The Rooster’s Stone Cross is a popular sculpture featuring engraved elements that allude to the miracles of Santiago and the hanged man, better known as the Legend of the Rooster of Barcelos, one of the most emblematic and identity-defining symbols of Portugal. On one side, the Rooster, the Hanged Pilgrim, and Santiago are depicted; on the other side, Our Lady and St. Benedict, the patron saints of Barcelos, are represented.

According to legend, a Galician pilgrim, unjustly accused of theft and sentenced to hang, managed to prove his innocence thanks to the miraculous intervention of a dead rooster who, to everyone’s astonishment, crowed before his execution. The legend has become a symbol of justice and faith, celebrated with the iconic figure of the rooster, which represents local history and crafts.