Pontevedra (, ) is a Spanish city in the north-west of the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
. It is the capital of both the ''
Comarca
A ''comarca'' (, or , or ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, ...
'' (County) and
Province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, and Ourense, ...
, and of the
Rías Baixas
The Rías Baixas (Galician language, Galician for "Lower Rias") are a series of four estuarine inlets located on the southwestern coast of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. They are the Ría de Muros e Noia, the Ría de Arousa, the Ria de Ponteved ...
in
Galicia. It is also the capital of its own municipality which is often considered an extension of the actual city.
The city is best known for its
urban planning
Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
,
pedestrianisation
Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town reserved for pedestrian-only use and in whi ...
and the charm of its
old town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
. In recent years, it has been awarded several international awards for its urban quality and
quality of life
Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...
,
accessibility
Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...
and
urban mobility Mobilities is a contemporary paradigm in the social sciences that explores the movement of people (human migration, individual mobility, travel, transport), ideas (see e.g. meme) and things (transport), as well as the broader social implications o ...
policy, like the international European Intermodes Urban Mobility Award in 2013, the 2014 Dubai International Best Practices Award for
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The des ...
awarded by
UN-Habitat
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development. It was established in 1977 as an outcome of the first United Nations Conference on Human Settleme ...
in partnership with
Dubai Municipality
Dubai Municipality ( ar, بلدية دبي) is the Government of Dubai municipal body with jurisdiction over city services and the upkeep of facilities in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates and reports directly to the Dubai Executive Coun ...
and the Excellence Award of the center for
Active Design in New York City in 2015, among others. The city also won the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
's first prize for urban safety in 2020. Pontevedra's
car-free center helped transform it into one of the most accessible European cities, leading to various European and American studies of its exemplary
urban planning
Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
being carried out in recent years.
Surrounded by hills, the city is located on the edge of an
estuary
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
at the
mouth
In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...
of the
Lérez
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. The sources of the long stream are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Ac ...
river by the sea, at the end of the
Ria de Pontevedra
The Ria de Pontevedra is located in the Province of Pontevedra, in Galicia, Spain. It is one of the three main maritime entrances of Galicia, the Rías Baixas, the most touristic area of the region. It is also the most regular of them and the thi ...
, in the heart of the
Rías Baixas
The Rías Baixas (Galician language, Galician for "Lower Rias") are a series of four estuarine inlets located on the southwestern coast of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. They are the Ría de Muros e Noia, the Ría de Arousa, the Ria de Ponteved ...
. An economic centre and tourist destination, with a population of 83,260 in 2020, it is at the head of a
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
around its Ria of more than 200,000 inhabitants comprising the municipalities of
Poio
Poio is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. Poio is located in the North shore of the Ría de Pontevedra, between Sanxenxo and the provincial capital, Pontevedra. The municipality is adjacent with Meaño, Meis, Ponteve ...
,
Marín,
Sanxenxo
Sanxenxo (; in Spanish ''Sangenjo'') is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It is situated in the southern part of the O Salnés region 15 kilometres west of the city of Pontevedra and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean ...
,
Bueu
Bueu is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the province of Pontevedra. Bueu belongs to the Comarca of O Morrazo together with Cangas do Morrazo, Moaña
Moaña is a municipality of 18,709 inhabitants located in Galicia, Spain in the province ...
,
Vilaboa
Vilaboa (from the Latin ''villam bonam'') is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the province of Pontevedra. The town is located on the Atlantic Ocean, on San Simon's Cove (Ensenada de San Simon), and is a part of Ria de Vigo
Vigo Ria ( es, Rí ...
,
Cerdedo-Cotobade
Cerdedo-Cotobade is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra in the autonomous community of Galicia, in Spain. It arose from the merger on September 22, 2016 of Cerdedo and Cotobade municipalities.[Ponte Caldelas
Ponte Caldelas is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It takes its name from an ancient bridge over the Río Caldelas.
Etymology
The town is more than likely named after the old bridge over the river Verdugo, combined ...]
,
Barro and
Soutomaior
: ''For the former Formula-1 driver see Nelson Piquet Souto Maior''
Soutomaior is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra, autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. According to the INE
INE, Ine or ine may refer to:
Institutions
* Institut ...
.
Pontevedra is the second city in
Galicia for its rich heritage, only after
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
. A city of art and history, the city is known as ''The Good City'' (name attributed by the French author
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart ( Old and Middle French: '' Jehan'', – ) (also John Froissart) was a French-speaking medieval author and court historian from the Low Countries who wrote several works, including ''Chronicles'' and ''Meliador'', a long Arthuria ...
in his
Chronicles
Chronicles may refer to:
* ''Books of Chronicles'', in the Bible
* Chronicle, chronological histories
* ''The Chronicles of Narnia'', a novel series by C. S. Lewis
* ''Holinshed's Chronicles'', the collected works of Raphael Holinshed
* '' The Idh ...
in the 14th century) or ''The City of the Lérez''. The city is also an important stopover on
the Portuguese Way
The Portuguese Way ( pt, Caminho Português, es, Camino Portugués) is the name of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes starting in Portugal. It begins at Porto or Lisbon. From Porto, along the Douro River, pilgrims travel north crossing t ...
path of the
Camino de Santiago: the circular
church of the Pilgrim Virgin
The church of the Pilgrim Virgin is a scallop-shaped chapel located in the city of Pontevedra, in Spain, along the route of the Portuguese Way of St. James.
Construction began in 1778 and it is one of the most symbolic and important buildings ...
has a floor plan in the shape of a
scallop
Scallop () is a common name that encompasses various species of marine bivalve mollusks in the taxonomic family Pectinidae, the scallops. However, the common name "scallop" is also sometimes applied to species in other closely related families ...
shell and there are scallop shells sculpted in the arches of the medieval
Burgo Bridge
The Burgo Bridge ''(Puente del Burgo)'' is a medieval bridge, built over an older bridge of Roman origin, which crosses the Lérez River in the city of Pontevedra, Spain. It is on the route of the Portuguese Way to the north of the historic cen ...
.
Pontevedra city has an important group of monumental buildings, including the
Basilica of Saint Mary Major
The Basilica of Saint Mary Major ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, ; la, Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris), or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major papal basilica as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and the large ...
(16th century) with its
plateresque
Plateresque, meaning "in the manner of a silversmith" (''plata'' being silver in Spanish), was an artistic movement, especially architectural, developed in Spain and its territories, which appeared between the late Gothic and early Renaissance ...
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
façade, the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
Church of the Pilgrim Virgin
The church of the Pilgrim Virgin is a scallop-shaped chapel located in the city of Pontevedra, in Spain, along the route of the Portuguese Way of St. James.
Construction began in 1778 and it is one of the most symbolic and important buildings ...
(18th century) with its rounded façade, the
ruins of the Gothic Convent of San Domingo (13th century), the
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
Church of San Francisco (13th century), the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
Church of San Bartholomew (end of the 17th century) and the
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
Convent of Santa Clare (14th century). Its old town contains numerous
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
houses (the 15th century
House of the Bells or the 18th century
García Flórez Palace), mansions – the
Mendoza Mansion
The Mendoza mansion is a building located between Santa María Avenue and Arzobispo Malvar Street, at the western end of the old town of Pontevedra ( Galicia, Spain). It is currently the headquarters of the Rias Bajas Tourist Office.
History ...
,
Villa 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 a
Parador
A ''parador'' (), in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries was an establishment where travelers could seek lodging, and usually, food and drink, similar to an inn. In Spain since 1928, a Parador is a state-owned luxury hotel, usually locat ...
. Another major symbol of the city is the
Ravachol Parrot, whose statue is in the city centre. The city also has a
marina
A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.
A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...
close to its
historic centre. At present, Pontevedra is a city in full revival. It has become the flagship city of the network of
walkable cities 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
A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...
(
Government Delegation) of the
province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, and Ourense, ...
as well as the Palace of Justice, the
Judicial Complex and the provincial
district court (), the provincial police station and the
provincial Administrative Complex.
History
Name
The name of the city is likely a Latin composite of (bridge) and (old, long established). In Galicia, Latin ''pons'', a masculine word, became feminine, hence
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin, also known as Popular or Colloquial Latin, is the range of non-formal Register (sociolinguistics), registers of Latin spoken from the Crisis of the Roman Republic, Late Roman Republic onward. Through time, Vulgar Latin would evolve ...
''Ponte Vetera'', which became by the 13th century the modern
Galician language toponymy ''Pontevedra'', "the old bridge", in reference to an old Roman bridge across the
Lérez River
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. The sources of the long stream are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Aci ...
which had been located near the 12th century
Burgo bridge
The Burgo Bridge ''(Puente del Burgo)'' is a medieval bridge, built over an older bridge of Roman origin, which crosses the Lérez River in the city of Pontevedra, Spain. It is on the route of the Portuguese Way to the north of the historic cen ...
that remains in place today.
![Teucro](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Teucro.jpg)
The name of the town derives from the Latin , which means "old bridge" and refers to the first bridge that
the Romans built to cross the
Lérez
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. The sources of the long stream are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Ac ...
River and the
Ria de Pontevedra
The Ria de Pontevedra is located in the Province of Pontevedra, in Galicia, Spain. It is one of the three main maritime entrances of Galicia, the Rías Baixas, the most touristic area of the region. It is also the most regular of them and the thi ...
. However, nowadays there are historians who say that since in ancient Latin, ponto (pontus) meant sea and vedra means green, its name could be due to the particular greenness of the sea caused by the seaweed tides, being the meaning of the name of the city ''that of the green sea''.
Pre-history and antiquity
A local legend relates the foundation of Pontevedra to
Teucer
In Greek mythology, Teucer (), also Teucrus, Teucros or Teucris ( grc, Τεῦκρος, Teûkros), was the son of King Telamon of Salamis Island and his second wife Hesione, daughter of King Laomedon of Troy. He fought alongside his half-bro ...
, hero of the
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has ...
, a legend which was reinforced with the suspicion that Greek traders might have arrived to the
Rias Baixas area in ancient times. However, historians and archaeologists tend to agree that the initial settlement was probably formed during the integration of
Gallaecia
Gallaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province in the north-west of Hispania, approximately present-day Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Norte, Portugal, northern Portugal, Asturias and León (province), Leon and the lat ...
(old Galicia) into the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...
(circa 1st century BC)(Reference is required). The current name of the city is a Latin composite, derived from (bridge) and (old), hence , and thence
Galician language , "the old bridge", in reference to the old Roman bridge across Lérez River. Well-connected since Roman times, Pontevedra consolidated itself as an intermediate town during the
Suebic period (circa 5th–6th century AD).
Medieval and early modern
During the 12th century Pontevedra rose as an important commercial centre; it reached its zenith in the 15th century as a trade and communications hub. Pontevedra was the main Galician urban centre. In fact, Pontevedra has the second largest "old town" in Galicia, only after
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
. Pontevedra was on the route of the
Way of Saint James
The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...
, namely its southern or
the Portuguese Way
The Portuguese Way ( pt, Caminho Português, es, Camino Portugués) is the name of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes starting in Portugal. It begins at Porto or Lisbon. From Porto, along the Douro River, pilgrims travel north crossing t ...
