- Xinzo de Limia
Infobox City
official_name = Concello de Xinzo de Limia
nickname = Xinzo
image_
map_caption = Situation of Xinzo de Limia within Galicia
subdivision_type =Parroquia s
subdivision_name = ?
leader_title = Alcalde (Mayor )
leader_name = Isaac Vila Rodriguez
area_note = ?
area_magnitude =
area_total =
area_land =
area_water =
population_as_of = 2005
population_note =
population_total =
population_density =
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CET
utc_offset_DST = +2
latitude =
longitude =
website =
footnotes =Xinzo de Limia (elevation 620
metre s; population of the concello 10,022 hab; population of the town 6,713 hab. (INE 2008)), is a town in the province of Ourense, Autonomous Community of Galicia,Spain . It lies on the important Autovia das Rias Baixas in the fertile valley ofAntela , approximately 33 km fromVerín and 43 km fromOurense . The Límia (Lima in Portuguese) river passes through the town on its way south towards the Portuguese border.Xinzo is a town of services and an important stopping point on the main
Vigo -Madrid highway. There are several small industries, including aglass factory, and manypig ,Cow anddairy farm s in the surrounding area. The drained lakebed of Antela, once Spain's largestfreshwater lake until the 1950s, producescereal s,hay , and especiallypotato es. Xinzo is in fact one of Spain's largest producers of potatoes.There is a legend connected to Xinzo. Several classical authors of antiquity reproduce the myth of the loss of memory connected to crossing the Límia River, referred by them as Lethes or Oblivionis (compare the river
Lethe ofGreek mythology ). In 138 BC the Roman chieftain Decimus Junius Brutus put an end to the myth told by the Galicians when, on crossing the river, he began to call each one of his legionnaires by their names from the opposite bank. That historical fact has been now represented in an historical party calledFesta do Esquecemento . Seeing the Límia today it is difficult to imagine this tiny river provoking such a fear.Xinzo has few monuments but is famous for hosting one of Galicia's most typical
carnival s. The characteristic figure is the "pantalla ", which symbolizes the devil. The "pantalla " is the guardian of thecarnival , and runs through the streets in groups of two or three with two swollen pig bladders in the hands making huge noise. If thepantalla s finds a male relative or neighbour of Xinzo de Limia not dressed with carnival clothes, they will take him into a bar, to pay the fee for not been dressed properly, which is a glass of wine.External links
* [http://www.inorde.com/patronato/pueblos/xinzo_g.htm Xinzo de Limia]
* [http://www.xinzodelimia-ayto.com/ Concello de Xinzo de Limia]
* [http://www.gpx.es/pueblos/xinzo/kxinzo.html Pueblos de Galicia: Xinzo de Limia]
* [http://www.xinzodelimia.eu/ Pictures and many more]
* [http://members.fortunecity.es/esquecemento/ Festa do Esquecemento]
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