Page 84 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

82  NOR THERN SP AIN REGION B Y REGION

Exploring Lugo + Bishop’s Palace stroll along the tree-lined
Lugo’s main attraction is its Rising opposite the cathedral on boulevard that is guarded
town walls, but also well worth the beautiful Praza Santa María is by two lions that once
visiting is the maze of Old Town the Baroque Bishop’s Palace. The decorated Praza Maior’s now-
streets, including Rua da Raiña, palace resembles an aristocratic vanished fountain.
opened in the 19th century by pazo (stone mansion), while
Isabel II, and the two squares – the Galician granite used in its + Casa dos Mosaicos
Praza Santo Domingo and Praza construction lends it a certain Rúa Doutor Castro 20–22. Tel 982 25
Maior (also known as Praza dignified austerity. 48 15. Open mid-Jun–mid-Oct:
España), whose colonnades are 11am–1:30pm & 4–7:30pm Tue–Sat,
home to cafés and restaurants. 11am–2pm Sun; mid-Oct–mid-Jun:
Be sure not to miss the charm- 11:30am–1:30pm & 5–7pm Thu–Sat,
ing Praza do Campo – the old 11:30am–1:30pm Sun. 8 7
Roman forum. On the Feast of The remnants of a 3rd- to
St Froilán, the fountain here 4th-century AD Roman villa,
spouts wine, not water. which probably belonged to a
wealthy nobleman, have been
T Town Walls converted into an excellent
The 1st- to 2nd-century Roman contemporary museum. An
fortifications are 2 km (1.2 miles) audiovisual guide describes
long, 4–7 m (13–22 ft) thick, the history behind the superb
and up to 12 m (39 ft) high. mosaics, still dazzling after
They are among the best- almost two millennia.
preserved town walls in Spain,
with ten gates (five old and R Iglesia de Santo Domingo
five new) as well as 71 towers. The 12th-century Romanesque-Gothic Open 6pm daily for mass only.
On A Mosquera tower, two cathedral in Lugo The monastery church of
broad windows have survived. Santo Domingo dates from the
Visitors can walk along the P Town Hall & Praza Maior 13th century. It was built in a
walls, which form an unbroken The Town Hall in Lugo is one combination of Romanesque
circle around the Old Town. of the more important secular and Gothic styles (this can be
buildings in the Galician Baroque seen in the three apses with
R Cathedral style. It was built in 1738 by tall windows). The façade is
Museo Diocesano: Open 11am–noon renowned master-mason of the hidden behind the monastery
Mon–Sat. 8 compulsory. day Lucas Ferro Caaveiro. The wall, which has 18th-century
The Romanesque-Gothic clock tower was added in 1873. arcades. The chapel and altars
cathedral dates from the 12th The Town Hall is situated on are all Baroque; one of them
century and was modelled on Praza Maior, which, together contains a painting by the
the cathedral in Santiago de with Praza Santo Domingo, 18th-century Galician artist
Compostela (see pp66–7). Over forms the hub of Lugo’s Old Antonio García Bouzas. Of note
the centuries, it acquired ele- Town. In Roman times, there are the tomb slabs that are set
ments of other styles, including was probably an amphitheatre in the walls and are framed by
a Neo-Classical façade and a on Praza Maior; a market was decorated arches, in particular
Baroque cloister. The cathedral later established here. the one of Fernando Díaz
has a Renaissance chancel and The square is popular with Rivadeneyra, which features
altars, and a Museo Diocesano local people, who come to a figure of the knight.
set in the cloisters. relax in the nearby cafés, or
E Museo Provincial
Praza da Soidade. Tel 982 24 21 12.
Open 9am–9pm Mon–Fri,
10:30am–2pm & 4:30–8pm Sat,
11am–2pm Sun. 7
∑ museolugo.org
The museum is housed in
the former monastery of
San Francisco, of which the
cloister, kitchen and refectory
have survived. The museum’s
main aim is to present Galician
art. The exhibits include Celtic
and Roman finds such as
jewellery, coins, ceramics
from Sargadelos, sundials
Walkway on the Roman walls that encircle Lugo and paintings.
For hotels and restaurants see p204 and pp216–17

082-083__cat_.indd 82 13/09/16 5:27 pm