Along the path of the Camino sits a quiet landmark that speaks volumes to the pilgrims that pass it by. Between the town of Foncebadón and Manjarín is the Cruz de Ferro otherwise known as the Iron Cross. The Iron Cross does not look like much from afar. It’s a simple, wooden pole reaching about 3 meters high with a cross on top of it. It was built around the 11th century and has become a must-stop destination for those traveling the Camino de Santiago. According to Dr. Survilla, pilgrims used to carry large stones up to this point of the Camino as if they were “bearing their sins.” Once they reached the Iron Cross though, they would drop off their stones, and, in a sense, they lifted away their sins.
After walking through the cold with snow and steep hills, it’s all easy to understand how meaningful this is to all the generations of pilgrims that have walked this before. Reaching the peak of the Iron Cross and seeing the large open fields was an amazing experience. It provided a very well needed breath of fresh air after all of the site seeing primarily in the city. It was certainly an experience I will never forget.
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