Between 1998 and 2015, the
Catholic Church in Spain registered various properties, a process that sparked controversy according to some authors, including the
Secretary of State for Relations with the Cortes and Constitutional Affairs, José Antonio Montilla Martos, who stated that "Articles 206 of the Mortgage Law and 304 of the Mortgage Regulation, which allowed registrations in the name of the Catholic Church, are clearly unconstitutional as they violate Articles 14 and 16 of the Spanish Constitution." Among the registered properties are several located within the municipal boundaries of Astorga, as listed in "Listado Bienes Iglesia Católica - Definitivo, Page 244 of 931 (Pg. 926)" of the "Study on the Property Registration of Catholic Church Real Estate" published by the
Ministry of the Presidency of the Government of Spain on 16 February 2021. The summary of properties registered in the municipality of Astorga, according to this study, is as follows:
Lost heritage in 1857Astorga, both within the city and its outskirts, once had numerous convents, hospitals, and pilgrim hostels due to its significance as a stopover on the way to
Santiago de Compostela and as a crossroads. Most of these buildings have vanished, leaving no physical trace, with their existence known only through historical descriptions and documents. In 1872, the castle—residence of the marquises of Astorga—also disappeared, leaving only the name of a street: Calle del Castillo. Historical documentation of this lost heritage comes from chronicles written by travelers and historians from the 16th to the 20th centuries, who recorded events and curiosities about the city. Reliable sources also include archives of confraternities, some convents (including those in other towns), and the archive of the León Cathedral, which holds numerous informative records. However, information is limited by the loss or destruction of municipal and cathedral archives during the Spanish War of Independence,
confiscations, and the Spanish Civil War, which also form part of the city's lost heritage.
Urban sculptures Museums, archives, and libraries The visual arts are represented in the Cathedral Museum, the Museum of Roads, and the Holy Week Museum. The Cathedral Museum, planned since 1889 by Bishop Grau, was inaugurated in April 1954 with two rooms under Bishop Jesús Mérida Pérez. Among its early visitors was the future
Pope John XXIII, and in 1989,
Pope John Paul II visited while on the Camino de Santiago. A 1982 renovation tripled the exhibition space by incorporating the former Cathedral School and Chapter House. It now occupies ten exhibition rooms across two floors, covering 1,400 square meters, housing liturgical and religious works from the cathedral. The Museum of Roads is housed in the Episcopal Palace, reorganized as such in 1962 by Bishop Mérida Pérez, preserving the interior spatial layout. It displays artifacts from the diocese, related to the Camino de Santiago, which required proper storage due to abandonment or conservation needs. Across Gaudí's designed spaces—such as the dining room, official office, throne room, bedroom, chapel, and grand vestibule—are valuable artistic pieces, including Romanesque carvings and medieval
goldsmithing. The basement showcases a collection of Roman and medieval archaeology and
numismatics, while the upper floor, designed by García Guereta, was adapted in 1975 to exhibit works by contemporary Leonese artists. While Holy Week imagery is stored independently in the city's parishes and the Episcopal Palace, the Confraternity of the Holy Vera Cruz and Confalón organizes a summer exhibition of its heritage, featuring notable pieces such as the Recumbent Christ, from the early 17th century by Gregorio Español; the Golden Cross, bearing the
Lignum Crucis; Jesus Tied to the Column and the Crucified, from the 16th century; and carvings from Levantine workshops. The Roman Museum, a historical museum, is located over the Roman structure known as the Ergastula. After the municipality fully acquired the building in 1996, it was renovated, adding two floors, and opened as a museum in 1999. It exhibits artifacts from city excavations, illustrating the lifestyle of ancient Asturica Augusta from its origins to the late Roman period, forming a significant collection both quantitatively and qualitatively. Dedicated to its chocolate industry, the city is home to the Chocolate Museum, founded in 1994 by José Luis López García and municipally owned since 2005. It displays objects from the city's 19th-century industrial phase, when the rise of muleteering spurred a nascent chocolate industry in the region. Its unique collection in Spain includes antique machinery, lithographic stones, engraving plates, and collections of chocolate trading cards. Since 2015, it has been housed in a new modernist mansion built by chocolatier Magín Rubio and designed by architect Eduardo Sánchez Eznarriaga. Lastly, dedicated to the so-called "Astorga School", the Casa Panero was inaugurated in August 2011 as the home of the Panero family and a gathering place for
Generation of '27 members such as
Gerardo Diego and
Luis Rosales, housing the works of the School's writers and the legacy of archaeologist
José María Luengo. Astorga also has a municipal library, established in 1931 and reorganized in 1944, located in the former Hospice, a 19th-century building renovated in 1983 for cultural use. Additionally, the city is home to the municipal historical archive, with its oldest document dating to 1253, including one of Spain's two oldest council minutes, dated 27 December 1427, and the Diocesan Archive, established in 1973, housing records from the diocese since 898.