. The
Church of the Pilgrim Virgin
The church of the Pilgrim Virgin is a scallop-shaped chapel located in the city of Pontevedra, in Spain, along the route of the Portuguese Way of St. James.
Construction began in 1778 and it is one of the most symbolic and important buildings ...
, with its distinctive scallop-shaped floor plan, is a destination for tourists and pilgrims.
In the 16th century it still was a commercial city, with an increase in fishing. At that time, Pontevedra was the largest Galician port, as it was a secure port open to the sea. One of
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
' ships, the
carrack
A carrack (; ; ; ) is a three- or four- masted ocean-going sailing ship that was developed in the 14th to 15th centuries in Europe, most notably in Portugal. Evolved from the single-masted cog, the carrack was first used for European trade fr ...
''
Santa Maria'', originally named ''La Gallega'' ("The Galician"), was built in Pontevedra. It was in centuries later that the
sediment
Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand an ...
ation caused by
Lérez
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. The sources of the long stream are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Ac ...
river gradually rendered the harbour unsuitable for large-scale navigation. The end of the 16th century marked the beginning of the decline of the city, a decline which had already started for the rest of
Galicia from the end of the 15th century.
Late modern
The situation would worsen during the 17th and 18th centuries. The port drastically reduced its activity due to the mentioned geographical causes. Furthermore, political decisions and dynastic conflicts provoked a general decay in trade, thus resulting in the depopulation of the city; the population was reduced in half during that time, also affected by epidemics.
![Debuxo de Pontevedra por Pier Maria Baldi (1669)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Debuxo_de_Pontevedra_por_Pier_Maria_Baldi_%281669%29.jpg)
In the beginning of the 19th century fishing, arts and crafts kept the economy going. With the establishment of
new provincial division in 1833 Pontevedra saw itself transformed into a provincial capital. The city then grew and became an administrative, cultural and commercial centre. The introduction of the
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
also reconnected the city with the rest of the country, after having lost its harbour. All in all, Pontevedra sees in this century a cultural, economic and urban revival. It is in Pontevedra when, in 1853, Xoán Manuel Pintos publishes the first book in modern
Galician, ''A gaita gallega''.
20th century
Pontevedra entered the 20th century with great prospects. The city was at the heart of Galician culture and politics.
Galicianists – such as
Alexandre Bóveda and
Castelao – took up residence in the city, where in 1931 they founded the
Partido Galeguista ("Galicianist Party"), the origin of contemporary
Galician nationalism
Galician nationalism is a form of nationalism found mostly in Galicia, which asserts that Galicians are a nation and that promotes the cultural unity of Galicians. The political movement referred to as modern Galician nationalism was born at ...
. However, the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
(1936–1939) and subsequent
Francoist dictatorship
Francoist Spain ( es, España franquista), or the Francoist dictatorship (), was the period of Spanish history between 1939 and 1975, when Francisco Franco ruled Spain after the Spanish Civil War with the title . After his death in 1975, Sp ...
(1939–1975) suddenly ended Pontevedra's progression. Political repression and economic hardships forced many to emigrate.
![Enrique Campo, Pontevedra desde A Caeira (1908)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Enrique_Campo%2C_Pontevedra_desde_A_Caeira_%281908%29.jpg)
In the 1940s–1960s the government of the Franco dictatorship granted a Free Zone and a Development Pole to the neighbouring city of Vigo, a rare case in Spain (for a city that was not a provincial capital), which favoured the economic development of this city in the province of Pontevedra to the detriment of the provincial capital, Pontevedra, becoming rival cities. The recovery of the local economy only partially began in the 1960s, with the introduction of some industrial activity. However, these very activities would later cause serious environmental and health concerns, forcing the eventual closure of some of them.
With the end of the dictatorship in 1975 the construction sector also developed. Improvements in the communications network during the 1980s and 1990s helped Pontevedra to regain weight in the
Rias Baixas region, acting again as a trade hub and focusing on its administrative functions as provincial capital. The introduction of university studies in the city during the 1990s contributed further to the growth of the city. Since 1999 Pontevedra has seen intense urban renewal and cultural revival, positively influencing the local economy.
21st century
In the 21st century the city of Pontevedra has undergone both a cultural renaissance and an urban transformation, taking in the
pedestrianisation
Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town reserved for pedestrian-only use and in whi ...
of the city centre, extension of cycle lanes, recovery of the historical and natural heritage, rehabilitation of buildings and public spaces, and an increase in green areas and pedestrian walkways. Unlike the other six large cities of Galicia, which have lost inhabitants to neighboring municipalities, Pontevedra's population is currently increasing. It has become one of the most accessible cities for disabled people, receiving a national prize for this in 2006, along with the international European INTERMODES Urban Mobility Award in 2013, the 2014 Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development awarded by
UN-Habitat
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development. It was established in 1977 as an outcome of the first United Nations Conference on Human Settleme ...
in partnership with
Dubai Municipality
Dubai Municipality ( ar, بلدية دبي) is the Government of Dubai municipal body with jurisdiction over city services and the upkeep of facilities in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates and reports directly to the Dubai Executive Coun ...
and the Award of the Center of Active Design in New York City in 2015. Pontevedra's model for responsible mobility is currently seen as an international reference.
Geography
Physical
Location and subdivisions
![Reflejos, Ponte dos Tirantes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Reflejos%2C_Ponte_dos_Tirantes.jpg)
The municipality of Pontevedra is located between 42°20' and 42°30' north and 8°33' and 8°41' west, in the southwestern
Galician coast, an area popularly known as ''
Rias Baixas''. The municipality covers and is about wide from north to south.
The city sits at the end of the
ria
A ria (; gl, ría) is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea.
Definitions
Typically rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they ca ...
that bears its name, occupying the valleys of the
Lérez
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. The sources of the long stream are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Ac ...
and Tomeza rivers. It extends southwards to the mouth of river Verdugo in Ponte Sampaio. It is surrounded by four mountainous regions divided by two
faults, one stretching north–south and one from northeast to southwest.
To the north it borders the municipalities of
Barro,
Moraña
Moraña is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of 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 t ...
and
Campo Lameiro
Campo Lameiro is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous commun ...
; to the east,
Cotobade
Cotobade is a former local country council in Galicia (Spain) in the province of Pontevedra. It bordered the municipalities of Campo Lameiro, Cerdedo, Forcarei, A Lama, Ponte Caldelas and Pontevedra. In 2011 its population was 4432 people, ...
and
Ponte Caldelas
Ponte Caldelas is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It takes its name from an ancient bridge over the Río Caldelas.
Etymology
The town is more than likely named after the old bridge over the river Verdugo, combined ...
; to the south,
Soutomaior
: ''For the former Formula-1 driver see Nelson Piquet Souto Maior''
Soutomaior is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra, autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. According to the INE
INE, Ine or ine may refer to:
Institutions
* Institut ...
,
Vilaboa
Vilaboa (from the Latin ''villam bonam'') is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the province of Pontevedra. The town is located on the Atlantic Ocean, on San Simon's Cove (Ensenada de San Simon), and is a part of Ria de Vigo
Vigo Ria ( es, Rí ...
and
Marín, and to the west,
Poio
Poio is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. Poio is located in the North shore of the Ría de Pontevedra, between Sanxenxo and the provincial capital, Pontevedra. The municipality is adjacent with Meaño, Meis, Ponteve ...
and the ria, leading to the Atlantic Ocean.
The main
''parroquias'' (parishes) of Pontevedra are: Alba, Bora, Campañó, A Canicouva, Cerponzóns, Estribela, Lérez, Lourizán, Marcón, Mourente, Ponte Sampaio, Salcedo, San Xosé, Santa María de Xeve, Tomeza, Verducido, Xeve.
The neighbourhoods or main areas of Pontevedra are: the
old town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
,
O Burgo,
Campolongo, Mollabao,
Monte Porreiro, A Parda, A Seca, Valdecorvos, Salgueiriños, Gorgullón. The residential area of A Caeira, although officially located in the municipality of
Poio
Poio is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. Poio is located in the North shore of the Ría de Pontevedra, between Sanxenxo and the provincial capital, Pontevedra. The municipality is adjacent with Meaño, Meis, Ponteve ...
, is often considered as just another neighbourhood of Pontevedra since the vast majority of the residents work in Pontevedra and relate to the city.
Climate
Pontevedra has a humid
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Cfb''). The average temperature is , with a daily average of in January and in July. These are unusually mild for a city so far north, and are due to Pontevedra's proximity to the sea and to the moderating effect of the
ria
A ria (; gl, ría) is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea.
Definitions
Typically rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they ca ...
. Yet, like all the Galician coast, Pontevedra is subject to occasional Atlantic storms in winter. These are characterised by a quick drop in temperature, rain and gales. With eleven of the twelve months above Pontevedra is in the maritime
subtropical climate zone under the
Trewartha climate classification
The Trewartha climate classification (TCC) or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC) is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köppen ...
, a classification it falls short of under the Köppen classification due to the cool summer nights.
Overall Pontevedra, as Galicia, is rainy, especially at the end of autumn and winter, with an annual average
precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
of , and around 134 rainy days per year. Summer is drier, generally speaking, making Pontevedra the sunniest city in Galicia with 2248 hours of sunshine per year.
Human
Population
The municipality of Pontevedra is composed of the city of Pontevedra and fifteen rural parishes in close proximity, with a total population of 83,260 (as of 2020).
[Statistical Profile for Pontevedra (municipality)](_blank)
, from the Galician Institute of Statistics. Access date 22 April 2009 This results in a relative high density of population of 710.1 inhabitants per square kilometre. More than two-thirds of the population live in the city, and less than one-third in the rural parishes.
The population of Pontevedra is aging, with generational replacement is not necessarily assured, although the city's population has been gradually growing in recent years. Broken down by age, 15.93% of the population were senior citizens, 69% between 15 and 65 years, and just 15.01% under the 15 years of age. The natality rate (9.8‰) is only +1.8 over the mortality rate (8‰). The migrational balance is slightly positive (+350 people in 2006).
According to the local authorities Pontevedra is, since 1999, the fastest growing Galician city, with an average of +1000 more inhabitants per year. Pontevedra is the city with the youngest population in
Galicia and northwest Spain and the Galician city that attracts the most people to live in, together with Santiago de Compostela. It is the Galician city with the best rate of natural increase (RNI).
According to the 2001 census, 29.6% of the population have
Galician as their mother tongue, where 32.1% speak it "often". The remaining 38.3% speak
Castilian as their native language or speak mostly in Castilian
Urban planning and living environment
Pontevedra has a pedestrian city centre (which includes the
old town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
and the city centre or first urban expansion area) which, together with parks such as
Las Palmeras (the Palm Trees Park) and squares, make the city very pleasant to walk in and give it a high quality of life.
