How the Pyrenees Were Created
The legend tells that long ago, Geryon, a three-headed ogre, defeated and killed King Tubal, father of Pyrene. Pyrene, who was in love with Hercules and waiting for him to return from battle, fled to the forests of the plains—home to gods, demigods, and men—to hide from the horrible three-headed ogre.
Geryon, knew he had to kill the princess to take full control as the new king of Hispania. He pursued her all the way to the border with the neighboring country. When he couldn’t find her, he decided to burn that vast territory so the princess would perish in the flames. The fire spread quickly, devastating everything in its path. Animals, vegetation, and entire villages were wiped off the face of the earth.
Princess Pyrene, terrified, cried out as the flames closed in around her, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the fire would take her life. Hercules, who had seen the flames of the great fire and heard her cries of panic, ran to rescue her, venturing deep into the burning forests. But it was all in vain.
Hercules, the great warrior and demigod who fought against the enemies of Iberia, could not save the beautiful and beloved Princess Pyrene. Heartbroken and devastated, he covered her body with a shroud of ashes. Over her body, he began to pile large stones, building a mausoleum. One stone after another began to shape this unique tomb. This mountain barrier stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Cantabrian Sea, covering this sacred range, the dwelling place of gods, as the legend of Pyrene tells. And so, as a result of the love between Pyrene and Hercules, these magical mountains were formed, shaping the highest peaks of Spain that we know today as the Pyrenees. It is said that she lies buried in the Benasque Valley, right beneath the highest peak of the Pyrenees, which
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