Page 60 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

58  NOR THERN SP AIN REGION B Y REGION

7 A Coruña town hall (Palacio Municipal),
with three huge domes. Spain’s
The oldest town in Galicia, A Coruña is mentioned in Irish finest clock museum is housed
myths about a Celtic hero by the name of Breogán, who within it. Beside the town hall
came to the Iberian coast and built a tower here. The famous rises the 17th-century Baroque
lighthouse – Torre de Hércules – dates from the Roman Iglesia de San Jorge.
period. A Coruña is also the birthplace of María Pita, who R Iglesia de Santiago
became a Galician heroine by leading local resistance to Calle del Parrote 1. Open 11:30am–
a raid by Sir Francis Drake in 1589. The town has been an 1:30pm & 5:30–6:30pm Mon–Fri (6:30–
important commercial port for centuries. 7:30pm in summer), and for mass.
Stone from the Torre de
Hércules was used to build
centuries, as well as 19th- and this Romanesque-Gothic hall
20th-century Galician art. There church (12th–15th century)
are also prints by Goya and where, in the Middle Ages, the
ceramics by the celebrated town council met. It is the
local factory of Sargadelos. oldest church in A Coruña,
featuring three apses.
P Avenida de la Marina
The harbourfront prom enade
known as the Avenida de la
Marina is one of A Coruña’s
Plaza María Pita, lined with great landmarks. Houses with
arcaded houses gleaming glass-enclosed
balconies, or galerías, run along
Exploring A Coruña its length; these are best viewed
A Coruña boasts the longest from the Real Club Náutico.
sea promenade in Europe, At one end rises a memorial
with magnificent red-pillared obelisk topped by a clock
lighthouses and old trams with four dials (1845).
running along its length.
The most important historic P Plaza María Pita
monuments, as well as the This sumptuous, harmoniously The Romanesque-Gothic tower of the
town centre, are laid out on an designed square bears the Iglesia de Santiago
isthmus leading to a headland. name of Galicia’s national
heroine, who defended the R Colegiata de Santa María
E Museo de Belas Artes town against the English, led by del Campo
C/Zalaeta 2. Tel 881 88 17 00. Open the navigator and bucca neer The saint to whom this 13th-
10am–8pm Tue–Fri, 10am–2pm & Francis Drake. A popular spot for century church is dedicated is
4:30–8pm Sat, 10am–2pm Sun. & pavement cafés, it is surrounded particularly venerated by sailors,
(free Sat pm & Sun). 8 7 = by houses with arcades that who pray for her protection
This modern building houses offer protection against the before setting off on a voyage.
Spanish and European paint ings sun and rain. Here, too, is the The main portal’s decoration
from the 16th to the 20th monumental Neo-Renaissance recalls the Pórtico da Gloria
on the cathedral in Santiago
de Compostela (see pp66–7).
Glass Houses in A Coruña
On the square in front of the
Houses with large glass balconies, glistening in the sun, are church is a 15th-century
common all over Galicia, but the most famous ones are found here cruceiro (stone cross), one
in A Coruña. It was this particular architectural feature that led visiting of the oldest in Galicia.
sailors to dub A Coruña the “City of Glass”. These extensive glass
galerías, which have been Y Jardines San Carlos
used in thousands of The Romantic-style San Carlos
advertising photographs, gardens, laid out on the site of
were designed to face the a fortress whose walls have
harbour, and so are located survived to this day, form one
at the back of the buildings. of the most charming corners of
The façades face the Calle A Coruña. Buried at their centre
de Riego de Agua and is the Scottish General John
Calle Real, streets that once Moore, killed by the French
Houses with impressive glass balconies in the formed the main axis of at the Battle of Elviña (1809).
port area of A Coruña the town. Among the many trees are
some especially fine elms.
For hotels and restaurants see p204 and pp216–17

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