More than 700 varieties of camellia in the garden, a Pazo with a Renaissance layout, and a church with both Romanesque and Baroque features: Ribadulla offers many different cultural themes to explore. There are also festivals in San Mamede de Ribadulla, with dates ranging from February to August. The details below can help you weigh up architectural history, connections to pilgrimage, and the festival calendar according to your travel interests.

The Pazo’s Garden and History

The garden of the Pazo de Santa Cruz de Ribadulla contains more than 700 varieties of camellia. The Pazo is designated a “Bien de Interés Cultural” (Asset of Cultural Interest). Its history can also be divided into two distinct periods: in the early 16th century, Juan Ibáñez de Mondragón chose the site of the Pazo in Ortigueira, within the parish of Santa Cruz de Rivadulla. In the 17th century, Andrés Ibáñez de Mondragón commissioned construction work on the Pazo while Domingo de Andrade’s workshop was active in Santiago. The work gave the complex its Renaissance layout. The early choice of site and the later construction phase thus represent different moments in the Pazo’s history.

Romanesque Features and Baroque Furnishings

The church of San Mamede de Ribadulla dates back to the second half of the 12th century and features Romanesque architecture. These features include a double central arch with blind arcades, as well as capitals decorated with leaves and intertwined animals. At the same time, the church has Baroque high altar and Rosary altarpieces dating from the 18th century. This building therefore brings together different historical forms of expression: the Romanesque features of its architecture and the later Baroque altarpieces. The church is also associated with the Camino de Invierno. If you are interested in the Routes of Saint James, this connection adds a pilgrim’s perspective to the architectural history.

Fountain and Festival Calendar

The Fuente da Coca in Santa Cruz de Ribadulla is a Baroque fountain dating from the 17th century. Its dragon figure is particularly unusual: it has a human body and holds two heads beneath its arms. While the church brings together several architectural and artistic details, this fountain focuses attention on a single figure.

The festival dates also offer a practical guide when choosing when to travel. The San Blas festival is celebrated in San Mamede de Ribadulla on the Sunday after 3 February. The patron saint festivities of San Mamede de Ribadulla take place on 7 and 8 August. The Aguardiente gastronomic festival is held in May, also in San Mamede de Ribadulla. The dates therefore differ considerably: San Blas is tied to a Sunday, the patron saint festivities take place on two set days in August, and the Aguardiente festival falls in May. If you would like to include a particular festival in your travel plans, check which Sunday San Blas falls on in your chosen year.

Discover more destinations: Buezas, Viladesuso, Peinador, Rodeiro, Ramil, Sieiro, Nigoi, Barbudo

For the wider travel overview: Pontevedra.