![Paseo Marítimo de Pontevedra capital e Isla de Tambo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Paseo_Mar%C3%ADtimo_de_Pontevedra_capital_e_Isla_de_Tambo.jpg)
An island on the Lérez, opposite a remarkable cable-stayed bridge dating from 1995 (the
Tirantes Bridge, the ''Strap Bridge'') and next to the modern
Pontevedra Auditorium and Convention Centre
The Pontevedra Auditorium and Convention Centre is a building that hosts conventions, exhibitions, concerts, plays and ballet and dance performances in Pontevedra (Spain). It is located in the northern part of the city, next to the Lérez riv ...
shelters the city's green lung, the famous
Island of Sculptures
The Covo Island, better known as the Island of Sculptures or Illa das Esculturas in Galician, is a park and island located near the mouth of the Lérez River, in Pontevedra, Spain. It has an area of 70,000 m² and is connected to both banks of ...
park. It is a space where international artists such as
Robert Morris,
Ulrich Rückriem
Ulrich Rückriem (born 30 September 1938) is a German sculptor notable for his monumental stone sculptures. He lives and works in Cologne and London.
His abstract works of art are often assigned to the style of minimalism and process art.
Lif ...
,
Anne and Patrick Poirier,
Giovanni Anselmo Giovanni Anselmo (born 1934 in Borgofranco d'Ivrea, Province of Turin, Italy) is an artist who emerged in Italy after World War II within the art movement called Arte Povera. His most famous artwork is ''Untitled (Sculpture That Eats)'' (1968), a ...
,
Richard Long,
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Ian Hamilton Finlay, CBE (28 October 1925 – 27 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, writer, artist and gardener.
Life
Finlay was born in Nassau, Bahamas, to James Hamilton Finlay and his wife, Annie Pettigrew, both of Scots descent.
He was e ...
or
Jenny Holzer
Jenny Holzer (born July 29, 1950) is an American neo-conceptual artist, based in Hoosick, New York. The main focus of her work is the delivery of words and ideas in public spaces and includes large-scale installations, advertising billboards, ...
have left their works.
Another large park, the
Xunqueira de Alba, is located near the Burgo district, in front of the
tied-arch bridge
A tied-arch bridge is an arch bridge in which the outward horizontal forces of the arch(es) caused by tension at the arch ends to a foundation are countered by equal tension of its own gravity plus any element of the total deck structure such grea ...
Currents Bridge
The Currents Bridge (''puente de las Corrientes'' in Spanish), is a tied-arch bridge that crosses the Lérez River in the city of Pontevedra, Spain. It was inaugurated in 2012 and connects Uruguay Avenue and Domingo Fontán Street.
History
Th ...
, inaugurated in 2012.
Pedestrianization
The capital of the province of Pontevedra has become one of the most pedestrianised cities in Spain over the last fifteen years. The old city and much of the city centre are pedestrianized, so that in these neighbourhoods, motorized transport is limited to residents and services.
In 1999 Pontevedra began its transformation process by pedestrianizing its
old town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
. In the following years, the city centre and some other streets on the outskirts of Pontevedra were pedestrianised too. In 2010, Pontevedra was the first provincial capital in Spain to reduce the maximum speed in the city centre to 30 kilometres per hour and in 2019 to 10 kilometres per hour in the city centre.
![Virxe-Peregrina-2021](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Virxe-Peregrina-2021.jpg)
In Pontevedra, the
Metrominuto pedestrian plan was created for urban mobility, which with the urban transformation of the city has won many national and international awards such as the international European INTERMODES Urban Mobility Award in 2013 and the 2014 Dubai International Best Practices Award for Sustainable Development awarded by
UN-Habitat
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development. It was established in 1977 as an outcome of the first United Nations Conference on Human Settleme ...
in partnership with
Dubai Municipality
Dubai Municipality ( ar, بلدية دبي) is the Government of Dubai municipal body with jurisdiction over city services and the upkeep of facilities in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates and reports directly to the Dubai Executive Coun ...
. The Metrominuto is a map based on the aesthetics of metro maps, which marks the pedestrian distances between the most important points of the city and the time it takes to travel them. The Metrominuto has been used as a model in other European cities such as
Toulouse
Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
in France,
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
,
Ferrara
Ferrara (, ; egl, Fràra ) is a city and ''comune'' in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital of the Province of Ferrara. it had 132,009 inhabitants. It is situated northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream ...
Modena
Modena (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern I ...
and
Cagliari
Cagliari (, also , , ; sc, Casteddu ; lat, Caralis) is an Italian municipality and the capital of the island of Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name ''Casteddu'' means ''castle''. It has about 155,000 inhabitant ...
in Italy,
Poznan in Poland and the
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
district in London. In Spain, it has inspired other cities such
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
,
Seville
Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...
,
Cadiz,
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritag ...
,
Granada
Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...
,
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera (), or simply Jerez (), is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, located midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cádiz Mountains. , the ...
,
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
and
Pamplona
Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region.
Lying at near above ...
. As a result, 65% of trips in the city centre are made on foot. Pontevedra was recognized in 2016 as one of the 15 best cycling cities in the world. The urban model of the city of Pontevedra follows the models of other European cities such as
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
,
Bruges
Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...
or
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
.
![Laberintodepontevedra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Laberintodepontevedra.jpg)
The urban transformation of Pontevedra and measures to reduce motorized traffic in the city centre have reduced by 65% the emissions of from fossil fuels in the capital over the last decade and have been reported by foreign and French television channels such as
France 2
France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews.
Since 3:20 CET on 7 A ...
,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
,
Canal+
Canal+ (Canal Plus, , meaning 'Channel Plus'; sometimes abbreviated C+ or Canal) is a French premium television channel launched in 1984. It is 100% owned by the Groupe Canal+, which in turn is owned by Vivendi. The channel broadcasts several ki ...
or
TF1 and the Swiss channel
Radio Télévision Suisse
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
RTS and other foreign televisions like
MBC TV in South Korea, the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
in Canada or
Seven Network
The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...
in Australia.
Transport
As regards public transport, Pontevedra has two urban bus lines in the city centre:
*Line 1 (red), 8.4 kilometres long, connects the
Monte Porreiro neighbourhood, one of the most populated in the city with more than 7,000 inhabitants and where the Regional Centre of the National University of Distance Education (UNED) is located, to the A Xunqueira neighbourhood and to the train and bus stations and has 19 stops.
*Line 2 (blue) is 7.6 kilometres long and connects the Monte Porreiro district with the Montecelo Hospital and Galicia Square in the
Campolongo district, with 15 stops.
There is also a high frequency urban bus service between Pontevedra and Marín, which is located in the metropolitan area of Pontevedra and with which the city forms a virtual urban continuum.
Pontevedra is well connected by road and rail. It sits on the
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
-
Tui railway and motorway corridor.
Pontevedra bus station has multiple connections with other cities in Spain, Galicia and abroad.
Pontevedra railway station
Pontevedra Railway Station is a railway station of the Spanish Atlantic Axis high-speed rail line which provides services to the city of Pontevedra, in Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain.
Location
The station is located at the end of the Estación ...
is located between the Galician capital
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
(58 km to the north) and the largest Galician municipality, Vigo (30 km to the south).
Renfe also has a
Pontevedra-University railway stop in the city to serve the A Xunqueira university campus and the
Monte Porreiro, Tafisa and A Seca neighbourhoods. Pontevedra city itself does not have an airport in its municipality but the city is relatively close to the airports of ''Lavacolla'' to the north (in the municipality of Santiago de Compostela) and ''Peinador'' to the south (in the municipalities of Redondela, Mos and Vigo). A good network of roads and motorways efficiently connects Pontevedra with the other Galician cities, and also with Portugal (55 km to the south), and inland (100 km to the eastern city of
Ourense
Ourense (; es, Orense ) is a city and capital of the province of Ourense, located in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path of the Way of St ...
). Regular bus lines link Pontevedra with other Galician cities and towns, as well as with
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
,
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
and
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
(among others).
![Pontevedra Capital Estación RENFE](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Pontevedra_Capital_Estaci%C3%B3n_RENFE.jpg)
The
AVE
''Alta Velocidad Española'' (''AVE'') is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to . As of December 2021, the Spanish high-speed rail network, on part of which the AVE s ...
high-speed train
High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...
(in Spanish ''Tren de alta velocidad'', or TAV) reaches Pontevedra and the city is a stop on the "
Atlantic Line", running from the northern Galician city of
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
to
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
(Portugal). Likewise, Pontevedra will benefit from the high-speed train connecting Galicia and central Spain. That Galician
connection will be fully operational in 2022.
Despite the fact that Pontevedra was once the main Galician port, at present the Pontevedra harbour is only used for recreational purposes, not for cargo or passenger transportation. Neighbouring
Marín is a major military and commercial harbour 7 km away. The
Pontevedra marina
The marina of Pontevedra (Pontevedra, Spain) is located at the mouth of the Lérez river in the ria de Pontevedra. Its nautical chart is 4162-HMI. It is managed by the Club Náutico, Nautical Club of Pontevedra, by concession of the public entit ...
is close to the old town and the commercial and fishing
port of Marín and Ria de Pontevedra
The port of Marín and Ria de Pontevedra is located in the municipalities of Marín and Pontevedra, Galicia (Spain). It is on the southern shore of the Ria de Pontevedra.
The port stretches from Punta Pesqueira in the municipality of Marín ...
, 5 kilometres west of the city centre.
Landmarks
Thanks to a remarkable
old town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
, the surrounding landscape and its former medieval port, Pontevedra has been defined as a "charming city" and "an authentic Galician city". Tourist attractions include many religious and civil buildings as well as picturesque medieval squares.
Religious heritage
*
Baroque church of the Pilgrim Virgin. The major symbol of the city, it is on the Place of the Pilgrim Virgin. Built on a semi-circular scallop plan, it is the only rounded scallop-shaped church in Spain.
*
Gothic-Renaissance Basilica of St. Mary Major. Built by the powerful sailors guild. It has a remarkable flattened facade.
![Santa Maria a Maior de Pontevedra 02 retouched](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Santa_Maria_a_Maior_de_Pontevedra_02_retouched.jpg)
*
Convent and church of Saint Francis, Pontevedra
The Convent of St. Francis (Spanish: San Francisco) is a Franciscan convent located in the city centre of Pontevedra (Spain), overlooking the Plaza de la Herrería. The Gothic church of San Francis is attached to the convent on the southeast si ...
. Gothic church of St. Francis overlooking the Herrería Square. It is one of the mendicant-style churches in
Galicia. Its plan is a Latin cross, with a single nave and a chevet with three polygonal apses. The church houses the tomb of the admiral and poet Payo Gómez Chariño, which dates from the 13th century.
*
Ruins of the Gothic church of St. Dominic, having belonged to the Dominican order, only the chevet with five polygonal chapels remains. Today they belong to the
Pontevedra Museum
The Pontevedra Museum (formerly the Pontevedra Provincial Museum) is a museum in the Galician city of Pontevedra in Spain. It was founded by the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra on 30 December 1927 and has six buildings for its exhibitions. ...
.
![Pontevedra Santo Domingo504](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Pontevedra_Santo_Domingo504.JPG)
*
Baroque church of St. Bartholomew (Italian baroque).
![Igrexa de San Bartolomé, Pontevedra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Igrexa_de_San_Bartolom%C3%A9%2C_Pontevedra..jpg)
*
Convent and Romanesque-Gothic church of St. Clare.
*
Apparitions Sanctuary, where the Virgin of Fatima appeared to
Sister Mary Lucia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Fatima.
