Founded in the year 1327 by the archbishop of Compostela, Berenguel de Landoira, whose effigy appears in the tympanum of the main façade, where the Epiphany is depicted. In turn, the tympanum of the south side entrance bears the date of the church’s consecration.
The church, with reflects Galicia’s coastal Gothic style, consists of a single nave with a wooden roof above three pointed arches, supported by short pilasters dividing the nave into four sections.
The main chapel, which is narrower and lower than the nave, has a magnificent baroque polychrome altarpiece dating from 1760 and is covered by a barrel vault, while the Chapel of Pero Carneiro, erected in the 16th century and located beside the Chapel of the Gospel, features a shell-shaped vault.
New areas were added later on. Entrances were opened in the sides of the main chapel, one (built in the 17th century) leading to the north sacristy, now used to store tombstones, and another (from the 16th century) leading to the south sacristy, which features a display of tombstones
Before ending your tour of the church, it is worth visiting the 15th-century font, the 16th-century tomb of Ioan de Estivadas and the permanent exhibition of tombstones.
In the churchyard, it is worth highlighting the Gothic “cruceiro” (stone cross), in the south, and 16th-century baldachin called the “Cristo do Humilladoiro” in the north, as well as the sarcophaguses surrounding the church and the magnificent collection of tombstones (more than five hundred) ranging from the 14th to the 19th century, which form a unique ensemble.
The church and cemetery were declared an artistic-historic site in 1973.
Inside there is now a Museum of Tombstones –see this website’s museum section for more information.
Rúa Galicia, 8
Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm