Manduas, was identified by the medievalist Piel as "Mándolas” a Swabian name of the mid-7th century, noting that its name comes from the Latin "amandola" which means almond.
Worth visiting is the parish church, built in the thirties, with an original Romanesque door and with the curious detail that it is the only east facing church in the council. Also, there are three stone crosses of special interest in the cemetery, the market field and the hamlet of Quintela.
Two noteworthy individuals were the piper (gaitero) Manuel Dopazo Gontade (1883-1952) and the tenor José Vales Maia (1914-1980) after whom the locals named the auditorium and the square that surrounds it.
At the heart of this area is A Bandeira with its well laid out urban construction and all the pertinent shopping facilities and services, this town is only second in importance to Silleda.
Born under a flag that was placed in a tavern cum house and a major market which was of great importance on the Camiño de Santiago, today it is second in the council in terms of population, commercial establishments and administrative services.
It has a Health Centre, Senior Citizens Community Center, Sate School, Music School, Multipurpose Auditorium, Culture House and Playing fields.
This makes it so that sports and cultural activities form part of everyday life, with the Band, Cultural Associations and Traditional Music and Dance Groups of great prestige. Through A Bandeira also passes the Camiño de Santiago and moreover it has famous fairs which are held the 14th and 29th of each month, the Alto dos Xenerais at Carnival and the Festa da Empanada, (pie) have been declared of Gastronomic Interest. |