*
Nazarene Chapel (Baroque, S.XIV-XVIII).
* Chapel of Souls (Neo-Gothic, S.XIX).
* Chapel of Saint-Roch.
* Saint-Francis Convent.
*
Monastery of Saint-Saviour of Lérez, a Baroque reanimation on a picturesque site. This former Benedictine monastery has a church (from the 18th century) whose facade is flanked by two towers. Adjacent to the church is one of the galleries of the former Renaissance cloister of the 16th century.
![San Francisco, Pontevedra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/San_Francisco%2C_Pontevedra.JPG)
*
Our Lady of Placeres church built at the end of the 19th century in
Neo-Gothic style
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
.
*
College of the Society of Jesus in Pontevedra
The former College of the Jesuits is an 18th century baroque building located in Sarmiento Street in the heart of the old town of Pontevedra, Spain. A secondary educational institution founded by the Jesuits in 1695, the building is known today ...
, 1714, Italian baroque architecture.
* Monastery of St. John of Poio.
Civil Heritage
*
House of the Bells, Gothic, from the 15th century, with a
heron
The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...
in the
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
, Don Filiberto Street.
![Pontevedra capital Casa de las Campanas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Pontevedra_capital_Casa_de_las_Campanas.jpg)
* House of the Vaamonde, Renaissance, Amargura street, 16th century.
* Old Mail House, late Gothic, in García de la Riega Square.
*
Remnants of the medieval ramparts.12th–15th century.
*
Counts of Maceda Palace or Barón Palace, Renaissance building from the 16th century, with a crenellated tower, now converted into a
Parador
A ''parador'' (), in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries was an establishment where travelers could seek lodging, and usually, food and drink, similar to an inn. In Spain since 1928, a Parador is a state-owned luxury hotel, usually locat ...
.
![Pontevedra capital Parador casa del Barón de casa Goda](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Pontevedra_capital_Parador_casa_del_Bar%C3%B3n_de_casa_Goda.jpg)
* Palace of the Gago and Montenegro (16th century), in the square of Teucer, with a magnificent coat of arms in
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
.
*
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.
![Pontevedra capital Palacio barroco de Mugártegui](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Pontevedra_capital_Palacio_barroco_de_Mug%C3%A1rtegui.jpg)
*
Pazo de Castro Monteagudo, baroque (1760).
*
Pazo de García Flórez, baroque, from the 18th century, Sarmiento street, with a magnificent granite
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
.
* Palace of the Marquis of Aranda, baroque, from the 18th century to the crenellated tower at the corner of the square of Teucer.
![Casa do concello Pontevedra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Casa_do_concello_Pontevedra.jpg)
* House of the Barbeito and Padrón, baroque with Renaissance busts on the façade, from the 18th century, Real Street.
*
Liceo Casino
The Liceo Casino is a neoclassical building from 1878 located in the historic centre of Pontevedra, which houses the oldest cultural and leisure society in Pontevedra, Spain.
Location
The Liceo Casino is located in the same block as the Pr ...
, neoclassical, 1878.
*
Principal Theatre of Pontevedra, neoclassical.
*
Pontevedra City Hall
The Pontevedra City Hall in Pontevedra, Spain, is the seat of the city council of this Galician city. It is located at the eastern end of the Alameda de Pontevedra, on the edge of the old town. To the west it opens onto the pedestrian Españ ...
, 19th century of Parisian inspiration.
* The
Palace of the Provincial Council of the 19th century, eclectic.
*
Mansion house of the Mendozas, eclectic, on the Saint-Mary avenue, (1880).
*
Mansion of the Marquis of Riestra
The Marquis of Riestra's mansion is an eclectic building with art Nouveau elements from the late 19th century located at 30 Michelena Street in Pontevedra, Spain. It currently houses the main central administrative services of the City Counc ...
, eclectic, in Michelena Street, 30, (end of the 19th century).
*
Lourizán Palace (art nouveau), (end of the 19th century).
*
Pontevedra Provincial Hospital
The Pontevedra Provincial Hospital is a building dating from 1897, located in the city centre of Pontevedra, Spain.
History
The origins of the Provincial Hospital go back to the hospital in Pontevedra founded in 1439 by testamentary dispositi ...
, by León Domercq and Siro Borrajo (1897).
*
Faculty of Fine Arts
In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwork ...
(former San Fernando barracks), end of the 19th century
*
Pontevedra former training teacher college building, eclectic, end of 19th century
*
Pontevedra bullring (1900)
*
Bank of Spain, Michelena street, eclectic, 1903.
*
Fonseca House, neoclassical, on Paseo of Colón. Its facade is inspired by the church of the
Paris Madeleine, (end of the 19th century).
*
Valle-Inclán High School
The Valle-Inclán High School is a large eclectic and Art Nouveau building located in the city centre of Pontevedra, Spain. It is named after the writer Valle-Inclán who studied and lived in Pontevedra. Today it is the seat of the Valle-Incl ...
(art nouveau), beginning of the 20th century on Gran Vía de Montero Ríos.
*
Central Post Office building (art nouveau), beginning of the 20th century, Olive street.
*
Modern Coffee (art nouveau), on
St. Joseph's square.
* ''
Villa Pilar'' private mansion (art nouveau), Riestra street.
*
Gran Garaje Building
The Gran Garaje is an Art Nouveau building dating from 1915, located in the city centre of Pontevedra, Spain.
Location
The building is located at Benito Corbal Street, in the pedestrian and commercial centre of the city, near Plaza de la Her ...
, art nouveau, (1915).
*
Pontevedra Provincial Savings Bank (1944) by Emilio Quiroga Losada.
*
Pontevedra Central Market (1948) by Emilio Quiroga Losada.
*
Palace of Justice of Pontevedra (1956) by Robustiano Fernández Cochón and Germán Álvarez de Sotomayor y Castro.
*
Gobierno Civil de Pontevedra
The Gobierno Civil de Pontevedra, currently Subdelegación del Gobierno de Pontevedra, is an official building located in Pontevedra, Galicia (Spain). It has served since its construction as the government delegation office representing the Span ...
(1958) by Enrique López-Izquierdo Blanco.
*
Pontevedra Municipal Sports Hall
The Pontevedra Municipal Sports Hall ''(Pabellón Municipal de los Deportes)'' is an arena in Pontevedra, Spain. It is primarily used for team handball and is the home arena of SD Teucro. The arena holds 4,000 people. It is located in the neighbo ...
(1965) by
Alejandro de la Sota.
*
Pontevedra Public Library
The Public Library of Pontevedra Antonio Odriozola located in Pontevedra (Spain) is the provincial state library in the province of Pontevedra and is part of the Public Library Network of Galicia and the State Public Library Network (BPE). Its ...
(1988) by Julio Simonet Barrio.
*
Congres Hall Palace (1997) by Manuel de las Casas.
*
Pontevedra Exhibition Centre
The Pontevedra Exhibition Centre is a complex for events such as exhibitions, fairs and conventions. It is in the Rosalía de Castro Park, near the banks of the Lérez River in Pontevedra, Galicia (Spain).
History
The exhibition centre was bu ...
(1998) by Manuel de las Casas.
*
A Parda Courts Building (1998), by Fernando Martínez Sarandeses.
* Faculty of Social and Communication Sciences (2000), by José Carlos Arrojo Lois.
* Faculty of Education and Sport (2006), an example of architecture in an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art of New York (MOMA) in 2006. The design of the faculty, by Jesús Irisarri Castro and Guadalupe Piñera, won the SICE prize in 2008, awarded by the Spanish Superior Council of Architects.
*
Administrative Complex of Pontevedra, the twin-tower administrative building of the Galician Government (2008) by the architect Manuel Gallego Jorreto.
*
Castelao Building of the
Pontevedra Museum
The Pontevedra Museum (formerly the Pontevedra Provincial Museum) is a museum in the Galician city of Pontevedra in Spain. It was founded by the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra on 30 December 1927 and has six buildings for its exhibitions. ...
(2013), a great building of contemporary architecture, by the architects Eduardo Pesquera and Jesús Ulargui.
*
New Courthouse (2019). The façade of the building is designed with curved bevelled surfaces and serial openings.
Monuments
*
Monument to the heroes of Puente Sampayo
The Monument to the Heroes of Puente Sampayo is a memorial and sculptural group created by the Spanish sculptor Julio González Pola, in Pontevedra, Spain.
It is in the gardens of the Plaza de España and was inaugurated on 27 August 1911. The ...
, in the Plaza de España, beginning of the 20th century
*
Valle-Inclán statue
''Valle-Inclán'', is a sculpture created by the Spanish sculptor César Lombera, located in Pontevedra (Spain). It is located in Plaza Méndez Núñez and was inaugurated on 26 June 2003.
History
At the beginning of the 21st century, Pontev ...
, beginning of the 21st century
*
Tertulia Monument (Literary Circle in Modern Coffee)
The Monument to the Tertulia, known as the ''Literary Circle in Modern Coffee'', is a sculptural group created by the Spanish sculptor César Lombera, in Pontevedra (Spain). It is located in Saint Joseph's Square in front of the Café Moderno ...
, on
St. Joseph's square, beginning of the 21st century
*
Teucer statue, on
St. Joseph's square, beginning of the 21st century
*
The Fiel contraste, in Alhóndiga street, beginning of the 21st century
*
Ravachol statue, beginning of the 21st century
*
Dorna, beginning of the 21st century
File:HomenaxePontesampaio.jpg, Monument to the heroes of Puente Sampayo
The Monument to the Heroes of Puente Sampayo is a memorial and sculptural group created by the Spanish sculptor Julio González Pola, in Pontevedra, Spain.
It is in the gardens of the Plaza de España and was inaugurated on 27 August 1911. The ...
File:Pontevedra-A fonte dos nenos2 (6789668151).jpg, Children's fountain
File:Valle-Inclán Pontevedra.jpg, Valle-Inclán statue
''Valle-Inclán'', is a sculpture created by the Spanish sculptor César Lombera, located in Pontevedra (Spain). It is located in Plaza Méndez Núñez and was inaugurated on 26 June 2003.
History
At the beginning of the 21st century, Pontev ...
on Méndez Núñez square
File:Fiel Contraste.jpg, The Fiel contraste
File:Pontevedra - Sede Afundación Pontevedra 6.JPG, Teucer statue on St. Joseph's square
File:Statues, Saint Joseph Square, Pontevedra, Galicia.jpg, Tertulia Monument (Literary Circle in Modern Coffee)
The Monument to the Tertulia, known as the ''Literary Circle in Modern Coffee'', is a sculptural group created by the Spanish sculptor César Lombera, in Pontevedra (Spain). It is located in Saint Joseph's Square in front of the Café Moderno ...
File:Pontevedra-Vendedora_de_pollos.jpg, Woman with chickens
File:Pontevedra capital escultura Loro Ravachol.jpg, Ravachol Parrot
File:Pontevedra Capital Escultura Barco Velero.jpg, Dorna
File:Pontevedra Capital Plátano (escultura) en la Plaza de Barcelos.jpg, Tree monument
File:Estatua de Cristobal Colón en los jardines de Vicenti, Pontevedra.JPG, Christopher Columbus
File:Estatua peregrino.jpg, ''Dando de comer al peregrino''
File:Pontevedra 42, Monumento á muller do emigrante, Avda. Corvaceiras 01-03b.jpg, Monument to the woman of the emigrant
File:Pontevedra cruz.jpg, Soldier's monument
Bridges
*
Medieval Burgo Bridge, from the 12th century. The bridge that gave the name to the city.
