Hospital de Órbigo, Camino Santiago

Hospital de Órbigo might be a small, quiet village, but it carries a long and fascinating history. Its name dates to the 16th century, when the Knights Hospitaller, a Catholic military order, established a hospital here to care for weary pilgrims en route to Santiago. Even now, walking its peaceful streets, it’s easy to imagine the steady stream of travellers that have passed through for centuries on their pilgrimage.

But what really makes Hospital de Órbigo stand out is its incredible medieval bridge. With 20 stone arches stretching 656ft (200m), it is one of the longest stone bridges in Spain. The bridge once spanned across the Órbigo River, but since the river was dammed, only a small section crosses the river, while the rest is across grassy terrain. Some believe the Romans first built a crossing here to transport gold from the nearby mines to Rome, but the current bridge was constructed much later, around the 13th century. In the 19th century, when Napoleon’s forces swept through Spain, the townspeople destroyed sections of the bridge to slow the French advance. These days, it has been fully restored, and as I walked across it, I pondered the many pilgrims, soldiers, knights, and lovers who have crossed these same stones.

And speaking of lovers, no story of this village is complete without mentioning the famous jousting tournament of 1434. I love this part. Picture it: Suero de Quiñones, a nobleman from León, hopelessly in love, decided to prove his devotion in true medieval fashion. With permission from King Juan II, Suero and ten of his friends camped out by the bridge and challenged every knight who tried to cross. Their goal? To break 300 lances in combat. It was the middle of summer, and the Camino was packed with travellers, so there was no shortage of challengers. After a month of jousting and 166 battles, Suero and his companions were so battered they had to call it a day, declaring their mission accomplished. Sadly, romance didn’t protect him forever. Twenty-four years later, one of the knights he’d bested on the bridge caught up with him and ended his story.

Even now, the bridge isn’t just a pretty relic. It continues to serve its original purpose, carrying pilgrims and travellers like me along the Camino.