Performing arts and bullfighting Astorga is home to the Gullón Theatre, inaugurated in 1923. After its closure, it fell into disuse until the 1990s when it was converted into a nightclub. In 2006, the municipality purchased the building, and its restoration began in 2011; after several years of work, it reopened in 2017. The city also has a cinema, originating as a theatre in 1911 and operating as a movie theatre since the 1930s. Several events related to performance and the arts take place in the city. During Carnival, a magic festival, held since 2004, brings together Spanish and international magicians. In August, during the Santa Marta patronal festivities, the
Ars Via street theatre festival features performances by various companies across the city over several days. In September, since 1998, the Astorga Film Festival has been held, featuring a national short film competition alongside activities such as film cycles, exhibitions, and conferences. During Christmas, since 2002, a story adapted for street theatre is performed across the historic center's streets.
Bullfighting is not deeply rooted in Astorga, and the number of enthusiasts is relatively low, but it is common to schedule a bullfight during the Santa Marta festivities. The city has a
bullring constructed in the early 20th century, partly using materials from the demolition of the Marquises' castle; prior to its construction, bullfighting events were held in the Plaza Mayor. The most prominent figure in this field from the city is the bullfighter Julio Norte, who made his debut in the
Íscar bullring in 1989.
Music Music is a prominent element in the cultural life of the city, which has been home to musicians such as Juan de Oliver, composer of
Sonatas de Palacio,
Evaristo Fernández Blanco, a pioneer of
serialism and composer of
Obertura Dramática, Venancio Blanco, who compiled
Las mil y una canciones populares de la región leonesa, Antonio Celada, and composers of sacred music such as José María Álvarez, Manuel Ansola, and González Barrón. Since the late 20th century, the organist Roberto Fresco has stood out. The city is home to various musical groups, among which the municipal band, founded in 1894, stands out, though its origins date back at least to 1841. Other ensembles represent a wide variety of musical styles, including choral, instrumental, Celtic, and rock, as well as the various bands that perform during Holy Week. In July, the International Music Course, held annually since 1993, takes place and is considered a benchmark for music education in Castile and León, as it is the only one offering all orchestral and band specialties. Also in the summer, the Music in the Cathedral series is held, featuring various sacred music concerts. Another musical event is the band competition, which offers a varied repertoire of processional marches each year in the days leading up to Holy Week.
Festivals and events was commemorated Throughout the year, several cultural and festive events take place in the city. Chronologically, in mid-January, the Puerta de Rey parish celebrates the feast of Saint Anthony with the traditional procession and blessing of pets. In February, the San Pedro de Rectivía parish honors
Our Lady of Candelaria with a procession through the neighborhood. In the same month, on a movable date, Carnival festivities begin on Piñata Saturday, the first Saturday after Ash Wednesday, with a parade featuring over a hundred groups, bands, and floats; the weekend concludes with the burning of the Piñata on Sunday night. In mid-April, the feast of the patron saint Turibius is celebrated, complemented since the early 21st century with a trade fair and a
tapas competition among the city's restaurants. On a movable date, in years of drought, it is traditional to hold nine days of prayers in the cathedral to the Virgin of Castrotierra, brought from her sanctuary seventeen kilometers away in a procession involving residents of nearby regions along with the
pennons of each locality, with the transfer decided by the vote of the Procurators of the Land. On a movable date, the Corpus Christi procession is held. In June, every three years, the Zuiza festival is celebrated, an ancient commemoration of the Christian victory at the Battle of Clavijo, revived in 1994, during which the Clavijo Pennon—kept in the Town Hall—is processed, receiving honors as a captain general and escorted by fifty
zuizones. At the end of the same month, the San Andrés and San Pedro de Rectivía neighborhoods celebrate their festivals with traditional games and evening parties, among other events. At the end of July, the Astures and Romans Festival is celebrated, originating in 1986 and declared a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest in 2011; it commemorates the city's ancient past with events such as the Roman circus, Roman market, and the establishment of a Roman camp and Astur settlement in Melgar Park. The 2012 edition marked the bicentennial of the city's reconquest by General
Santocildes.
