What is Ribalonga?
{{inappropriate tone|date=April 2012}} [[File:Blazonry of Ribalonga.jpg|thumb|Blazonry of Ribalonga]][[File:Map of Ribalonga.jpg|thumb|Map of Ribalonga; abords to Rapadoura]] '''Ribalonga''' (from the Gallician ''riba'' - 'climb' and ''longa'' - 'long') is a [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[parish]] in the north of the Municipality of [[Alijó]], in ‘Trás-dos-montes’ (‘behind the hills’). It has a population of 231 (2011) and an area of 9,15 km2 (density : 25,2/km2). Its [[patron saint]] is [[Saint Anna]], mother of [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Saint Mary]] and therefore, grandmother of Jesus. == History == The Castle of Ribalonga was a fortress that probably began to be inhabited on the [[Iron Age]] and continued on the [[Ancient Rome]]. Ribalonga belonged on the 13th century to the parish of Vila Chã, on 1839 to Vila Real, on 1852 to Vilar de Maçada and on 1872 to Alijó. == Legends == === Legend of the red cross === The legend tells that in the year 2000, a man of the family Sampaio, whose descendants still live in the village, coming from the fair of Vilar de Maçada, brought with him some meat. Suddenly, he was followed by a pack of wolves and he became very scared, because he realized that the wolves were very hungry. When he arrived near the village, the wolves began to close the circle. When he saw himself lost, he got off his horse and knelt and asked the Lord of the Afflicted to save him from the wolves. At this moment, the dogs in the house of Mr. Sampaio began barking anxiously and the wife of the man let them go. They ran fast to the place where the man was and drove the wolves away. In recognition, he built a cross where he asked the Lord to help. A few days later, one of the dogs appeared, all hurt. This cross can be seen today, a little bit degraded, on the place that has the name ''Red Cross'' and that is in the South of Ribalonga. === Legend of St. Ana === There is another legend of Ribalonga, referring to its place of St. Ana. There is a huge rock, rectangular, with three grooves at the top, the head, t