Pontevedra

Pontevedra  is a Spanish city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the Comarca (County) and Province of Pontevedra, and of the Rias Baixas in Galicia. It is also the capital of its own municipality which is, in fact, often considered as an extension of the actual city.

The city is best known for its urban planningpedestrianisation and the charm of its old town. Pontevedra’s car free center helped transform it into one of the most accessible European cities, leading to various European and American studies on its exemplary urban planning been carried out in recent years.

Surrounded by hills, the city is located on the edge of an estuary at the mouth of the Lérez river by the sea, at the end of the Ria de Pontevedra, in the heart of the Rías Baixas. An economic centre and tourist destination, with a population of 83,260 in 2020, it is at the head of an metropolitan area around its Ria of more than 200,000 inhabitants comprising the municipalities of PoioMarínSanxenxoBueuVilaboaCerdedo-CotobadePonte CaldelasBarro and Soutomaior.

Pontevedra is the second city in Galicia for its rich heritage, only after Santiago de Compostela. A city of art and history, the city is known as The Good City (name attributed by the French author Jean Froissart in his Chronicles in the 14th century) or The City of the Lérez. The city is also an important stopover on the Portuguese Way path of the Camino de Santiago that bears witness to the circular church of the Pilgrim Virgin with a floor plan in the shape of a scallop shell and the scallop shells sculpted in the arches of the medieval Burgo Bridge.

Pontevedra city has an important group of monumental buildings, including the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (16th century) with its plateresque Renaissance façade, the Baroque Church of the Pilgrim Virgin (18th century) with its rounded façade, the ruins of the Gothic Convent of San Domingo (13th century), the Gothic Church of San Francisco (13th century), the Baroque Church of San Bartholomew (end of the 17th century) and the Gothic Convent of Santa Clare (14th century). Its old town contains numerous coat of arms houses (the 15th century House of the Bells or the 18th century García Flórez Palace), mansions – the Mendoza MansionVilla Pilar – as well as old palaces such as the 18th century Mugartegui Palace, which is now the headquarters of the Rias Baixas Wine Regulatory Council, or the Counts of Maceda Palace, which is now the National Tourism Parador. Another major symbol of the city is the Ravachol Parrot, whose statue is in the city centre. The city also has a marina close to its historic centre. At present, Pontevedra is a city in full revival. It has become the flagship city of the network of cities that walk and one of the cities in the world where children live best, known as The City of Children.

Pontevedra is an important administrative centre. The city is marked by a strong presence of administrative and justice services. Pontevedra is the seat of the Provincial Deputation (equivalent to the General Provincial Council), the prefecture (Subdelegación del Gobierno) of the province of Pontevedra as well as the Palace of Justice and the provincial district court (Audiencia Provincial), the provincial police station and the provincial administrative offices.

Landmarks

Thanks to a remarkable old town, the surrounding landscape and its former medieval port Pontevedra has been defined as a “charming city”[39] and “an authentic Galician city”. Tourist attractions include many religious and civil buildings as well as picturesque medieval squares.

Religious heritage

Renaissance Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Pontevedra)

Gothic Santo Domingo Church

Baroque San Bartolomé church

Church of San Francis Monastery

Civil Heritage

Gothic Bells House

Pazo of the Counts of Maceda, national parador of tourism

  • Palace of the Gago and Montenegro (16th century), in the square of Teucer, with a magnificent coat of arms in granite.
  • House of Heads, with Renaissance busts on the facade, on the Estrella Square.
  • Mugartegui Palace, baroque, from the 18th century, on Mugartegui Square or the Quarry Square.

Baroque Mugartegui Palace

Pontevedra City Hall, 19th century

Monuments

Contact

Pontevedra
email
contacto@pontevedra.gal
address
Rúa Michelena, n 30 - 36071 Pontevedra
phone
(+34) 986 804 300