CIUDAD VIEJA
Old bastion near the church of Sant Francisco with a splendid panoramic view of the Ría and the entrance to the port
This small medieval complex of narrow streets and squares can be visited from the elegant Plaza María Pita, dominated by the eighteenth-century Town Hall. Going up a steep alleyway, you will soon come to the fountain of the Plaza Azcárraga, once the main square of the city, where the grain market and public festivals were held. Nearby are two Romanesque churches: the older one, Santiago (12th century), has a portal carved only with a lamb - an almost animistic representation. A little further on, behind the square, is the collegiate church of Santa María del Campo, so named because it was probably built outside the city walls. Fifty metres away, the convent of Santa Bárbara nestles at the end of a pleasant little square of the same name, where you can enjoy a cool drink on a summer's evening. The old streets lead to the romantic garden of San Carlos where Sir John Moore is buried, mortally wounded while defending the city against the Napoleonic troops of Marshal Soult. As you leave this ancient bastion, destroyed by the explosion of its powder magazine in the 17th century, don't miss the belvedere which offers a magnificent view of the bay. Just next door, a stone's throw from the San Francisco church, are the Maestranza gardens, which offer a splendid panoramic view of the Ría and the entrance to the port(la bocana). On Avenida de la Marina, behind the tourist office, a series of glass facades of 19th century houses reflect the setting sun. The characteristic architecture of the city: the Galerías.
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