Pazo de Torrecedeira

Pazo de Torrecedeira is a 17th-century Galician manor house standing in the parish of Cedeira, in the municipality of Redondela, Pontevedra province. Together with the centuries-old oak forest and gardens surrounding it, the estate is regarded as one of the finest pazos — traditional Galician manor houses — in the whole region.

How do you get to Pazo de Torrecedeira?

The manor sits in the parish of Cedeira, directly across from the local parish church of San Andrés, a short drive from central Redondela and close to the Ría de Vigo estuary. By car, the trip from Redondela to Cedeira takes only a few minutes, and the parish church itself is the best landmark: the pazo stands on the opposite side of the road, facing it.

What is the history behind the manor?

Also known as Pazo do Corredor, the estate was built in the 17th century by the Pestaña Chamucero family. Over the following centuries it underwent several renovations — in the 19th century its west wing was redesigned by architect Paczevich. The key figure in the property's later history was Manuel Bárcena y Franco, a businessman who played a major role in the industrial development of nearby Vigo. In 1891 he was granted the title of Count of Torrecedeira by the Queen Regent. The manor remains in the hands of the Counts of Torrecedeira's family to this day, which means it is privately owned rather than a museum or a permanently open tourist site.

A curious detail: the first telephone line in Redondela was installed at the pazo, privately linking the residence to a house the family owned in Vigo. The manor's interiors have also served as a filming location for the movie "La novia de medianoche," directed by Antonio Simón, and in 2002 the estate hosted a wedding attended by around 700 guests.

What can you see on site?

The manor's biggest draw is its gardens, laid out in the 1860s by a French landscape architect and executed by a gardener named Lombard. The garden design is considered one of the finest examples of landscaped grounds among Galician pazos. Surrounding it all is a forest of century-old oak trees, which gives the estate its dense, deeply green character.

Within the grounds also stands a tree listed in the "árbores senlleiras" catalogue of singular trees kept by the Pontevedra provincial government — a California incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), protected as a natural monument for its age and size. The building itself, with the stone façade typical of Galician pazos, can be admired from the road and from the square in front of the parish church.

When is the best time to visit?

Because Pazo de Torrecedeira is privately owned by the Counts of Torrecedeira's family, it has no fixed opening hours for tourists — in practice, it is normally viewed from the outside, from the church square or the roadside. Spring and summer are the best seasons to visit, when the oak forest and gardens are at their greenest and the light flatters the stone façade. Anyone hoping to hold a wedding or another event on the grounds needs to contact the owners or local event organisers well in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Pazo de Torrecedeira? No — it is a private residence belonging to the Counts of Torrecedeira's family and is not permanently open to visitors. The building can be viewed from outside, from the road or the parish church square in Cedeira.

How old is the manor house? Construction dates back to the 17th century, though the building was substantially remodelled later, including the addition of a new west wing in the 19th century.

What is the main highlight of the estate? The extensive 19th-century gardens and the surrounding forest of century-old oaks, which include a monumental California incense cedar listed among Pontevedra province's catalogue of singular trees.

Has anything notable happened at the pazo? Yes — it was the site of Redondela's first telephone line, it served as a filming location for the movie "La novia de medianoche," and in 2002 it hosted a wedding with around 700 guests.