Architecture

Route 10 – Sarela river

The Sarela river is a tributary of the Sar. It originates by the feet of mount Pedroso, in the parish or district of A Peregrina. It flows for a length of 10 km going around the city of Santiago by the east. On its path it goes through the districts of A Peregrina, Vista Alegre, San Paio and Vidán. It discharges in the Sar in Ponte Vella da Rocha.
The Sarela riverbank is from old an intensely humanized space, and until a few years ago it held great importance for the Compostellan economy. Documentary evidence shows the relevance of this river as a place of passage, as the city’s main agrarian producer and as an industrial focus of the budding capitalism of the period between the end of the XVIII and the start of the XIX centuries.
In the stretch between the Archbishop’s bridge (now known as the Carme de Abaixo bridge) and its discharge in the Sar in Vidán, the Sarela riverbank has been a succession of mills from medieval times. Nowadays, in the course of the Sarela we can see mills, dam remains, factories either destroyed or transformed into housing, washing places, fountains and small bridges.

Route 13 – Lavacolla dovecote

The Lavacolla dovecote is a traditional Galician construction located in the parish of San Paio de Sabugueira, very close to Santiago airport and the French Way. It is a circular dovecote, made of stone and covered with a conical roof, which was used for the breeding of pigeons – a common practice in Galician rural houses until the mid-twentieth century.
This type of structure not only had a food use (for the meat of the pigeons), but also agricultural, since the manure of the birds was highly valued as fertilizer. The dovecote of Lavacolla stands out for its good state of conservation and for being integrated into a natural and heritage environment linked to the Camino de Santiago.
It is another example of the Galician cultural landscape, where architecture, tradition and nature coexist in harmony.

Route 13 – Old A Sionlla Train Station

A Sionlla station is located in the parish of A Enfesta, in the north of the municipality of Santiago de Compostela. It was part of the old railway line between A Coruña and Santiago, now in disuse and mostly abandoned. It preserves its original building, with wide walls, portico, soleina and gallery on the main façade. It is located in Sionlla de Arriba, in a rural environment with railway history.
Although it no longer provides passenger services, the venue has been rented by Adif to a local family
The line to which it belonged was inaugurated in the nineteenth century as part of the Galician railway development.
A Sionlla was one of the many stations that served passengers and goods between Santiago and A Coruña. Today, the track has become a hiking trail that passes through tunnels, rivers, and other abandoned stations.

Route 7 – Paredes Mill

It is a restored mill located in the area where the North Path of the Sar was prepared. It is characterized by being built with granite blocks at the corners and rubble walls, using the typical stone of the area, anabolite. Before arriving at the mill, there is a recreational area with tables and benches, ideal for enjoying the scenery and resting.

Route 7 – Mañoca Mill

Restored mill that is part of the ensemble of mills on the Sarela River, located in the Fluvial Park of Santiago. This particular one has been rehabilitated and converted into tourist accommodation. It is in the parish of Aríns.

Route 7 – Multiusos Fontes do Sar

The multipurpose building Multiusos Fontes do Sar was designed in the 90s and is capable of hosting large sporting events or concerts. The spectacular structure, located in a park near Sar River, is a suitable venue for major concerts, fairs, exhibitions and sporting events.

Route 7 – Sar bridge

Medieval stone bridge over the Sar River built to overcome the last river obstacle of the Silver Route. It has three arches, as the river was much more swollen back then. It is located very close to the collegiate church of the same name.

Route 20 – Vidán civic center

The tannery's activity lasted until 1889, although during this time it underwent several changes of ownership and was even looted by the French during the War of Independence. The factory became a dwelling, while it also became a geometric garden whose structure is still preserved today. The tannery, which became known as Quinta dos Fuentes after its conversion into a residential building, was sold in 1974 and ended up being acquired by the City of Santiago, which uses it as the Sociocultural Center of Vidán.

Route 20 – Laraño paper factory

The origin of the impressive building that houses the A Quinta da Auga hotel dates to the eighteenth century, when it was built as the paper factory. In that pre-industrial era, it was the largest in Galicia. The cessation of activity caused the abandonment and consequent deterioration of the building and the property until it was finally rediscovered by its current owners. Studying the possibilities of the building and its surroundings, they projected the romantic idea of an ideal hotel for pilgrims and other visitors to get to know Santiago de Compostela staying in a magical place.

Route 20 – Rocha Forte castle

At the beginning of the fourteenth century, Archbishop Berenguel de Landoira encountered the opposition of the city of Compostela to his appointment and used the fortification as a post of attack, but also as a defense against the siege. When he finally gained control of the archdiocese, he undertook a program of reforms that accentuated its defensive features, giving it a concentric castle structure that followed a model designed by the French Crusaders in the Holy Land. It suffered two sieges. The first in 1458, when a brotherhood made up of burghers from Compostela, Muros and Noia supported by the Count of Trastámara surrounded the castle until King Henry IV finally ordered the siege to be lifted. The second occasion was in the Irmandiña War, in 1467, and this time it ended with its demolition. At the beginning of the 21st century, different archaeological excavations brought the foundations of Rocha Forte back to light.