Castle of A Peroxa

Castle of A Peroxa is a ruined medieval fortress in the municipality of A Peroxa, in the province of Ourense, Galicia. It sits on a hill overlooking the valleys of the Miño and Mao rivers, a location that has held strategic value since pre-Roman times.

Where does this site come from?

The hill on which the castle stands was first occupied during the castro period, the pre-Roman Galician culture that built fortified hilltop settlements across the region. After the Roman conquest, the site was resettled by a Romanized Gallaeci population and remained inhabited until the 4th century. The stone castle itself, in the form whose remains are visible today, dates from much later: construction is attributed to the powerful Temes family around the late 8th century, built to defend the area against Muslim incursions that reached deep into the northern Iberian Peninsula at the time. Local accounts hold that the fortress was strategically important enough to be seized by Muslim forces at some point during this period of conflict.

By the 13th century, the castle served as the residence of the Mayordomo (steward) of Galicia, a senior official administering the region on behalf of the Crown — a sign of its standing among Galician fortifications of the era. In the 15th century, during the violent Irmandiña Revolt, peasants and lesser nobility destroyed many Galician castles as symbols of feudal oppression. A Peroxa was among the few spared from that wave of destruction.

Shortly afterward, the fortress passed to the Counts of Ribadavia and later to the Sarmiento family, one of Galicia's most prominent noble houses. In the 19th century, following the confiscation of ecclesiastical and noble estates, the property changed hands again and for a time housed the local municipal offices. The final blow came in 1920, when a new private owner dismantled the keep (torre del homenaje) and used its stone to build the parish church in the village.

What can you see today?

The castle originally had a polygonal layout reinforced by four semicircular towers set along the perimeter walls, with a central keep. What remains today are mainly sections of the wall bases and the foundations of the keep. Scattered across the former complex are also the remnants of ancillary structures: the ruins of a mill, a shed, and a cistern that once stood on the western side of the enclosure and was used to collect water.

Though it is a ruin rather than a restored monument, the site still lets visitors trace the original layout and appreciate why this hill was chosen for defense for over a millennium — the elevated position offers open views over the valley and surrounding hills.

How to get there and when to visit?

A Peroxa lies in the province of Ourense, a short distance from the city of Ourense, which is well connected by regional roads linking Galicia to the rest of Spain. Driving is the most practical option: local roads lead directly into the municipality and up to the hill where the castle ruins stand.

Spring and early autumn are the best times to visit, when inland Galicia enjoys mild temperatures and the Miño valley landscape is at its most colorful. Summers in the region can turn hot, while winters are cool and damp, making it a less comfortable season for exploring an open-air ruin.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the Castle of A Peroxa? Yes, the ruins are open and accessible outdoors, though the site is not developed as a conventional tourist attraction — there is no ticket office or permanent visitor infrastructure.

What survives of the original structure? Sections of the perimeter walls, the foundations of the main keep, and remnants of ancillary buildings, including a cistern and a mill.

Why is the castle in ruins? The keep's stone was dismantled in 1920 and reused to build the local parish church, which sealed the fortress's decline.

What historical role did the castle play? In the 13th century it served as the residence of the Mayordomo of Galicia, and in the 15th century, during the Irmandiña Revolt, it was one of the few Galician castles that escaped destruction.