San Xoán de Calo Church provides a specific cultural and historical anchor for a trip to Calo. It is located in the village of Calo, on the road from Vimianzo to Camariñas. Its architectural history is shaped by Romanesque origins and a comprehensive renovation in the 18th century. This contrast between periods makes the religious building especially interesting to travellers seeking to understand the different phases in the development of a historic building.
Romanesque origins and Baroque façade
The façade features plaques, volutes, pilasters and other Baroque motifs. These forms create different accents: plaques form ornamental surfaces, volutes introduce curved lines, and pilasters divide the wall into flat, pillar-like elements. Together, they define the Baroque character of the façade. The building’s Romanesque origins remain a distinct part of its history; the comprehensive renovation in the 18th century belongs to a later phase of construction.
A striking heraldic detail can be found outside, on the apse. There, a coat of arms is supported by a mermaid. It displays symbols of the Losada, Calo, Castro and Moscoso de Altamira families. This motif combines sculptural design with the specifically named family emblems. Visitors interested in heraldry can look closely at the details of the coat of arms, rather than classifying the façade simply as Baroque.
The church interior is also associated with a historic object of its own: the funerary sculpture of the priest Rodrigo Thomás, dating from the late 16th century. It predates the comprehensive renovation in the 18th century. The church’s history thus brings together different periods: Romanesque origins, a funerary sculpture from the late 16th century and the later architectural transformation. This distinction helps avoid attributing all the features mentioned to a single period.
The Castrobuxán Chapel
The Castrobuxán Chapel has its own architectural history. It was built in 1756; however, a chapel dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Concepción already stood on this site in the 17th century. The earlier religious building and the construction date of the present chapel should therefore be understood as separate historical details. For culturally minded travellers, this offers another point of comparison with San Xoán Church: the histories of both buildings span more than one period, but differ in the dates and details cited.
The directions to the two religious buildings also differ. From Vimianzo, continue towards Camariñas for about four kilometres; then turn right towards Calo to reach San Xoán Church. To reach the Castrobuxán Chapel, on the same route towards Calo, turn left onto a track. Right towards Calo for the church, left onto the track for the chapel: keep these turning instructions separate. Road conditions and signage may change; conditions on the track to the chapel may also change. Check the route before setting off.
Stone landscapes and a walking trail
The many stone formations give the Penedos de Pasarela e Traba landscape a dreamlike appearance. Pena Forcada is one of the four peaks that mark the boundaries of this area. The name of the landscape and that of the individual peak provide different points of reference: the landscape name denotes the area, while Pena Forcada names one of the peaks that define its boundaries.
The Sendero de Pasarela-Traba is a 4.6-kilometre trail from O Penedo in Pasarela (Vimianzo) to A Cabanela in Traba (Laxe). Its endpoints are therefore in two specifically named places. The trail length and place names provide a clear overview of its route; it should not be confused with the directions to San Xoán Church or the Castrobuxán Chapel. This keeps the architectural history of the religious buildings, the Penedos de Pasarela e Traba landscape and the walking trail route distinct as separate travel interests.
Discover more destinations: Boaño, Esteiro, Serra de Outes, Monfero, O Alto, O Bosque, Nemiña, Altamira.
For the wider travel overview: Coruña.
