In Astureses, the cultural landscape ranges from Romanesque architecture to agricultural buildings and the remains of a paper mill. The structures tell different stories about the area: sacred architecture, shared spaces and former riverside industries. You can tailor your trip to your own interests rather than reducing Astureses to a single sight.
Romanesque Art and the Nosa Señora da Saleta Chapel
The Church of San Xulián de Astureses was founded by the Templars in the 12th century and is considered an outstanding example of Galician Romanesque architecture. Its surviving Romanesque structure has a single nave and a semicircular apse. “Single-nave” describes a church interior with one main nave; the semicircular apse forms the architectural end of the building. Together, these features give the church a distinctive profile that sets it apart from Astureses’ agricultural buildings.
Another religious site is the Nosa Señora da Saleta Chapel, where the traditional Romaría da Saleta is celebrated. The Cruceiro na Saleta also stands on a rock in the chapel grounds. The stone cross and the chapel offer different points of reference for understanding the area’s religious traditions: the festival on the one hand, and the permanent, visible monument on the other.
Rural Architecture and Shared Spaces
The Pombal Astureses is a round structure made of rendered rubble stone. Its circular roof is made of curved roof tiles. Inside are around 200 niches for pigeon nests. Its round shape defines the building from the outside, while the niches reveal its former function as a dovecote.
At Eira e Hórreos, the focus is not on a single building but on a communal area paved with stone slabs. It was used to thresh part of the harvest, stack hay and store equipment. The hórreos there combine stone and wood, and their tiled roofs have two slopes. The site and its granaries thus show two different aspects of agricultural work: a shared workspace and the distinctive design of the hórreos.
The Casa Grande in Astureses also tells a story through its construction. The rectangular house is built from granite blocks and has a hipped tiled roof. Another striking feature is the large, square stone chimney stack. In contrast to the round Pombal, the rectangular floor plan and massive chimney define its appearance.
Mills and the Remains of the Paper Mill
The mills on the River Pedriña add to the picture of local architectural and working history. The second mill has a millstone and is in a state of complete disrepair. This condition is part of the building’s story: it is not an intact mill but a ruinous reminder of its former use.
The remains of the Fábrica de Astureses, also known as Fábrica de Porto Carreiro, lie just over 200 metres from Fondevila. Before crossing the River Pedriña, a described turn-off towards the railway line leads to the remains. This provides specific directions, but does not guarantee current route or access conditions. Check the local route and access when you arrive.
Dates to Help Plan Your Trip
The municipality’s festival calendar lists a celebration in Astureses on 19 September in honour of the Virgin of La Saleta. As festival dates can change, check the date for the year of your trip. You can explore the architectural highlights according to your interests: the church represents Romanesque architecture, while the Pombal, Eira e Hórreos and Casa Grande showcase different forms of rural architecture. If you are particularly interested in riverside industries, you can also visit the mills and the remains of the paper mill.
Discover more destinations: Eiras, Verín, Coles, Magros, Olás, Montederramo, Larouco, Cenlle
For the main travel overview: Ourense.