*
Barca Bridge, from the end of the 19th century.
*
Santiago Bridge,
beam bridge
Beam bridges are the simplest structural forms for bridge spans supported by an abutment or pier at each end. No moments are transferred throughout the support, hence their structural type is known as '' simply supported''.
The simplest beam ...
, 1983.
*
Tirantes Bridge (''Tie-rod bridge or Strap bridge''), cable-stayed bridge, 1995.
*
Currents Bridge
The Currents Bridge (''puente de las Corrientes'' in Spanish), is a tied-arch bridge that crosses the Lérez River in the city of Pontevedra, Spain. It was inaugurated in 2012 and connects Uruguay Avenue and Domingo Fontán Street.
History
Th ...
,
tied-arch bridge
A tied-arch bridge is an arch bridge in which the outward horizontal forces of the arch(es) caused by tension at the arch ends to a foundation are countered by equal tension of its own gravity plus any element of the total deck structure such grea ...
, 2012.
*
Puente Sampayo Bridge, from the 11th-18th centuries.
Picturesque medieval squares
The medieval squares of the
old town of Pontevedra
The historic centre of Pontevedra (Spain) is the oldest part of the city. It is the second most important old town in Galicia after Santiago de Compostela, and was declared a historic-artistic complex on 23 February 1951.
The historic centre ...
and those of its first urban expansion stand out as small rooms with regular and geometric proportions. Many of them evoke with their trade names the activities that took place centuries ago: Plaza of firewood, vegetables, the stone quarry, the blacksmith's, the quay...
Plaza de la Herrería
The Plaza de la Herrería (Blacksmith's square) is a large square located on the edge of the old town of Pontevedra (Spain), inside the old city walls. It is the main square of the old town and has an area of about 2,000 m2. It includes the sm ...
Blacksmith's square is the main square of the city; it is the most popular because of the daily crowds. With arches in two of its ends, with the gardens of the Plaza of Orense and the Herrería fountain at the corner of the church and
convent of St. Francis. It is lined with camellias typical of the
Rias Baixas. It owes its name to the blacksmiths who, in the 15th century, tempered the iron in the ovens and forges of its arcades for the weapons and paving stones that the
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being bot ...
had asked them to manufacture. It was the place where the
Feira Franca was held, granted to the city by King Henry IV. Here you will find the historic Carabela coffee shop, and other traditional coffees such as Savoy.
Plaza de la Peregrina
In the heart of the pedestrian centre of Pontevedra, the Pilgrim Virgin Square is the city's main meeting point. It is presided over by the
Church of the Pilgrim Virgin
The church of the Pilgrim Virgin is a scallop-shaped chapel located in the city of Pontevedra, in Spain, along the route of the Portuguese Way of St. James.
Construction began in 1778 and it is one of the most symbolic and important buildings ...
and was located outside the walls, very close to the Trabancas gate of the old Pontevedra wall. This is where the
pillory where the prisoners were executed was located.
Teucer square
![Pontevedra-19-064-pr-teucro-3v-plan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Pontevedra-19-064-pr-teucro-3v-plan.jpg)
With perfect geometric dimensions and framed by orange trees, it is surrounded by noble buildings, with the 18th century Gago and Montenegro Palace standing out on the north side, where the great coat of arms of 1716 is to be seen on the façade. On the east side, overlooking Royal Street, there is a stone fountain with night lighting.
Plaza de la Leña
The Firewood Square is the most representative and picturesque typical Galician square in Galicia. With a
calvary
Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...
in its centre and popular houses with arcades on one side and the Baroque houses of the
Pontevedra Museum
The Pontevedra Museum (formerly the Pontevedra Provincial Museum) is a museum in the Galician city of Pontevedra in Spain. It was founded by the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra on 30 December 1927 and has six buildings for its exhibitions. ...
on the other. It owes its name to the firewood that was sold here in the past to heat Pontevedra's kitchens.
Plaza de la Verdura
Regularly proportioned, on the Vegetables square there are houses with coats of arms and a 19th-century forge fountain. This is where the House of Light is located, which commemorates the fact that Pontevedra was the first Galician city to have electricity in the 19th century. Today it is the headquarters of the Pontevedra Tourist Office. The square is very lively, to which the atmosphere of the many Galician taverns and tapas bars contributes.
Plaza de la Pedreira
The Stone Quarry square is so called because of the stone-cutting activities developed here by stonemasons for the city's works and constructions. Also called Plaza of Mugartegui, because of the
baroque mansion in its center.
Plaza de Méndez Núñez
Méndez Núñez Square is a square of medieval origin located in the heart of the historic centre of Pontevedra (Spain).
Origin of the name
The square owes its current name to Casto Méndez Núñez who lived in the Pazo de los Cru y Montene ...
In the centre of the old town, there is the 15th century house with a stone coat of arms (showing the arms of the Lemos, Taboada and Bugarín) of Cru and Montenegro, which crosses Don Gonzalo Street with its pointed arch. In its centre is a bronze statue of
Valle-Inclán, the work of the sculptor César Lombera. The sculpture is in this square because it was there that the writer used to meet other intellectuals when he lived in Pontevedra.
Plaza de Curros Enríquez
Triangular square where you can admire the French attic of the house on the north side and one of the 19th century forge fountains.
![Pontevedra 07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Pontevedra_07.jpg)
Praza do Peirao
The Quay Square is the name given to the docks of the medieval port of Pontevedra. There is a stone fountain in its centre and a 1930s house on the south side which now belongs to the official school of quantity surveyors.
![Pontevedra, Galiza](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Pontevedra%2C_Galiza._Praza_do_Peirao.jpg)
Praza das Cinco Rúas
It is so called because it is where the two parts of Isabel II Street and Baron, Charino and San Nicolás Streets meet. Filled with tapas bars. It is worth noting the stone
calvary
Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...
of 1773, decorated at its base with a very expressive representation of the time when
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve, according to the creation myth of the Abrahamic religions, were the first man and woman. They are central to the belief that humanity is in essence a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors. ...
ate the forbidden fruit, and of the house in which the writer
Valle-Inclán lived.
Plaza de Santa María
In the Plaza of Santa Maria there is the
Basilica of Santa Maria la Mayor in the background and a stone cross that was originally on the
Burgo Bridge
The Burgo Bridge ''(Puente del Burgo)'' is a medieval bridge, built over an older bridge of Roman origin, which crosses the Lérez River in the city of Pontevedra, Spain. It is on the route of the Portuguese Way to the north of the historic cen ...
, the
Mendoza Mansion
The Mendoza mansion is a building located between Santa María Avenue and Arzobispo Malvar Street, at the western end of the old town of Pontevedra ( Galicia, Spain). It is currently the headquarters of the Rias Bajas Tourist Office.
History ...
and a typical 19th century forge fountain in the city. Underneath the square is the Interpretation Centre of the Archbishopric Towers which, until the 19th century, were located on the site currently occupied by the Mendoza Mansion.
Praza de España
Pontevedra main pedestrian square is the link between the old town and
Alameda
An alameda is a Avenue (landscape), street or path lined with trees () and may refer to:
Places Canada
*Alameda, Saskatchewan, town in Saskatchewan
**Grant Devine Dam, formerly ''Alameda Dam'', a dam and reservoir in southern Saskatchewan
Chile
...
and the expansion of the official and administrative city of the 19th century (
Provincial Council,
Government Delegation,
Valle-Inclán High School
The Valle-Inclán High School is a large eclectic and Art Nouveau building located in the city centre of Pontevedra, Spain. It is named after the writer Valle-Inclán who studied and lived in Pontevedra. Today it is the seat of the Valle-Incl ...
(modernist of the early 20th century) and the
City Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
). It has two underground car parks.
Plaza de San José
It is in the square of St. Joseph that stands
the monument to the Tertulia, a bronze monument, officially called the Literary Circle in Modern Coffee, recalling that Pontevedra was the cradle of Galician intellectuals in the early twentieth century, it is formed by several intellectuals drinking coffee. At the top of the
former Pontevedra Savings Bank building is a large bronze sculpture, 6 metres high, of the Greek hero
Teucer statue, the mythical founder of the city.
![Statues, Saint Joseph Square, Pontevedra, Galicia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Statues%2C_Saint_Joseph_Square%2C_Pontevedra%2C_Galicia.jpg)
It is also remarkable the former sailors' area of "A Moureira" near Corbaceiras Avenue. Other more modern emblematic squares in the city are the
Plaza de Barcelos and the
Plaza de Galicia.
Parks and green areas
Pontevedra is the second largest city in Galicia in terms of green areas per square kilometre per capita.
*
Park of the Alameda by the architect Alejandro Sesmero. Surrounded by administrative buildings of the 19th century.
![Pontevedra capital Alameda](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Pontevedra_capital_Alameda.jpg)
*
Park of the Palm Trees. In the city centre, the central alley is surrounded by tall palm trees that give it its name.
* Barcelos Park. In the city centre, very close to the main pedestrian and commercial streets.
* Rosalía de Castro Park. Close to the modern cable-stayed bridge, the Strap bridge.
*
Park of the Island of Sculptures. On an island at the mouth of the river Lérez. Here are sculptures in
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
by famous contemporary Spanish and international artists.
*
Marismas de Alba Natural Park. A large natural park that includes walkways for walking or cycling. The entrance is next to the Corrientes Bowstring Bridge on the north shore.
* Park of Campolongo. In the
Campolongo district. Here is an old granary on pillars typical of Galicia.
*
Gafos River Park. This park borders this small river that runs through part of the city.
* Valdecorvos Park. In the Valdecorvos neighbourhood, park of 60 hectares.
*
Seaside promenade – Lérez Banks. All along the Ria de Pontevedra and the River Lérez, with cycle and pedestrian paths. From the lookout point on the promenade the
Tambo Island
The Tambo Island is an island in the middle of the Pontevedra bay, in Spain. It belongs to the municipality of Poio, from which it is separated by a 1.1 km long but shallow channel. Its surface area is 0.28 km², with a maximum height ...
can be seen.
* Monteporreiro Park. In the
Monte Porreiro district, where UNED is located (
National University of Distance Education
The National Distance Education University, known in Spanish as ''Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia'' (UNED), is a public research university of national scope. The university was founded in 1972 under the Ministry of Universities. ...
).
*
Lourizán Park. In the Lourizán area, the most important botanical garden in Galicia, created in 1949.
The municipality also has three beaches: The beach of The Lérez, the beach of Placeres and the beach of Fontaíña.
Image:Parque de Las Palmeras Pontevedra capital.jpg, Palm Trees Park
The Palm Trees Park, also known simply as ''Las Palmeras'', is a public park in the heart of Pontevedra in Spain. It is the most representative and emblematic green space in the city centre, together with the Alameda de Pontevedra.
History
T ...
