"A Caracocha (The Old Oak Tree)" Mural

This mural has been inspired by one of the most popular traditional legends from this town. It tells the story of the sacred oak tree that can be seen in front of the Monastery of Santa María de Montederramo, and which is thought to be around 400 years old.

Because of the large hollow space inside its trunk, this tree is referred to by the name “Caracocha”. The smaller panel of the mural depicts this ancient tree, next to the flames of the bonfire in which the ill-fated lover Elvira, a character from the local folklore, was burned. The shape of the bonfire and the opening in the hollow trunk are a reflection of each other. The bright burning fire left an eternal mark on the bark of the oak tree, in the form of a cold, dark silhouette.

However, the opening in the oak tree’s trunk also appears transformed into a doorway or cave, with a stairway leading up to a sky full of stars inside. This symbolises the immense wisdom and mystery that has been attributed to the oak tree since times of antiquity.

The longer panel of the mural shows a birch forest, very characteristic of the San Mamede mountains, along with the hermit of San Mamede wearing a traditional form of protective coat known as a caroza. That same character was already depicted in another mural in the same town, painted in 2015. Both of these works can be seen from the same location where this wall is most visible, creating a sense of visual continuity.

This work was created by Cestola na Cachola in 2021, as part of the Ribeira Sacra Landscapes Agreement.