Leon de Rosmithal Route moves toward certification
The Portuguese Route of Leon de Rosmithal took another step toward certification at a meeting held yesterday, February 16, between the consortium led by Póvoa de Lanhoso City Council and the entities involved in assessing the application.
Taking part in the online session were Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Culture Fátima Moreira, accompanied by municipal technicians Orlando Fernandes and Francisco Machado, as well as representatives of Comissão de Certificação do Património Cultural, I.P. (Certification Committee of Cultural Heritage, P.A.), Turismo de Portugal, I.P. (Tourism of Portugal, P.A.), and the Federação Portuguesa do Caminho de Santiago (Portuguese Federation of the Camino de Santiago).
The meeting served to present the historical background of the route and an update on the work already carried out, including waymarking currently underway in several municipalities. The consortium’s objectives were also presented, focused on obtaining certification, whose benefits include recognition of the public interest of the itineraries, the right to use the “Caminho de Santiago Certificado” (Certified Camino de Santiago) mark, and access to funding for safeguarding and enhancing the route.
The Certification Committee indicated the steps required to prepare the dossier needed to submit the application, acknowledged the work already carried out by the 12 municipalities involved, and considered the applicable criteria feasible. The Federação Portuguesa do Caminho de Santiago, which has been part of the consortium since March 20, 2024, expressed full willingness to collaborate and stated that the route meets the conditions for certification, highlighting the volume of historical and logistical information already compiled.
It was decided that waymarking along the 260 kilometers will continue in parallel with the organization and systematization of the documentation required to formalize the application. The itinerary links Freixo de Espada à Cinta to Braga and passes through Póvoa de Lanhoso, Vieira do Minho, Vila Flor, Murça, Alijó, Braga, Cabeceiras de Basto, Ribeira de Pena, Vila Pouca de Aguiar, Mirandela, Torre de Moncorvo, and Freixo de Espada à Cinta.
At the meeting it was also made known that the municipal executive had approved, at a City Council meeting, the regulations governing the “Peregrinação por Etapas” (Staged Pilgrimage) for this route. The initiative will be promoted by the Culture Department and provides for monthly walks, one Saturday per month over the course of a year, allowing participants to cover the itinerary in stages and engage with the cultural and natural heritage of the municipalities it crosses.
