Fortaleza de Monterreal

Half Galician pazo (traditional manor house) and half medieval fortress, this building dates back to the 14th century. It occupies an area of 180,000 m² and has 3 km of crenellated walls from the 11th and 17th centuries. It was the private residence of the Count of Gondomar in the 18th century. The Ministry of Information and Tourism acquired it in 1963 to convert it into a Parador Nacional de Turismo, one of the several state-run hotels in Spain. The outer wall still has its three watchtowers: Torre del Reloj, Torre de la Tenaza and Torre del Príncipe. At the entrance is the first one, containing a bell that was used to give the alarm in case of enemy attacks. To the east is the second one, with the artillery battery to defend the port. To the west is the third one by the bay, which is possibly the oldest and was used as a lighthouse. This last one has three coats of arms: one from the House of Habsburg, one from the Sotomaior family and another one from the town of Baiona. In 1137, Afonso I of Portugal was a prisoner of Alfonso VII of León in this building. A spiral staircase leads to a terrace with an elegant circular tower attached. The coat of arms of Spain is flanked by other shields above the entrance door.