Chavín – Souto da Retorta Natural Monument

Nature

The Souto da Retorta Natural Monument is located in Chavín parish, in Viveiro. The natural monument partially overlaps with the Río Landro Special Area of Conservation, ZEC Río Landro (ES1120012). The Souto da Retorta grove contains around 600 eucalyptus trees. This approximate figure describes the size of the population, while individual trees within the grove stand out in particular. O Avó is a prominent eucalyptus in the grove and is more than 60 metres tall. Its height gives the named tree a distinct dimension within the extensive eucalyptus population. In 2007, O Avó was added to the Galician catalogue of notable trees. The grove thus combines a large-scale tree population with a single, individually named eucalyptus whose special status is additionally documented.

Water

A small path runs along the banks of the Río Landro through the Souto da Retorta. From there, visitors can enjoy views of waterfalls such as Salto do Can. The path, riverbank and waterfall all form part of the same Souto da Retorta landscape. Salto do Can is created when water is released from the reservoir of the small hydroelectric plant. Its appearance is therefore directly related to the water from the reservoir and the small hydroelectric plant located there. The waterscape at this site thus shows both the natural course of the Río Landro and the technical use of its water.

History

The Barro-Chavín industrial complex formerly stood on the site of Chavín’s present-day eucalyptus grove. The historic industrial complex is therefore part of the former use of the site on which the eucalyptus grove now stands. The building of the Central hidráulica de Chavín adjoins the western edge of the Souto da Retorta. This building dates from the early 19th century. Its location on the western edge establishes the structural connection between the present-day natural monument and the historic building.

The Central de Chavín supplied Viveiro with electricity from 1896. A commission for ecclesiastical works for the parish church of Santa María de Chavín dates from 1636. The dates mentioned therefore range from a commission for the parish church in 1636, through the building of the Central hidráulica de Chavín from the early 19th century, to the supply of electricity to Viveiro from 1896 onwards. Barro-Chavín, the Central de Chavín and Santa María de Chavín thus represent different historical traces in Chavín: former industry, electricity supply and ecclesiastical construction work.

Orientation

Access to the Souto da Retorta Natural Monument had been temporarily closed since the last week of June 2024 due to maintenance and restoration work in the forest.

Other places

Other places at the same level are Cospeito, Fonfría, Sabenche, Rábade, Lago, Lama, Cervo and Castelo.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Lugo.