Pena: Churches, Archaeological Traces and the Camino Primitivo

Culture and History

The Igrexa de San Xoán de Pena was rebuilt in 1872. Its walls are made of local slate slabs and, in part, granite ashlar blocks. The bell gable has two openings and two bells. For historic buildings, the year of construction can be taken into account when preparing for a visit.

Castro da Casilla contains an elongated communal building, a so-called longhouse, which is considered the oldest of its kind in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Radiocarbon dating placed the longhouse in the Early Bronze Age. At archaeological sites, the chronological classification of the buildings can be included in visit preparations.

At the Adro Vello archaeological site, an early medieval church dating from the 8th or 9th century has been documented. A semicircular apse from the earlier pre-Romanesque church was also confirmed at the same site. A larger Romanesque church was later built there. The apse therefore belongs to the earlier church structure, while the larger Romanesque church dates from a later construction phase.

Pilgrimage Routes

The Ponte Vella–Crecente section of the Camino Primitivo is a 15.7-kilometre crossing with a walking time of around 4 hours and 10 minutes. Between O Burgo and Seoane, the Camino Primitivo partly follows the Roman Via XIX. In Seoane, the parish church of San Xoán de Pena is located on the Camino Primitivo. Current trail conditions should be checked before setting out. If public transport is used for the outward or onward journey, it is also advisable to check the current timetables. On a route with a stated walking time, breaks and additional stops can be planned separately from the actual walking time. The time required for the outward and onward journeys can also be checked in advance using the current timetables.

Museums

The Museo Diocesano y Catedralicio de Lugo is located in the vicinity of Pena. The Galeria La Catedral, a museum, is also nearby. The Museo Provincial De Lugo and the Museo Interactivo da Historia de Lugo are likewise located in the same area. This means that several independently named museums are located nearby, including ecclesiastical and cathedral, provincial and interactive institutions. For museum visits, the opening hours of each individual establishment are part of the preparations and should be checked before travelling. For historic churches and archaeological sites, it should likewise be checked in good time whether current visiting hours are provided for the planned visit. When visiting several museums, the opening hours of each establishment can be checked separately before planning a day of visits. For historic churches and archaeological sites, checking current visiting hours remains a separate preparation step.

Landscape

A Pena da Culpa is a mountain in the vicinity of Pena. In the wider regional surroundings of Pena are the mountains A Pena de Fornos, Monte Acebedo and Pico de Santa Irene.

Other destinations at this level: Nespereira, Lagoa, Begonte, Trabada, Merille, Quiroga, Cospeito, Samos

To the higher-level travel overview: Lugo.