Holy Week Holy Week in Astorga is declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest and a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest, during which eight brotherhoods and confraternities, along with the Holy Week Promotion Board, process a total of forty floats. These eight include the Brotherhood of the Holy True Cross and Confalón, one of the oldest in the country, with its earliest document dating to 1475, the Royal Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus Nazarene and Most Holy Mary of Solitude, from 1674, the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Sorrows, from 1911, the Brotherhood of the Knights of Silence of Our Father Jesus Nazarene, from 1926, the Brotherhood of the Blessed Christ of the Afflicted, from 1943, the Brotherhood of the Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, from 1953, the Brotherhood of the Last Supper, from 1969, and the Brotherhood of the Ladies of the Virgin of Piety, from 1992. Among the most notable events are the Way of the Cross, organized by the Holy Week Promotion Board and involving all brotherhoods; some of the events on Good Friday, such as the Encounter procession—with the traditional San Juanín race—, the Descent from the Cross in the Plaza Mayor, or the Solitude procession; and the Resurrection procession on Easter Sunday. Among the religious imagery, standout pieces include the Crucified Christ, from 1560, the Blessed Christ of the Afflicted, from the late 17th century, the Virgin of Solitude, also from the late 17th century, the Virgin of Sorrows, a 1706 work by José de Rozas, the Jesus Nazarene, from 1783, and the Golden Cross, from 1789. Alongside the religious aspects, various customs accompany the celebration during Holy Week, such as "
killing Jews" or eating
bolla—a pastry made of flour, honey, and milk—paired with
muscat wine.
Cultural life Since the 19th century, Astorga has been a significant cultural center. Among its earliest notable authors are Bishop
Sampiro, who between the 10th and 11th centuries wrote the
Chronicle bearing his name, and Juan Lorenzo de Astorga, author, between the 13th and 14th centuries, of manuscript O of the
Libro de Alexandre. The Church and its members played a prominent role in literary production; thus, figures emerged such as Alfonso de la Madre de Dios, with his 1618 work
Chronica de la reforma de su religión, Pedro Aingo de Ezpeleta, who published in 1634
Fundación de la Santa, Cathedral Iglesia de la ciudad de Astorga, and Pedro Junco, who in 1639 published
Fundación, armas y nombres de Astorga. To these should be added the extensive documentary production generated by the diocese. In the 19th century, a range of authors gained prominence, including, among others, Marcelo Macías and Francisco Blanco García, author of
Spanish Literature in the 19th Century, both from the ecclesiastical sphere, jurists such as Alfonso de Villadiego, Mateo Martínez Moreda, Manuel García Prieto, and Manuel Prieto de Castro, and the bibliographer Andrés Martínez Salazar. At the beginning of the 20th century, the wealth generated by the chocolate industry fostered the emergence of a prosperous bourgeoisie, among whose descendants a true "cultural Parnassus" was born, with poets such as
Juan Panero and
Leopoldo Panero, literary critics such as
Ricardo Gullón, and writers such as Luis Alonso Luengo, all part of the so-called "Astorga School". In the following years, this cultural splendor was enriched by other poets such as Eugenio de Nora and Esteban Carro Celada, novelists such as José María Goy, intellectuals such as Julio Carro, and scholars such as Augusto Quintana Prieto, Eduardo Aragón, and
José María Luengo, as well as literary gatherings and debates held in various city venues such as the Café Moderno, Café Iris, and Gran Café Universal. Additionally, several theatrical societies were established, affiliated with the Casino, the Catholic Circle, the Segura cultural center, La Unión, and the Friendship Society. Since the last decades of the 20th century, the city's cultural life has been driven not only by the various events held but, especially, by the more than fifty associations that exist, which organize numerous cultural activities and events throughout the year. These include social, cultural, sports, parents', and neighborhood associations.
