Anzo: Discover Church Art, Pilgrim Routes and Waterfalls

Culture and Architectural History

Anzo combines sacred architectural history with distinctive traces of rural life. The Igrexa de San Xoán de Anzo preserves elements from the 12th and 13th centuries. Its Romanesque layout consists of a single nave and a rectangular apse. At the same time, the main façade was rebuilt in the Classical style. Above it is a bell gable with two arches, crowned with pinnacles. Different construction phases and clearly recognisable architectural forms thus come together in a single church building.

The civil heritage includes Casa Grande de Barrio, a manor house in Barrio, in the parish of Anzo (San Xoán). The building is associated with the Camino de Invierno. The Igrexa de San Xoán de Anzo also has this named pilgrim connection. The church and manor house therefore each represent a distinct aspect of the locality’s history, while sharing the same connection to a historic route.

Pilgrim Routes

The Camino de Invierno provides a framework for the two buildings mentioned above. The Camiño do Corpiño follows an independent route. This route, used by pilgrims, leads to the Santuario do Corpiño and is signposted. Along the way, it passes the Capela das Mercedes. The destination of the route and the smaller chapel remain two separate stops, each with its own name and function.

For signposted routes, standard preparation includes checking the current route, possible trail conditions and applicable notices before setting out. This keeps planning focused on the specific characteristics of the route in question, without equating the pilgrim route with another excursion destination.

History

An archaeological trace came to light by chance in 2019 on a farm in the parish of San Xoán de Anzo (Lalín, Pontevedra): a gravestone with two engraved lines was found there. Another historic site is Castro de Anzo. The castro settlement lies in the parish of Anzo; various archaeological remains are visible on its surface.

The large old farmhouses of Anzó reflect the locality’s strong agricultural and livestock potential over the course of history. Together with the gravestone and the visible remains of the castro settlement, they broaden the perspective from individual buildings to the long-term use and settlement of the rural landscape.

Landscape

The watercourses are also specific destinations around Anzó. Above a bridge, a stream forms two waterfalls. The higher of the two waterfalls reaches a height of approximately 12 metres. This approximate figure expressly refers to the upper waterfall; the second waterfall is part of the same divided stream. Here, the water, bridge and waterfall heights form a clearly structured landscape scene.

Other Locality Pages

Other locality pages: Goián, Rebón (San Pedro), Codeseda, Ramil, Caldas De Reis, Curantes, Cotobade, Bamio

For the overview of the wider area: Pontevedra.