Features:
- Made in Portugal
- Hand-Painted
- Designs may vary slightly as they are hand-painted
- Made of Aluminum - solid construction
- Painted in bright colors, it is a sign of good luck and prosperity
History:
The legend of the Portuguese Rooster, more commonly known as the Galo de Barcelo's, begins in a city known as Barcelo's dating back to the 12th century.
The story begins in Barcelo's where a robbery took place and the residents of the town were restless because they could not identify the culprit. One night a Galician pilgrim from Spain on his way to Santiago de Compostela stayed the night in a local hostel and was reported as a criminal by one of the residents. Authorities decided to arrest the man and despite his claim of innocence, the local people did not believe the man in his story of going to complete a promise on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The pilgrim was arrested and sentenced to be hanged.
On the day of the hanging the pilgrim asked as his last wish to speak to the judge of the town. Brought before the judge who was having a banquet with some locals and friends, the pilgrim knelt down and pleaded his innocence begging not to be hanged.
Since the town did not believe him, the pilgrim pointed to the roasted rooster on the table of the banquet and said the following:
“It is as certain I am innocent as that rooster crows when they hang me!”
The locals laughed at the man continuing about their business. Later, to everyone’s amazement, the rooster stood up from the table and crowed just as the pilgrim predicted.
The judge then ran to the gallows to prevent the hanging of the man. Upon inspection the judge noticed the rope knot prevented the hanging. The judge had the rooster released, freed the man, and let him continue his path in the direction of Santiago de Compostela.
Years after the incident, the pilgrim returned to the town of Barcelo's and erected a monument in honor of Santiago and the Virgin Mary, since the pilgrim assumed that Santiago had protected him from the gallows.
The legend of Barcelo's has been passed down over generations and will be told for years to come. It has become one of many famous symbols of Portuguese culture and history.