The 5 Best Castles In Galicia

Galicia is a region located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula that stands out for its beautiful landscapes and exquisite cuisine. These elements are the ones that most attract the place, but of course there are many more. One of them is its rich history, which we can see reflected in the best castles in Galicia.

Touring these buildings represents a walk that will not leave anyone indifferent. Next, we present 5 of them that you cannot miss if you visit these lands.

The best castles and their maritime fortresses

Galicia is a region that mainly faces the sea. Therefore, it is not surprising that large fortifications were erected to protect ports and maritime cities. Some of the most important are the Castillo de San Antón, Santa Cruz and San Felipe. Let’s look at them in more detail below.

1. The castle of San Antón

The city of A Coruña is one of those ports that had to be protected against attacks by foreign powers from the sea. With this objective in mind, the castle of San Antón was built in the 16th century. This fortress was built on a small islet located in the bay of the city, where there was a hermitage dedicated to San Antón.

According to an inscription, the fortress began to be built in the year 1587. Only 2 years later, although it was not yet finished, it proved its effectiveness in the face of an attack perpetuated by the English army, under the command of Sir Francis Drake. After the onslaught, construction continued, ending in 1590.

In the 18th century, in addition to serving as a defensive bulwark for the city, it was also used as a prison. Later, it was used as a lazaret to isolate sailors who arrived in the city with an infectious disease.

The building was donated to the city in 1960. In 1968, it adopted the functionality that it still preserves today, that of a museum. It houses archaeological objects such as protohistoric goldsmithing, megalithism, the Bronze Age, military culture, etc. Since 1994, the castle of San Antón has been considered an asset of cultural interest.

2. The castle of Santa Cruz

The castle of Santa Cruz, together with that of San Antón and that of San Diego, was part of the strategic defensive network of the city of A Coruña. After Francis Drake’s attack on the city, it was seen that the castle of San Antón was not enough for the effective defense of A Coruña. For this reason, at the end of the 16th century and under the directives of General Diego das Mariñas, the construction of a new fortification began.

The fortress was built on the island of Santa Cruz, located in front of the city. Its construction ended in 1640, but in the 18th century it was expanded with new bastions and pavilions.

When the maritime invasions subsided in the 18th century, the castle ceased to have strategic value and was abandoned. Later, in the 19th century, it was bought at public auction by Xosé Quiroga, who had a small pazo built.

Until 1939, the building belonged to the Quiroga family, until they donated it to the cavalry army to be a home for colonies for orphans from the Civil War. This activity continued until 1978, when they again abandoned it.

Finally, 11 years later, the municipality of Oleiros bought it to turn it into a reference center in environmental education, a task that it carries out to this day thanks to the CEIDA (Center for University Extension and Environmental Disclosure of Galicia).

3. The castle of San Felipe

If we move a little north, in the city of Ferrol, we find another of the wonderful castles of Galicia. On this occasion, it is the one of San Felipe. This was, along with La Palma and San Martiño, one of the 3 fortifications that made the Ría de Ferrol practically impenetrable.

Its construction began in the year 1557 and was sponsored by King Felipe II, from whom it would adopt the name. The building that we can admire today is a remodeling that was made in the 18th century.

The defensive design of the castle allowed it to reject not only maritime attacks, but also land ones. In addition, with the support of the other 2 defensive systems, it made access to the estuary an impossible task.

On 3 occasions the effectiveness of the defenses of Ferrol could be verified: one in 1594, another in 1639 and the last in 1800. The first and last were perpetuated by English forces, and the seventeenth century, by French . In none of them were foreign forces able to penetrate the estuary.

More castles in Galicia

Galicia is not only a coast. It also has a great wealth in its interior and, therefore, throughout the territory we find fabulous castles. We cannot talk about all of them, as there are too many, but we are going to try to cite the most outstanding ones.

4. The castle of Monterrey

The castle of Monterrey – on the cover – is a fortress that is located in the town of the same name, in the province of Ourense. This is one of the best preserved fortresses in Galicia and it is a true treasure because its walls have seen important episodes in the history of the kingdoms that would constitute Spain.

There are documents that show that at the beginning of the 10th century there were already human settlements in the valley of the Támega river. We have documentary evidence of the castle since 950. The privileged place where the fortress is located between Portugal and the kingdom of León, later Castilla y León, was one of the reasons why the castle was highly coveted, and that is why it passed through many different hands.

From its creation until the 18th century, various modifications were made to improve its defenses. The last ones ended in the year 1711 by the War of Succession. Its strategic importance made it what is known as “the Galician acropolis.”

The complex is made up of a walled enclosure, a pilgrims’ hospital, the castle itself with its keep and the Palace of the Counts and Tower of the Ladies. As it could not be missing, there is also a church, that of Santa María de Gracia. The last works that were done were in 2014 to turn the site into a tourist hostel.

5. The castle of Sobroso

This is a medieval castle located in the small town of Villasobroso, in the province of Pontevedra. We have documentary evidence from the 10th century, specifically in the year 983, when King Bermudo II took refuge in it with his troops.

This castle was the scene of one of the episodes in Compostela’s history, specifically when, in 1117, Queen Urraca managed to escape from the castle besieged by her son’s supporters. In 1467 they destroyed it, but its strategic role was still vital, and for that reason it was restored. Finally, in the 17th century, its position ceased to be strategic and was abandoned.

It was not until the 20th century that interest in the castle recovered. It was first bought by a resident of Villasobroso who partially restored it and, finally, in 1981 it was bought by the Punteareas city council, which turned it into a historical and ethnographic museum of the Condado region.

Do not miss the opportunity to know the Galicia of castles

In Galicia there are many more castles. To name just a few more, there is the castle of Doiras, Moeche, Maceda, Nogueirosa, Ribadavia, Soutomaior, Pambre, etc. As you can see, it is not necessary to travel to France or Germany to visit impressive fortresses like these.

Nor is it necessary to travel to the American continent to visit impregnable maritime fortresses. In Galicia, you can do it.

In addition, you will be able to enjoy spectacular landscapes, accompanied by friendly locals and, above all, excellent gastronomy. What better than to admire an impressive fortress from a terrace accompanied by a good wine and a delicious Galician octopus?