Image:Paseo marítimo de Pontevedra capital.JPG, Pontevedra Seaside Promenade
Image:Pontevedra capital Parque de la Xunqueira de Alba 7.jpg, Marismas de Alba Park
Image:Pontevedra capital Paseo de Orillamar y puerto deportivo.jpg, Seafront and Pontevedra marina
The marina of Pontevedra (Pontevedra, Spain) is located at the mouth of the Lérez river in the ria de Pontevedra. Its nautical chart is 4162-HMI. It is managed by the Club Náutico, Nautical Club of Pontevedra, by concession of the public entit ...
Beaches
The municipality has three beaches: the
Lérez Beach
The Lérez beach is a Galician beach located in the municipality of Pontevedra in the province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern ...
, the Placeres Beach and the Fontaíña Beach. The
Lérez Beach
The Lérez beach is a Galician beach located in the municipality of Pontevedra in the province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern ...
is opposite the
Island of Sculptures
The Covo Island, better known as the Island of Sculptures or Illa das Esculturas in Galician, is a park and island located near the mouth of the Lérez River, in Pontevedra, Spain. It has an area of 70,000 m² and is connected to both banks of ...
park.
In the neighbouring municipalities, a few kilometres away, there are several Blue Flag beaches on both banks of the
Ria de Pontevedra
The Ria de Pontevedra is located in the Province of Pontevedra, in Galicia, Spain. It is one of the three main maritime entrances of Galicia, the Rías Baixas, the most touristic area of the region. It is also the most regular of them and the thi ...
. On the southern shore are the beaches of Portocelo, Mogor or Aguete, as well as Lapamán. On the northern shore, Cabeceira is the closest, three kilometres from the city centre, and a little further away are the beaches of Raxó, Areas, Canelas,
Montalvo, Pragueira and especially the famous
La Lanzada, not far from
La Toja Island and its luxury hotels and casino.
The
Castiñeiras Lake is located 9 kilometres from the city. Around it there are large recreational areas with picnic areas, barbecues, fountains and children's playgrounds.
Administration and politics
Pontevedra is a provincial and ''
comarca
A ''comarca'' (, or , or ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, ...
l'' (shire/county, with no administrative role) capital, as well as seat of the
district court. The city hosts the headquarters of the provincial government as well as offices of the
Galician government
The Xunta de Galicia (; "Regional Government of Galicia") is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President(s) and the specialized ministers (''Consell ...
, in addition to offices representing the
Spanish government
gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua
, image =
, caption = Logo of the Government of Spain
, headerstyle = background-color: #efefef
, label1 = Role
, data1 = Executive power
, label2 = Established
, da ...
. The city provides a wide range of administrative services with an effect reaching far beyond its municipal limits. This makes Pontevedra a focal point for intense political struggles.
Governance
Since the restoration of democracy in 1977 after the
dictatorship
A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship are ...
, Pontevedra's local government had traditionally been controlled by the conservative
People's Party of Galicia
The People's Party of Galicia ( Galician/Spanish: ''Partido Popular de Galicia'' , PP or PPdeG ) is a conservative political party in Galicia, Spain. It is the Galician affiliate of the Spanish People's Party.
Prior to the 2005 Galician elect ...
(''Partido Popular de Galicia'', PPdeG-PP). However, after the 1999 elections the office of mayor was won by Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores, representing the
Galician Nationalist Bloc
The Galician Nationalist Bloc ( gl, Bloque Nacionalista Galego, BNG ) is a political alliance of left-wing Galician nationalist parties. It is self-defined as a "patriotic front".
Formed in 1982, under the guidance of historical leader Xosé Man ...
(''Bloque Nacionalista Galego'', BNG), in
coalition
A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces.
Formation
According to ''A Gui ...
with the
Socialists' Party of Galicia
The Socialists' Party of Galicia ( gl, Partido dos Socialistas de Galicia, PSdeG–PSOE) is a centre-left political party in Galicia, Spain. It is the Galician affiliate of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' ...
(''Partido Socialista de Galicia'', PSdeG-PSOE), until today. The local corporation is divided into a number of departments, or ''concellarias'', each one dealing with a specific issue such as Planning, Environment, Revenue, Mobility and Transportation, Sports, Public Works, or Tourism.
Capital city
![Deputación de Pontevedra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Deputaci%C3%B3n_de_Pontevedra.jpg)
The city is the capital of the
province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, and Ourense, ...
, and is therefore home to the provincial, autonomous and
Central Government
A central government is the government that is a controlling power over a unitary state. Another distinct but sovereign political entity is a federal government, which may have distinct powers at various levels of government, authorized or dele ...
administrative bodies.
In the provincial aspect, the
Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra
The Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra (Spanish language, Spanish: , Galician language, Galician: ) or Provincial Council of Pontevedra is the Provincial deputation (Spain), institution in charge of the government and administration of the Spanis ...
stands out, which offers the municipalities of the province different services (fire extinction, sports,...) and is in charge of its government and administration.
On an autonomous level, the city has the
Xunta de Galicia
The Xunta de Galicia (; "Regional Government of Galicia") is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President(s) and the specialized ministers (''Consell ...
which, since the last reform of the Autonomous Administration, brings together the representation of all the areas of the Autonomous Government in Pontevedra. Since 2008, the
Provincial Offices of the Xunta de Galicia offer their services in a large central building presided over by two twin towers built in the Administrative City in María Victoria Moreno Avenue 43, which agglutinates most of the provincial delegations, except some such as that of Environment, Territory and Infrastructures, located in another building very close to the
Xunta de Galicia
The Xunta de Galicia (; "Regional Government of Galicia") is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President(s) and the specialized ministers (''Consell ...
in Alcalde Hevia street.
Representing the
Central Government
A central government is the government that is a controlling power over a unitary state. Another distinct but sovereign political entity is a federal government, which may have distinct powers at various levels of government, authorized or dele ...
is the
Subdelegation of the Government, the former Civil Government, functionally dependent on the
Delegate of the Government in Galicia, located in the Plaza de España, as well as the location in the city of the peripheral services of the State (provincial departments of the different ministries such as the ''Defence Department'', provincial service of Shorelines, Provincial Service of Agriculture and Fishing, Provincial Service of Telecommunications (the latter located in the old building of the Bank of Spain).
![Pontevedra Capital Subdelegación del Gobierno](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Pontevedra_Capital_Subdelegaci%C3%B3n_del_Gobierno.jpg)
Pontevedra is also the capital provincial judicial district. It houses the headquarters of the
Provincial Court of Pontevedra, where sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this collegiate body are to be found in the Palace of Justice.
It also houses other provincial bodies dependent on the Ministry of the Interior such as the Provincial Traffic Headquarters, the Provincial Police Department, the Provincial Headquarters of the Civil Guard as the capital of the province.
Economy
Pontevedra has traditionally been a trading city. In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
,
guild
A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...
s thrived in the old town, giving name to streets and squares still preserved today. During the 16thC Pontevedra was the main Galician port, providing for a very intense fishing and sea-trading activity.
In the
1833 territorial division of Spain Galicia was sub-divided into four provinces, and Pontevedra became capital of its own province. The city then became an administrative and commercial centre, in contrast with Vigo, which attracted the industrial activity, after Franco's dictatorship gave this city a free-trade zone and a Development Pole. In fact, the first modern industries to appear in Pontevedra would only do so in the 1960s.
Currently, the
tertiary sector
The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...
employs 65 per cent of the population, while industry employs 17 per cent. Industrial activity is reduced to a handful of companies, namely
pulp mills (where the municipal authority is seeking the closure of the ENCE biofactory) and construction. The tertiary sector is not especially dynamic, although a number of policies have been implemented to improve the situation. Tourism is increasing, with visitors coming mostly from Spain and Portugal. The total unemployment rate is 7% (June 2021), according to data from the
Xunta de Galicia
The Xunta de Galicia (; "Regional Government of Galicia") is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President(s) and the specialized ministers (''Consell ...
(Galician Government). Pontevedra was the seat of the ''Caixa de Pontevedra'' credit union, eventually merged into other entities up to the current
Abanca
ABANCA Corporación Bancaria, S.A. is a Spanish bank based in Galicia. It was created in 2011 following the "bankisation" of Novacaixagalicia savings bank. It operates in the autonomous communities of Galicia, Asturias and the province of Le ...
.
Service sector
![Edificio Xunta Pontevedra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Edificio_Xunta_Pontevedra.jpg)
The majority of Pontevedra's citizens work in the service sector, which is evident when one considers that the city is the head of an area of influence of some 210,000 inhabitants, which means the existence of an important and diversified commercial sector. To this must be added its privileged location in the centre of the
Rias Baixas, which makes it a tourist city and gives an important specific weight to the hotel industry in the economy. The city ranks among the Spanish cities with the highest annual income.
Public employment
As the capital of the province, Pontevedra has numerous offices, provincial offices and facilities of the different Public Administrations, in which a large number of civil servants work.
Institutions
As the capital of the
province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, and Ourense, ...
and the centre of the
Rias Baixas, Pontevedra is the seat of numerous institutions and bodies that have their headquarters in the city. In addition to the Provincial Departments of state, autonomic and provincial organisms, many institutions are located in the city, like: the Provincial Headquarters of Traffic, the Regulatory Board denomination of origin "Rias Baixas" (Albariño wine), the State Public Library, the Provincial Historical Archive of Pontevedra, the Provincial Headquarters of Post and Telegraphs, the Postal Treatment Centre of Pontevedra, the Provincial Office of the Spanish Red Cross, the Provincial Department of the National Institute of Statistics and the Electoral Census Office, the Illustrious Official College of Doctors of Pontevedra, the Official College of Dentists and Stomatologists of Pontevedra and Orense, the Illustrious Provincial College of Lawyers of Pontevedra, the State Highways Unit in Pontevedra, the Galician Centre of Sports Technology for elite and high level sportsmen/woman, the
Galicia Biological Mission, the Forest and Environmental Research Centre of Galicia and so on.
Tourism
The city is the capital of the tourist region of the
Rias Baixas. It is currently a reference urban destination in Europe for trips to cities eminently pedestrian and without cars that stand out for their quality of life, at the height of
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterran ...
, Copenhagen or
Capri
Capri ( , ; ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. The main town of Capri that is located on the island shares the name. It has been ...
.
In addition, tourism has increased in recent years, positioning the city as a pole of attraction in
Galicia and north of Portugal, being currently one of the preferred urban destinations next to
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
or
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
.
Likewise, the city is a pole of attraction for international tourists thanks to its old town, the
Ria de Pontevedra
The Ria de Pontevedra is located in the Province of Pontevedra, in Galicia, Spain. It is one of the three main maritime entrances of Galicia, the Rías Baixas, the most touristic area of the region. It is also the most regular of them and the thi ...
, the
Lérez
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. The sources of the long stream are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Ac ...
River and its bridges.
Fairs and congresses
Pontevedra capital city is also the headquarters of the organization of trade fairs and congresses and especially of national and international sports events that also suppose an economic engine for the number of visitors that attract to the city.
It also hosts conferences of special relevance in
Galicia such as Culturgal, the fair of the cultural industries of Galicia.
Trade
The city is the centre of attraction in the central and northern part of the
province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, and Ourense, ...
