"In the language of Castile, fraga means a rugged place populated with weeds and rocks. But such an interpretation would disorient you, because fraga, in the Galician language, means uncultivated forest, given to itself, in which are mixed species of trees. If it were only of pines or only of chestnut trees or only of oaks, it would be a forest, but it would no longer be a fraga.
When a man manages to take to the fraga an attentive soul, poured out, in a state - although transitory - of novelty, he learns of many stories. There is nothing to do but look and listen, with that tenderness and that emotion and that eagerness and that fear of knowing that there is in the spirit of the children. Then one realizes that there is another soul there, infinite souls; that the whole forest is animated;"
'La fraga de Cecebre'-'El bosque animado' Wenceslao Fernández Florez. 1943
'O bosque animado' ('The animated forest') impregnates magical realism into the life of the rural Galician of the first half of the 20th century. Through this work many generations were immersed in the sweeping world of our forests and discovered a lot of stories, prints and stories where nature is the protagonist.
Wenceslao Fernández Florez, creator of this literary work of universal character, was a Galician writer born in A Coruña in 1885, one of the most relevant figures of the "costumbrista" genre characterized by social satire, published more than forty novels and books of humor stories.
The Cecebre parish, in Cambre, became a magic scene that several authors relate with the fantastic Macondo of García Márquez. In this place is the so-called Villa Florentina, home where Wenceslao Fernández Florez lived and that today gives shelter to the Foundation that is named after the novelist.
It is a building of the architect Antonio Tenreiro, which responds to the rationalism typical of the late 40's. Currently, maintaining the structure of housing and original furniture, the House-Museum houses a large collection of paintings, photographs, bibliographic funds and personal objects of the writer.
In addition to museum use, Villa Florentina offers various cultural activities organized by the Wenceslao Fernández Flórez Foundation, as well as literary routes that give the opportunity to visit different environments of the magical Fraga de Cecebre.
SCHEDULE:
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: mornings from 12 to 2 pm and afternoon from 5 to 8 pm.
Guided tours are also available for tourist groups (maximum of 15 people per group). Schedule for groups can be adapted according to the day of the week. The tour takes about 30-45 min.
Admission: €1 per person. Free entry for children and retirees.
More information
Address: Villa Florentina. Apeadeiro, 14 Cecebre 15650 Cambre (A Coruña)
Phone/Fax: +34 981 676 052
Email: fundawenceslaoff@gmail.com
Web de la Fundación Wenceslao Fernández Flórez
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CORONAVIRUS:
- The entrance to the places must be done with a mask that each person must wear, except for children under 6 years.
- Distance rules are compulsory and the maximum capacity indicated for each venue must be respected.
- There is hydroalcoholic gel at your disposal.
The visitor assistance services offered by the A Coruña Provincial Council are free.
Additional Information: Heritage and Contracting Service. Tlf .: +34 981 080 314 / +34 981 080 300.