VÍAS ATLÁNTICAS

Project for the valuation and conservation of natural resources, heritage and places of archaeological interest through the cultural-tourist promotion of the Roman Via XIX of the Antonine Itinerary (Bracara Augusta - Lucus Augusti)

The Roman roads were communication roads the Roman Imperial State built to cover the territory and connect the capitals of the various Conventus Iuridici (administrative capitals of the Roman era).

These "ancient roads" were an important pillar and factor for socio-economic and commercial success, and they also fulfilled many other functions: strategic-military (defence, transport of troops), taxation (tax collection and control of goods and people, etc.) and they contributed to territorial planning.

The main purpose of the Vías Atlánticas project is to mark out the routes of the Roman Via XIX to establish a transfrontier tourist-cultural route of great historical and educational importance, with the focus placed on the areas that contain historical and archaeological heritage of significance.

It connected the towns founded by the Emperor Augustus Gallaecia, Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Lucus Augusto (Lugo), and stretched as far as Asturica Augusta (Astorga).

The original purpose for which it was built was to provide the troops based in the northwest of the Iberian peninsula with basic products (wheat, wine, salted food), giving the road significant commercial value.

The presence of the road also led to the establishment of new settlements, normally providing roadside services, which grew in importance as population and economic centres, as is the case with Tude (Tui), Aquis Celenis (Caldas de Reyes) and Iria Flavia (Iria).