The town of Ribadavia (town pop. 3,365, municipality 6,612, area of municipality 20.2 km²) is located in the southwest of the province of Ourense, Autonomous Community of Galicia, Spain. The urban area lies on the right bank of the Miño (see Portuguese Minho) and the last course of the Avia. It is considered to be the capital of the comarca of the Ribeiro. Near highway N-120 (Ourense to Vigo) and the motorway called Autovia das Rias Baixas, it is 25 km from the provincial capital and 80 km from Vigo.
The town was declared a Historical Artistic Site in 1947. Near the Campo da Feira, one can find the ruins of the castle of the Sarmientos, the Counts of Ribadavia, dating from the fifteenth century. It still preserves the interior, towers and the walls. Parts of the walls that surrounded the town are also still standing. Inside the old quarter (casco antiguo), one can visit the main square (Praza Maior) with interesting buildings like the sixteenth century town hall. There are also buildings remaining from what was once a large Jewish quarter, including a synagogue.
All the economic life of the comarca of the Ribeiro has centered on, since the twelfth century, the vines first brought by the monks of Cluny who accompanied the first count of Galicia, Raymond of Burgandy. Today, the wine is commercialised as Denominación de Origen Ribeiro. (Demarcated Origen Ribeiro)
Ribadavia is an inland town of some 3000 souls near Orense in Galicia, on the Avia River which gave it its name.
The special interest of the Ribadavia event lies in its conception and execution entirely by non-Jews and non-professionals, and its location in a historic pre-expulsion Jewish quarter whose inhabitants are the main actors in the event.
One might see the Ribadavia events as just another few in the series; however, the organizers are quite clear that their event was conceived independently and that, in fact, the 1992 events were not particularly noted in Galicia, certainly not in their corner of it.
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