Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Lago
Located in the council of Allande, the parish of Lago, or Llago in Asturian is hevaily touched by the poignant winds of depopulation, with just a couple of inhabited houses as compared to a population of almost 300 hundred peiple in the 19th-century.
Lago remains a tranquil haven at an altitude of 885 meters.Enriching its tapestry is the presence of the Primitive Way of St. James, tracing its steps from Oviedo and bringing a steady stream of pilgrims and tourists to this idyllic corner of the Narcea region. Lago has a 18th-century parish church with a single nave, a square chancel, and a side chapel. The church has some pieces of great historical and architectural value, such as a belfry; the vertical wall that extends along the facade and where the bells are installed, and an even older bell from the 16th century.
A botanical sentinel stands guard near the church, a majestic centenary yew tree (Taxus baccata) declared a natural monument. Once venerated by Celtic communities, yew trees like this became companions to Christian temples, bridging the transition from pagan rites to the embrace of faith as there are other yew trees next to churches such as in Santa Coloma. Rising to a height of 16 meters, with a span of 9 meters and a perimeter stretching nearly 6 meters, this yew tree was designated a Natural Monument on 27 April 1995 and protected under the Natural Resources Management Plan of Asturias (PORNA). It also weaves into the protected landscape of the Sierras de Carondio and Valledor.
Lago's surroundings also offer other historical and natural attractions. Along the Camino Primitivo, a typical hórreo (granary) stands sentinel, from which visitors can enjoy the magnificent views of the green mountains of the surrounding sierras. There were two hospitals called de pobres (for poors) that served pilgrims until 1827, as suggested by Sebastián Miñano's Diccionario Geográfico-Estadístico de España y Portugal (Geographical-Statistical Dictionary of Spain and Portugal ). In the past, there were also two flour mills in Lago that used the waters of the Oro River (or Douro River in Asturian).