Puntos de Interés
Culture
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Alba
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Alba is a small hermitage located on the Peña de Alba, more than 1200 m above sea level.
Reaching its location has become a challenge for cyclists, as the climb is made up of numerous hairpin bends, steep gradients and constantly changing scenery.
The building is of simple construction and was later modestly enlarged due to difficulties posed by its poor access. The sanctuary has only a single nave, with an 18th century altarpiece, which is presided over by an image of the Virgin of Alba.
The hermitage celebrates the day of the Assumption of the Virgin on 15th August. Until 1950, the inhabitants of Lena used to gather in the church square in Pola de Lena and go up to the shrine of Our Lady of Alba to celebrate her saint day.
There is a legend about this hermitage that tells of a young shepherd girl who had a flock of sheep and one day, while she was picking flowers, a wolf ate one of the lambs. The panic-stricken shepherdess went for help to a nearby cave where a woman lived, and then a lamb appeared, identical to the one the wolf had devoured. The shepherdess told people what had happened, and they went looking for her, only to find a carving of a deceased Virgin. At that moment it was decided that a hermitage would be built on the site to worship Our Lady hence the Sanctuary was built.