CORCUBION
 A Town of Historic and Artistic Interest
 
 
 
 
 

Soon after a part of the town of Corcubión was declared to be of historic and artistic interest on 31st January 1984 work was begun on drawing up a Plan - the first of its kind in the whole of the Autonomous Community of Galicia - for the restoration and protection of the sites of historic and artistic value. 

The Project was finally approved on 24th July 1991 covering a total of 74 both privately owned and public buildings in order to ensure the overall harmony expressed in the Project. Such an ambitious  project calls for large-scale economic investment in order to provide the area in question with basic services and to improve its image. The work undertaken included removing overhead wires and lines and relaying them underground and supplying basic services. The Town Hall also provided information regarding the official help available for securing the corresponding grants for punctual work to be carried out on the buildings as well as for the renovation of ruins including structural and decorative repairs, etc.

 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA OF HISTORIC AND ARTISTIC INTEREST
 
 
As the visitor strolls around the streets of Corcubión he will discover the details of the noble past of many families from Corcubión as well as the charms of  the folk architecture so typical of Galician fishing towns with their traditional verandas and balconies. 

In the main Square there are several buildings particularly worthy of interest such as the so-called Casa Miñones which dates back to 1899. This building brings together the features of typical Galician architecture with elements of the Modernist style which was popular at that time. Another example in the Square is the beautiful Casa do Xulgado (Law Courts). In the far north we find three country manor houses which were once home to the local nobility (the Figueroa e Porrúa Family, the Pose Bermúdez e Varela Family and the Dios e Pose Family, etc.) as we can see from the eighteenth century coat of arms. Nearby we find the Chapel of Our Lady of Pilar (built 1931) which now serves as the Public Assembly Rooms. 

Behind the Square, in what is known as the Horta de Pol there stands the building which was once the seat of the José Carrera Foundation. 
 

The street named after Antonio Porrúa is a fine everyday example of the architectural savoir-faire of the popular style which reigned in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. It was no coincidence that up until 1860 this street, which used to be known as the Royal Street, was the only way into the town, starting on the boundary with the neighbouring town of Cee at the Valdomar Stone-cross erected under the orders of Domingo Valdomar in 1700. In the Rúa de Perigos we can admire a traditional façade with its arched entrance and a beautifully crafted balcony which used to house the Pósito Marítimo (Seafarers' Centre). Following on along this street we arrive at the Cabo da Vila with San Anthony's Chapel (built 1700). A little further up the visitor can marvel at an excellent view over the whole town. 

In Castelao Square, walking towards to the Church we find the Manor belonging to the Counts of Altamira the once lords of the Countship which is today the modern Borough. The earliest part was built in the late 15th Century and includes the dungeon and the courtroom of the noble courthouse which later underwent a series of changes. Near the Church there used to stand a small hostel founded by the Counts in order to take in the pilgrims on the Pilgrim's Route on their way to Fisterra ('Land's End'). 

Saint Mark's Parish Church is of Romanesque origin and design. The main body of the church was built in the mid-13th Century or later whereas the Neogothic façade and belfry were recently rebuilt after they were destroyed during a storm in 1885. The remains of the original pointed doorway can be seen after going through the new entrance. 

On the outside of the Church the visitor can admire a series of cornice-pieces portraying human figures, demons and animals 
 

Once inside the building itself we can see the magnificent sculpture representing Saint Mark the Evangelist in a seated position and dressed like a Venetian Doge. The back of the sculpture is decorated with the heraldic emblems belonging to the Count and Countess of Altamira, Rodrigo de Moscoso and Xoana de Castro. 

As we leave the Square heading towards Fisterre, the old Borough jail (built 1858) soon comes into sight, standing at the entrance to the port. Despite the fact that this building has undergone a series of reparations, it still maintains its original appearance and structure, including a small chapel. 

The port also serves as an excellent reminder of Corcubión's past history. The port, which was rebuilt and enlarged after it was destroyed during the War of Independence, was of key strategic importance owing to the course of the ria (estuary). 

As we follow this road, turning off on next to the graveyard, we can see Quenxe Beach stretching out on the opposite side of the road, with the remains of the old salting factory and the General Coal Company. Following the track to the right leading towards Oliveira we come to the Monte do Castro (lit. Fort Hill) in Quenxe with its oval structure designed to make best use of the available sunlight. Only a part of the platform located in the acropolis still remains today where the dwellings and the ramparts made out of blocks of granite are hidden underground. Several fragments of castro period and romanised pottery have been found on the surface at this site, which means that it can be dated back to the centuries around the turn the Era. 

We can continue to admire the marvellous views as we make our way back along the road leading to the Castelo do Cardeal (lit. The Cardinal's Castle), located in the old Punta do Cantelo. This small battery dates back to 1741 and has 12 rooms with a capacity for 96 men. Its prime aim was to defend the ria along with the neighbouring Castelo do Príncipe (Prince's Castle) located on the opposite side of the ria. A little further away stands Cabo de Cee built in 1860. 

Carrying on around the headland, we arrive at the Parish of Redondela with the church of the same name dating back to the late 12th Century, although all that remains of its original Romanesque structure are the rectangular apse, a typical window in the façade, the semicircular arch resting on two half-columns on the high altar and several interesting cornice-pieces with figurative floral designs. Inside the Church we find the sculpture of Saint Peter in the Chair (C. 15) which used to stand over the high altar. All of this is rounded off with a stone-cross erected in 1689 and in style which was very popular throughout the whole area. 
 
 
 

For more information, please contact :
 
CONCELLO DE CORCUBION (Corcubión Town hall)
Avda. da Viña, 1
Tel: +34  981 74 54 00 
Fax: +34  981 74 71 00
15130 A CORUÑA
concorcubion@finisterrae.com