The Ruta da Pana passes through the centre of A Mezquita and joins the Ruta da Prata near the Chapel of Nuestra Señora del Loreto in O Pereiro. Culture, pilgrim connections and landscape offer different starting points for planning a trip. A distinctive border connection can be seen at Penedo dos Tres Reinos: the site lies on the boundary between the parish of Moimenta in the Portuguese municipality of Vinhais, the municipality of A Mezquita in the Galician province of Ourense, and the municipality of Hermisende in the Castilian-Leonese province of Zamora.

Building History and Traditions

A Touza in A Mezquita is a site with remains of a castro, or Celtic settlement. The remains have not been excavated. A different building history can be read at Igrexa de San Martiño: the church dates from 1712, is the work of Simón de Monasterio and is in the Baroque style. Inside are an altarpiece by the sculptor José A. Ferreiro Suárez, the founders’ tombs and their heraldic stonework.

Opposite Igrexa de San Martiño is Pazo da Casa de Láncara, also known as Pazo dos Cardóniga. The building dates from the late 15th century, more precisely from 1480, and is now divided into two homes. A local newspaper article from 2024 also describes a round-arched doorway with spherical decoration on its façade, featuring the year 1480. The building’s date and a specific detail of its façade thus complement each other.

Pazo da Mezquita has a distinctive façade: it is entirely covered with stonecutters’ marks, which most likely came from a nearby medieval tower. The façade also features a round arch decorated with an alfiz. These details give its building history a different character from the dating and altarpiece of Igrexa de San Martiño.

The Aguinaldo procession is part of the Festa dos Reis. Participants go from house to house; the Rei and the Virrei ride on horseback and carry decorated Ramas laden with pastries, dried fruit and fresh fruit. As details are seasonal, check them before your visit.

Pilgrim Routes and Highlands

The Ruta da Pana remains a route for Portuguese pilgrims to join the Vía da Prata. Its course through the centre of A Mezquita and its connection near the Loreto Chapel in O Pereiro provide two specific reference points for following the route. The Portela da Canda adds another pilgrim connection: this mountain pass, at 1,262 metres, was traditionally used by pilgrims. The harsh climate limits tree growth there. Low vegetation dominates along the route, with scattered pine trees growing in hollows.

Alto da Canda is a mountain barrier more than 1,000 metres high between Ourense and Zamora and forms part of Galicia’s eastern mountain ranges. Its peaks are not sharply pointed, but appear rounded. This shape is explained by erosion caused by glacial processes. The details of the pass’s elevation, vegetation and peak shape illustrate different aspects of the highlands: altitude, harsh climate and the effects of earlier landscape processes.

The higher terrain of Pena Maseira is characterised by scrubland and is home to stable populations of wolves and deer. The route there follows the A-55 or the N-525, with an exit towards A Mezquita and then the provincial road OU-311. Check road conditions and signage locally before setting off.

A single tree offers a different perspective: the Castiñeiro da Ribeira stands in the Souto da Ribeira in A Mezquita. Its age is estimated at 500 years; it is 24.9 metres tall and has a circumference of 11.3 metres at the base of its trunk. The estimated age and the two measurements show what sets this natural landmark apart from the highland descriptions: here, the focus is on the dimensions of a single chestnut tree.

Discover more destinations: Compostela, Mosteirón, Nogueira De Ramuín, Xunqueira de Espadanedo, Riós, Vilarchao, O Barco De Valdeorras, Xares.

For the broader travel overview: Ourense.