Island of San Simón, Island in the Ría de Vigo, Galicia, Spain
The île de San Simón is an uninhabited island in the Ría de Vigo in Galicia, Spain, linked to the nearby island of San Antón by a small bridge. The island holds several old buildings from different periods, including a 17th-century convent, former quarantine structures, and watchtowers still standing today.
The island served as a monastic center in the Middle Ages, then passed through the hands of the Templars and later the Franciscans, before being turned into a quarantine station in the 18th century. In the 20th century, the Franco regime used it as a concentration camp, where many political prisoners were held under very harsh conditions.
The island is sometimes called the Island of Thought, a name that reflects its long role as a place of retreat and silence. Visitors can see a statue of the medieval poet Mendinho, whose only surviving poem was written here, on the island.
The island can only be reached by boat, and the crossing offers good views of the coast and the surrounding waters of the Ría de Vigo. Guided tours are available and are a good way to understand the old buildings and the history of the place.
During the naval battle of 1702, several ships sank in the waters around the island after a clash between Anglo-Dutch and Franco-Spanish fleets. Divers have explored the wrecks over the years, but no gold, which the ships were said to be carrying, has ever been found.
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