Os Peares: Rivers, Vineyards and Railway History

At Os Peares, the Búbal joins the Miño and the Sil; the Miño and Sil also meet here. In Os Peares, vineyards typical of the Ribeira Sacra can be seen on terraces. The valleys of Os Peares display Mediterranean climatic features that allow strawberry trees and holm oaks to grow; both tree species are rare in Galicia.

Nature

The Os Peares reservoir was built from 1945 onwards. It began to fill in 1952. In 1953, the reservoir began generating electricity. It was completed and inaugurated in 1955. The Os Peares reservoir complex includes houses built against vertical walls. The terraced vineyards and the three rivers that meet here are among the landscape features described for Os Peares. The landscape thus combines water, steep built structures and the agriculturally shaped terraces of the Ribeira Sacra. The rare strawberry trees and holm oaks are also linked to the Mediterranean climatic features of the valleys. Thus, alongside the rivers and the reservoir, distinctive botanical features also stand out in the landscape.

History

Os Peares experienced strong economic growth in the 20th century. The reservoir and the railway station contributed to this economic development as sources of employment. The former A Ácea do Búbal was a chocolate and electricity factory. Its former use thus connects two different areas of production within the documented industrial history of Os Peares. Together with the reservoir and the railway station, it points to the economic functions that shaped the town in the 20th century.

Culture

The railway museum of Os Peares is located in the former freight transshipment area. The museum houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the railway in Ourense. Nine large-scale art murals are located in the area around Os Peares railway station. The main mural is entitled “La golondrina ahogada emigra”. It has a strong connection to the railway. The other murals in Os Peares mainly depict plant and animal motifs.

The Eiffel-style iron railway bridge is a landmark in Os Peares. A sculpture in the station area commemorates Rodolfo Prada, a Galician intellectual and founder of the Irmandades da Fala. The area around the station therefore contains various forms of remembrance and representation: a historical permanent exhibition, large-scale murals, an iron bridge and a sculpture. The main mural’s connection to the railway adds another artistic motif to the history of the former freight transshipment area.

Hiking

The Miño River Route PR-G 179 is officially certified and signposted according to FGM guidelines. The route ends in Os Peares. Those who choose its second section follow a completely flat path along the banks of the Miño. This section offers views of the river and the terraced vineyards. The path thus connects the course along the Miño with the terraced slopes typical of the Ribeira Sacra. For orientation on the route, both its FGM signposting and its clearly specified endpoint in Os Peares are indicated.

Other Places

Other places in the wider area include Tamallancos, Magros, A Arnoia, Taboadela, Sadurnín, A Rúa, San Cibrao Das Viñas and Río.

Geographical Location

Os Peares is located on the N-120. By road, the town is connected with Ourense and the Comarca of Monforte de Lemos. This road connection also places Os Peares within the surroundings of Ourense and the Comarca of Monforte de Lemos.

For the overview of destinations in the wider area: Ourense.