Language The language spoken in the municipality is Spanish or Castilian, but until the 20th century, numerous forms derived from Leonese, belonging to the western variant of
Asturleonese, persisted in everyday speech in Astorga and its surroundings, as well as in
Maragatería. Phonetically, some of the main features included the diphthongization of /o/ and /e/, the preservation of falling diphthongs, the inflection of the tonic vowel, the substitution of final /o/ with /u/, and the retention of the initial Latin /f-/. In terms of morphology, notable features included a scarcity of prefixes and, conversely, an abundance of suffixes, especially diminutives, and regarding its verbal system, the absence of compound tenses and the placement of personal pronouns after the verb. In recent years, various groups such as La Caleya and Faceira have undertaken efforts to defend and promote the Leonese linguistic heritage through activities such as organizing Leonese language courses, informative talks, and literary competitions. In collaboration with the Culture Department of the Junta of Castile and León, the Provincial Council of León—through the Leonese Institute of Culture—and the Astorga City Council, several traditional Leonese story competitions were held, involving schoolchildren up to 14 years old from the province of León; the stories, written in the linguistic variants of León—Leonese, Galician, and Castilian—were compiled in the book
Cuentos populares leoneses (escritos por niños). Likewise, as a result of the collaboration between the cultural associations Facendera pola Llengua and La Caleya, in 2009,
El Prencipicu was published, a version in the Cabreirés dialect of the work by French writer
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry,
The Little Prince. The book emerged from pedagogical work with seven Cabreira students at the Astorga IES student residence within the so-called Cabreira Culture Classroom.
Traditional clothing An important part of
Maragato folklore is its traditional clothing. The typical
muleteer outfit, used during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, is notable among traditional attire for its continued daily use until a relatively late date; it is categorized as an occupational outfit, worn during travel, and is characterized by its functionality, with materials and shapes that protected against the elements and facilitated muleteer activities, evolving little over time, making it distinctly different from the clothing of other Leonese
comarcas, unlike women's clothing, which progressively lost variety and distinctiveness. The men's outfit consisted of a shirt, vest, waistcoat, breeches or trousers, a belt—embroidered for festive days and dancing, according to social status—
gaiters, shoes, a hat, and a cape. Some of these garments, such as the waistcoat or breeches, appear to date back to the 16th or 17th centuries, according to various authors; The is an evolution of the ancient attire, influenced by the clothing of neighboring areas and lacking the originality of the men's attire, but it retains great richness in terms of garments and accessories. It consists of a white skirt, a
zagalejo (in cloth of various colors, depending on the wearer's social status), a
faltriquera—an inner pocket—a
manteo, an apron—embroidered in silk or felt, depending on social status—a
doublet, a neck scarf, a headscarf—different for single and married women—a mantle for religious ceremonies, ribbons and white lace, shoes, and jewelry—
earrings or chokers, pendants, and rings. An exception to this typology is the outfit of the
May Queens, young dancers, which is more vibrant and colorful than the traditional
Maragato attire, featuring red, green, and white prominently. various routes mentioning Asturica are cited. Also in the 3rd century, the
Antonine Itinerary indicates the network of communications linking the city with
Bracara Augusta (
Braga) via route XVIII, or through Lucus Augusti (
Lugo) on route XIX, to
Augusta Emerita (
Mérida), to
Tarragona via
Caesaraugusta (
Zaragoza) on route XXXII or Ab Asturica Terracone, or with
Bordeaux, via route XXXIV or
Ab Asturica Burdigalam: practically to the four cardinal points of
Hispania Tarraconensis, through which troops, travelers, and products, mainly gold from
Las Médulas, were transported. From the south, the so-called Silver Route connected Mérida with Astorga (
Iter ab Emeritam Asturica) and centuries later coincided in parts with the Cañada Real de la Vizana, along which
transhumant herds traveled from Extremadura to the Leonese mountains. In modern times, it forms part of one of the main communication routes structuring western Spain, from Gijón to Seville, via the N-630 and the