. There are many traditional shops, national and international franchises in the city centre and shopping centres such as
Carrefour
Carrefour () is a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation headquartered in Massy, France. The eighth-largest retailer in the world by revenue, it operates a chain of hypermarkets, groceries stores and convenience stores, whic ...
Planet, La Barca and Vialia on the outskirts. The city is also home to e-commerce companies such as the company specializing in the sale of books and publishing products imosver.com.
Publishing activity
The city is home to one of the most important publishing houses in Galicia, ''Kalandraka''. Others also focus their activity in the
metropolitan area of Pontevedra, such as Cumio Publishing and the headquarters of the important chain of Nobel Bookstores.
Industry
In the municipality of Pontevedra and its
metropolitan area of Pontevedra there are several industrial estates, as well as other companies located in other parts of the municipality.
Industrial areas
![Pontevedra Capital Avenida de Orillamar y puente de las Corrientes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Pontevedra_Capital_Avenida_de_Orillamar_y_puente_de_las_Corrientes.jpg)
On the outskirts of the city and bordering the neighbouring municipality of
Ponte Caldelas
Ponte Caldelas is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It takes its name from an ancient bridge over the Río Caldelas.
Etymology
The town is more than likely named after the old bridge over the river Verdugo, combined ...
is
O Campiño industrial estate, which houses important industries such as ''automobile auxiliaries'' among others, but which has remained insufficient in terms of space in the face of the demand for land by companies. There is also, although it is smaller, the recently enlarged "A Granxa do Bao" industrial estate, although this is more aimed at commercial than industrial purposes, with mechanical workshops, gymnasiums, a large area dedicated to do-it-yourself, etc. In the
industrial estate O Campiño there are important companies in the automobile sector such as Aludec, which has 6 production centres (Galvanic 1 and 2, Components, Stamping and Injection 1 and 2).
The exhaustion of the soil of
industrial estate O Campiño and the lack of development of more industrial land in the municipality of Pontevedra has led to the development of estates in areas of
metropolitan area of Pontevedra such as
Ponte Caldelas
Ponte Caldelas is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It takes its name from an ancient bridge over the Río Caldelas.
Etymology
The town is more than likely named after the old bridge over the river Verdugo, combined ...
,
Barro-
Meis
Meis is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of 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 ...
,
Poio
Poio is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. Poio is located in the North shore of the Ría de Pontevedra, between Sanxenxo and the provincial capital, Pontevedra. The municipality is adjacent with Meaño, Meis, Ponteve ...
or
Marín.
The
A Reigosa industrial estate, in the municipality of Ponte Caldelas, is particularly noteworthy for its development in recent years.
Other industries and companies
A very important point of settlement of several companies within
metropolitan area of Pontevedra is the area of
Port of Marín and Ria de Pontevedra
The port of Marín and Ria de Pontevedra is located in the municipalities of Marín and Pontevedra, Galicia (Spain). It is on the southern shore of the Ria de Pontevedra.
The port stretches from Punta Pesqueira in the municipality of Marín ...
.
Within the municipality of Pontevedra there are also other important companies among which the distribution company
Froiz
Distribuciones Froiz, S.A. is a Spanish supermarket chain based in Poio, Galicia. It operates in the Spanish regions of Galicia, Castile and León, Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid and in Northern Portugal. It is the seventeenth company with the hi ...
stands out. (supermarkets, hypermarkets). Other renowned ones are, among others, Setga.
exterior lighting company design, signage and street furniture, chosen to illuminate the center of
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
, Hifas da Terra, innovation and ecology company focused primarily on mycology, Krack (a shoemaking company) or EDF dedicated to photovoltaic energy.
The city is also the center of construction companies such as San José or Balboa and Buceta.
Health
Pontevedra is well provided with quality private (like Quirón Hospital) and public clinics and health centres, where the Montecelo Hospital stands out as the largest health centre in the ''comarca'' and one of the largest in the province. This hospital is renowned for its
oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (''ó ...
department. Public health is regulated by the Galician Health Service (''Servizo Galego de Saúde'').
The
University Hospital Complex of Pontevedra
The University Hospital Complex of Pontevedra (CHOP) is a public health institution and a teaching hospital established in 2012 that provides health services to the specialized region of the city of Pontevedra in Spain. It depends on the Galicia ...
(CHOP) includes the ''Pontevedra Provincial Hospital'' founded in 1897 and located in the centre of the city and the ''Montecelo Hospital'' created in 1973 and located in the parish of
Mourente; apart from other centres. There are also private hospitals of
Quirónsalud such as the Hospital Quirónsalud Miguel Domínguez, founded as Hospital Domínguez in 1947, in Fray Juan de Navarrete street or the Institute of Neuro-Rehabilitation Quirónsalud Pontevedra. There are also health centres of Quirón Salud, Adeslas and Vithas in Pontevedra: the Quirónsalud Pontevedra Medical Centre, the Quirónsalud Pontevedra Rehabilitation Centre, the Adeslas Pontevedra Medical Centre and the Vithas Rehabilitation Centre.
![Pontevedra Capital Puente de las Corrientes, puerto deportivo y barrio del Burgo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Pontevedra_Capital_Puente_de_las_Corrientes%2C_puerto_deportivo_y_barrio_del_Burgo.jpg)
The Health Department of the
Xunta de Galicia
The Xunta de Galicia (; "Regional Government of Galicia") is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President(s) and the specialized ministers (''Consell ...
projected for Pontevedra and the sanitary area of the north of its province the Monte Carrasco Hospital located to the south of the city in the parish of
Tomeza., project that was subsequently replaced by political disagreements with the city council of the capital by the extension of a new hospital in Montecelo, taking as name this project the Gran Montecelo. This hospital will extend the assistance offer of the capital of the province and the northern area of the province with six new specialties:
Radiotherapy,
Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear medicine or nucleology is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Nuclear imaging, in a sense, is " radiology done inside out" because it records radiation emi ...
,
Hemodynamics
Hemodynamics or haemodynamics are the dynamics of blood flow. The circulatory system is controlled by homeostatic mechanisms of autoregulation, just as hydraulic circuits are controlled by control systems. The hemodynamic response continuously m ...
complementary to Cardiology,
Maxillofacial surgery, Neonatal ICU and Pediatric ICU, both integrated in the Maternal and Infant area. It will have a capacity of 724 beds.
Education
![Pontevedra capital Facultad de Bellas Artes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Pontevedra_capital_Facultad_de_Bellas_Artes.jpg)
The city houses a number of university departments in the
Pontevedra Campus
The Pontevedra campus is one of three campuses that host the University of Vigo. It is located in the Spanish city of Pontevedra and offers Undergraduate education, undergraduate, Postgraduate education, postgraduate and doctorate, doctoral stud ...
, acting as a branch of the
University of Vigo
The University of Vigo ( gl, Universidade de Vigo) is a public university located in the city of Vigo in the Province of Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain. There are three campuses:
* Campus of Vigo in Lagoas-Marcosende, between the municipalities of V ...
, which have campuses in the cities of Pontevedra, Ourense and Vigo. Namely these are:
Advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
and
Public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. P ...
,
Fine arts
In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwork ...
,
Nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
,
Physiotherapy,
Forestry
Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...
Engineering, Fashion,
Education Sciences
Education sciences or education theory (traditionally often called ''pedagogy'') seek to describe, understand, and prescribe education policy and practice. Education sciences include many topics, such as pedagogy, andragogy, curriculum, learning, ...
and
Sport sciences
Sports science is a discipline that studies how the healthy human body works during exercise, and how sport and physical activity promote health and performance from cellular to whole body perspectives. The study of sports science traditionally inc ...
,
Governance and Public Management,
Design
A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design'' ...
, and Media and Communication Sciences (Audiovisual Communication). Many come to Pontevedra to complete their studies in Fine arts, Advertising and Public Relations, Public Management and Design as this is the only location in Galicia where this disciplines can be studied at university level.
In addition, Pontevedra has the
Higher School of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage of Galicia, located in the San Fernando building in the centre of the city, as well as the Faculty of Fine Arts. The city also has the only school of Comic and Illustration in Galicia (private), called ''O garaxe hermético'' (the airtight garage).
Pontevedra also hosts since 1973 a branch of the Spanish national
distance university
Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...
, the
UNED
The National Distance Education University, known in Spanish as ''Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia'' (UNED), is a public research university of national scope. The university was founded in 1972 under the Ministry of Universities ...
university, the
UNED Associated Centre of Pontevedra, where students can pursue numerous university studies. The city has its own
Official School of Languages since 1988, regulated by the Galician Department of Education where students can study English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Galician.
Culture
Museums
The city is home to the
Pontevedra Museum
The Pontevedra Museum (formerly the Pontevedra Provincial Museum) is a museum in the Galician city of Pontevedra in Spain. It was founded by the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra on 30 December 1927 and has six buildings for its exhibitions. ...
, one of the 3 best provincial museums in Spain. It consists of six buildings:
* The
Pazo de Castro Monteagudo.
* The
Pazo de García Flórez.
* The Fernández López House.
* The former Baroque
College of the Society of Jesus, (now called Sarmiento).
* The
ruins of the San Domingo Convent (Archaeology Museum).
* The
Castelao Building, a large five-storey modern architectural building inaugurated in 2013.
In addition, in 2010 the authorities inaugurated the
Archiepiscopal Towers Interpretation Centre
The Archiepiscopal Towers Interpretation Centre (CITA) ''(Centro de Interpretación das Torres Arcebispais (CITA))'' is a museum in Pontevedra, Spain created in 2010 in the former moat of the Archiepiscopal Towers fortress-palace in the old tow ...
(CITA): an underground museum, underneath the Avenida Santa Maria, where the remains of the ancient Archiepiscopal Towers can be seen.
Theatres and concert halls
Cultural infrastructure in Pontevedra is mainly represented by two venues: The
Teatro Principal, in the old town, with a capacity of 434 seated spectators; and the
Auditorium-Congress Hall, a modern complex composed by an
auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances. For movie theatres, the number of auditoria (or auditoriums) is expressed as the number of screens. Auditoria can be found in entertainment venues, community ...
with capacity for 772 seated people, a large congress hall, and a number of meeting rooms and smaller halls.
It also has the
Afundación auditorium near the
Campolongo district with more than 800 seats and concert halls such as the Karma Hall or alternative music and culture halls like the Liceo Mutante.
Libraries and research centres
The city is home to the
Pontevedra State Public Library and other libraries such as the
Pontevedra Museum
The Pontevedra Museum (formerly the Pontevedra Provincial Museum) is a museum in the Galician city of Pontevedra in Spain. It was founded by the Provincial Deputation of Pontevedra on 30 December 1927 and has six buildings for its exhibitions. ...
Library, which is mainly dedicated to researchers, and university libraries such as the Central Library of the
Pontevedra Campus
The Pontevedra campus is one of three campuses that host the University of Vigo. It is located in the Spanish city of Pontevedra and offers Undergraduate education, undergraduate, Postgraduate education, postgraduate and doctorate, doctoral stud ...
and the
UNED
The National Distance Education University, known in Spanish as ''Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia'' (UNED), is a public research university of national scope. The university was founded in 1972 under the Ministry of Universities ...
Library.