Silver Route motorway/highway; various institutions promote this axis as a tourist route called the Silver Route, which has generated controversy, as historical evidence defines its route exclusively between Mérida and Astorga, and the Association of Silver Route Towns, chaired by the Astorga mayor's office, has carried out protest actions since 2006 against the artificial extension of the Route. To the east, the road connecting Asturica with Legio, which then continued to Caesaraugusta, was used as the Camino de Santiago and became the basis for the current
N-120. To the west, the road to Lucus Augusti and
Gallaecia also became, centuries later, a section of the Camino de Santiago, which, leaving Astorga, passes through Foncebadón, Ponferrada, and Villafranca del Bierzo, among other places. Around these main routes, other paths were woven, such as those used by muleteers or for
razzias, utilized by
Tariq,
Musa, or
Almanzor, as well as by French troops during the Spanish War of Independence. All these routes were always active, contributing to the exchange of people and cultures and the introduction of various artistic styles. Currently, Astorga preserves the history of some of these communication routes in the Museum of the Paths, established in 1962. ;Camino de Santiago Of the various pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, the most widely used and well-known since the Middle Ages is the French Way, which originated from the Roman road
Ab Asturica Burdigalam. Its route reaches Astorga from the town of
San Justo de la Vega, entering the city through the former Sun Gate, which no longer exists. The pilgrim continues through San Francisco (formerly Calle de las Tiendas), Plaza Mayor, Pío Gullón (previously Rúa Nueva), Santiago Crespo, Santiago (formerly Caleya Yerma), and arrives in front of the Episcopal Palace, the Church of Santa Marta, and the cathedral. From there, the pilgrim proceeds through Leopoldo Panero, San Pedro, reaching the modern San Pedro Church in the Rectivía suburb. Crossing the
N-6, the path continues toward the Foncebadón Pass. During the Middle Ages, the city had numerous hostels or hospitals for pilgrims. Some, such as the Hospital of San Juan Bautista, where according to tradition
Saint Francis spent a few days recovering, gave rise to modern charitable institutions, but most disappeared over the centuries, leaving only their memory and some descriptions in preserved documentation. Until the late 1980s, pilgrims found shelter and lodging through the
congregation of the
Brothers of Our Lady of Lourdes, but since then, these services have been provided, on one hand, by the Association of Friends of the Camino de Santiago in Astorga, which, after operating in various locations, has managed the Siervas de María hostel since 2006, with a total of 164 beds, and on the other hand, by the San Javier hostel, opened in 2003 and managed by the Vía de la Plata Cultural Association, offering 110 beds, and the Só Por Hoje hostel, opened in 2019, offering 10 beds. The Association of Friends received the Elías Valiña Award in 2007 from the
Government of Galicia, recognizing its efforts in promoting the Jacobean routes.
Gastronomy '' '' Astorga's gastronomy is tied to the region's agriculture and livestock. The most famous dish is the Maragato stew, characterized by being served in reverse order, starting with the meats—which can include up to twelve types—followed by chickpeas, potatoes, and vegetables, then the soup, and ending with dessert, typically custard. The reason for this reversed order is not definitively known, but the custom seems to originate with the
muleteers, who preferred to eat cold meat first and then heat the soup upon arriving in a town. Other notable dishes include garlic soup, muleteer-style conger eel, sweetbreads in sauce, cabbage with cod, and
cecina de León, a cured beef product that has held a
Protected Geographical Indication since 1994, with its Regulatory Council based in Astorga. These culinary options, fundamental to the region's people, are preserved and promoted by the Gastronomic and Cultural Association "El Borrallo", whose cooking days culminate in the
pig slaughter, yielding various products. In terms of confectionery, sweets hold a prominent place in Astorga's cuisine. The most famous are the
Mantecadas de Astorga, which have a Protected Geographical Indication. The first written mention of them dates to 1805, and their commercialization began in 1850; their origin is uncertain, though it is believed the recipe came from a nun at the Sancti Spiritus convent who left the order to marry and popularized it. Another sweet, also widespread in the province, is the
Hojaldres de Astorga, puff pastries soaked in syrup, originating in the mid-20th century. Also notable are the
merles, a puff pastry filled with cream and topped with caramelized sugar, and chocolate, present in Astorga since the mid-19th century, when the city had 41 chocolate factories in 1916, of which only four remain. == Media ==