Other cultural activities and venues
In addition, every year the City Council organises a series of free, open and public activities, such as a
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
festival, open air cinema sessions, a medieval fair reenactment, the
Feira Franca and other festivities that normally take place in the streets and public squares of the old town.
The Pontevedra Conservatory was established in 1863 and is celebrating its sesquicentenary in 2013. It has been renamed the Conservatorio Profesional de Música Manuel Quiroga, in honour of one of the city's most famous sons, the violinist, composer and artist
Manuel Quiroga
Manuel López-Quiroga Miquel (January 30, 1899 – December 13, 1988), better known as Maestro Quiroga, was a Spanish composer especially known for his '' coplas'', ''cuplés'', and ''zarzuelas''. He was also a pianist and one of the group of ...
(1892–1961).
Media and entertainment
Pontevedra has two daily newspapers: the
Diario de Pontevedra
The Diario de Pontevedra is a Spanish newspaper published in the city of Pontevedra since 1968, owned since 1999 by the ''El Progreso'' group, which also publishes ''El Progreso'' de Lugo.
It is an eminently local and provincial newspaper, focu ...
, the oldest newspaper in the city still in circulation, and
Pontevedra Viva
''Pontevedra Viva'' is a Galician daily online newspaper founded in Pontevedra (Spain) in 2012.
It focuses on news related to the city of Pontevedra and the province of Pontevedra. It also deals with national and international issues.
The ...
, a daily online newspaper. The city also has a specific edition of the main Galician newspaper,
La Voz de Galicia
''La Voz de Galicia'' ( en, The Voice of Galicia) is a Spanish daily newspaper owned by the Corporación Voz de Galicia. ''La Voz'' is highest circulation newspaper in Galicia and the eighth-highest circulation general-interest daily newspaper ...
.
RTVE
The Corporación de Radio y Televisión Española, S.A. (; ), known as Radiotelevisión Española or RTVE, is the state-owned public corporation that assumed in 2007 the indirect management of the Spanish public radio and television service know ...
, the Spanish Public Radio and television, and
CRTVG, the Galician Public Radio and television, broadcast local editions in their news programmes. Between 1994 and 2012, Pontevedra had a local TV station, ''Localia Pontevedra''.
Most of the national radio stations broadcast their programmes in the Pontevedra area, including
Radio Nacional de España
Radio Nacional de España (acronym RNE, branded rne, "National Radio of Spain") is the national state-owned public service radio broadcaster in Spain.
RNE is the radio division and Televisión Española (TVE) is the television division of R ...
,
Cadena SER
La Cadena SER (the SER Network) is Spain's premier radio network in terms of both seniority (it was created in 1924) and audience share (it had a regular listenership in 2018 of 4,139,000). The acronym SER stands for ''Sociedad Española de Radi ...
,
Cadena COPE
COPE, an acronym for Cadena de Ondas Populares Españolas ("People's Radiowaves of Spain Network") formerly called Radio Popular, is a Spanish language radio station. It is the second most listened to in Spain's generalist radio. Owned by the Sp ...
,
Onda Cero
Onda Cero is a Spanish radio station, a part of Atresmedia media group. It is Spain's third-largest radio station by number of listeners as of 2019.
Among its programs are ''Más de Uno,'' ''Julia en la Onda,'' ''La Brújula,'' ''El Transistor,'' ...
and ''Punto Radio''.
Sports
Pontevedra has a long sporting tradition, with a number of teams competing professionally in different categories. For example:
*
Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
: ''
Pontevedra CF'', playing in the Spanish "
Segunda División B
Segunda División B ( en, Second Division B) was the third tier of the Spanish football league system containing 102 teams divided into five groups, until it was replaced by the new structure in 2021. It was administered by the Royal Spanish Foot ...
". The football club plays at the Estadio Municipal de Pasarón, Pasarón stadium
* Team handball, Handball: '':es:Club Cisne de Balonmano, BM Cisne'', playing in the Spanish Liga ASOBAL (first division). There is also another team which used to be in first division, ''SD Teucro.''
* Indoor soccer, Indoor football: ''Leis 26 Pontevedra'', playing in the Spanish second division of the Spanish indoor football professional league (Futsal in Spain, LNFS).
* Rugby union, Rugby: Pontevedra has two rugby teams, ''Mareantes Rugby Clube Pontevedra'' and ''Pontevedra Rugby Club''. Both teams play in the Galician First Division. In the 2012/13 season, Mareantes RCP won the play-off final to become the league champions.
* Volleyball: ''C. Durán'' (amateur).
* Waterpolo: ''CN Pontevedra'', playing in the Galician Waterpolo League
* Fencing: ''Club Escola Hungaresa de Esgrima de Pontevedra'', founded in 2007, this is the only fencing club in Galicia specialised in sabre (fencing), sabre. Members of this club compete regularly in the Galician leagues and in the Spanish Sabre Championship.
Pontevedra is the seat of the ''Centro Galego de Tecnificación Deportiva'' (High Performance Sporting Centre of Galicia), and it also hosts a number of rowing (sport), rowing and canoeing clubs. World and Olympic canoe racing, canoeing champion David Cal used to train in the ria of Pontevedra.
Twin cities
Pontevedra is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with
* Barcelos, Portugal, Barcelos, Braga District, Braga, Portugal
* Gondomar, Portugal, Gondomar, Greater Metropolitan Area of Porto, Metro Porto, Portugal
* Merlo, Buenos Aires, Merlo, Buenos Aires Province, Buenos Aires, Argentina
* Nafpaktos, Greece
* Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
* San José, Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
* Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
* Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal
Notable people
* Enrique MacDonell Vice Admiral Spanish Navy.
* Paio Gomes Charinho (1225–1295), poet and List of Galician-Portuguese troubadours, troubadour
* Pedro Mariño de Lobera, Pedro Mariño de Lobeira (1528–1594), ''conquistador'' and chronicler of the Arauco War in the Captaincy General of Chile
* Benito de Soto (1805–1830) Notorious pirate, considered the "Last Pirate of the Atlantic Ocean"
* Xoán Manuel Pintos Villar (1811–1876), writer, author and editor of the first publication in modern
Galician
* Perfecto Feijoo (1858–1935), medical doctor and musician
* Manuel Portela Valladares (1867–1952), politician
* Castelao, A.D.R. Castelao (1886–1950), writer, artist and politician, often considered as the most influential figure in Galician contemporary history. Although he was not born in Pontevedra, Castelao expressed a clear wish to be considered an "adoptive son of the city" and to be buried there.
Castelao in a letter to the President of the Pontevedra Centre in Buenos Aires, 1947
* Manuel Varela Radío (1873–1962), medical doctor and academic
*Elisa Patiño Meléndez (1890–1919) (aka Chichana) was the first women of Galician descent to become a pilot
* Manuel Quiroga
Manuel López-Quiroga Miquel (January 30, 1899 – December 13, 1988), better known as Maestro Quiroga, was a Spanish composer especially known for his '' coplas'', ''cuplés'', and ''zarzuelas''. He was also a pianist and one of the group of ...
(1892–1961), violinist, composer and artist
* Valentín Paz Andrade (1898–1987), magistrate, politician and writer
* Xosé Filgueira Valverde (1906–1996), historian and writer
* Alejandro de la Sota (1913–1996), architect
* Pío Cabanillas Gallas (1923–1991), politician
* Manuel Miranda (1930–2012), carpenter and musician
* César Portela (1937–), architect
* Luciano Varela (1948–), magistrate
* Fina Casalderrey (1951– ), writer
* Alberto Casado Cerviño (1952– ), civil servant, vice-president of the European Patent Office
* Mariano Rajoy (1955- ), former Prime Minister of Spain
* Víctor Fernández Freixanes (1957– ), journalist, writer and publisher
* Francis Lorenzo (1960– ), actor
* Manel Loureiro (1975– ), writer
* Pedro Volta (1977- ), magician
* Diego Moldes (1977– ), writer
* Pablo Cimadevila Alvarez (1978– ), Paralympic Gold Medalist, jeweler, and YouTube content creator
* Francisco Javier Gómez Noya (1983– ), triathlete, World Champion
* David Amor (1980- ), host and comedian
* Julia Varela (1981- ), journalist
* Yoly Saa (1992- ), singer
Gallery
An ancient town and medieval port, Pontevedra has been described as a "definitive old Galician town". Sights include the pilgrim chapel in the ''Praza da Peregrina'', the historic ''Zona Monumental'' (old city), the ''Praza de Leña'', the market, and the ''Alameda'', a promenade along the ria. Pontevedra has a large pedestrian centre (the old town and surroundings) which, together with a number of parks and public squares, makes the city very pleasant for strolling. In recent years most historical buildings and streets have been either re-built or revamped, providing for a well preserved urban landscape.
See also
* Asociación pola defensa da ría
* Galicia
* List of municipalities in Pontevedra
* Pontevedra apparitions
* Pontevedra (comarca)
* Province of Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, and Ourense, ...
* Rias Baixas
Notes
References
* Aganzo, Carlos (2010): ''Pontevedra. Ciudades con encanto''. El País Aguilar. .
* Calo Lourido, F. et al. (2003): ''Pontevedra e o mar. Simposio de historia marítima do século XII ao XVI''. Concello de Pontevedra, Pontevedra
* De la Peña, A. (1996): ''Historia de Pontevedra''. Vía Láctea, A Coruña
* Fontoira Surís, Rafael (2009): ''Pontevedra monumental''. Diputación de Pontevedra. .
* García-Braña, C. et al. (1988): ''Pontevedra, planteamiento histórico y urbanístico'', Deputación Provincial de Pontevedra, Servizo de Publicacións, Pontevedra
* Juega Puig, J. et al. (1996): ''Historia de Pontevedra''. Via Láctea, A Coruña
* Juega Puig, J. (2000): ''As ruas de Pontevedra''. Deputación Provincial de Pontevedra, Servizo de Publicacións, Pontevedra
* López y López Rios, B. (1990): ''Pontevedra, de la leyenda a la historia''. Deputación Provincial de Pontevedra, Servizo de Publicacións, Pontevedra
* Messia de la Cerda y Pita, Luis F. (1989): ''Heráldica, escudos de armas labrados en piedra existentes en la zona de Pontevedra''. Diputación de Pontevedra. .
External links
Concello de Pontevedra
– Official site of the local government (in Galician and Spanish, with summarised versions in English and French)
Turismo en Pontevedra
– Official site of the Pontevedra tourist board, maintained by the local government (in Galician, English, Spanish and French)
Rias Baixas
– Official site of the Rias Baixas tourist board (in Galician, English and Spanish)
Deputación de Pontevedra
– Official site of the provincial government of Pontevedra (in Galician)
Diario de Pontevedra
– local newspaper of Pontevedra (mostly in Spanish, with some articles in Galician)
Pazo da Cultura
– Official site of the Auditorium-Congress Hall complex and ''Teatro Principal'', maintained by the local government (in Galician and Spanish)
Pontevedra Cultura
– What's on in cultural events in Pontevedra
{{Coord, 42, 26, N, 8, 38, W, region:ES_type:city, display=title
Pontevedra,
Populated coastal places in Spain
Populated places in the Province of Pontevedra
Tourism in Spain
Municipalities in the Province of Pontevedra
Tourism in Galicia (Spain)