Ribadavia town hall

Ribadavia town hall (Casa do Concello) sits at the heart of the old town in Ribadavia, a small historic town on the Avia River in the province of Ourense, Galicia, known for its vineyards and Jewish quarter.

What will you see?

The town hall is a sober stone building topped by the town's coat of arms and a clock tower. The tower dates back to the 16th century and reflects the prosperity Ribadavia enjoyed at the time, thanks largely to trade in wine from the Ribeiro region. From the mid-1500s the building also functioned as an alhóndiga — a municipal grain store and goods warehouse — and doubled as the meeting place for the town council.

In the 19th century the building underwent a major reform that removed its original arcades, leaving the tower as the main surviving element from the earlier structure. A clock was installed on it in 1902, which is how it came to be known locally as the bell/clock tower. The tower rises through three levels and still bears the old coats of arms of the town, a direct link to its medieval past.

The town hall stands next to other landmarks of the old quarter — the Pazo dos Condes de Ribadavia (palace of the Counts of Ribadavia) and the site of the town's first telegraph station. This whole area forms part of Ribadavia's historic center, declared a protected historic ensemble in 1947.

How to get there?

The town hall is located right in the old town, within walking distance of Ribadavia's main sights, including its castle and the Judería (Jewish quarter). The town sits on the A-52 motorway, about 25 minutes by car from Ourense and under an hour from the Portuguese border. A train station is also a short walk from the town center.

When to visit?

Spring and early autumn are the best times to visit, when the weather is mild and the surrounding vineyards look their best. Carnival season is another great option — Ribadavia hosts one of Galicia's oldest and most colorful carnivals, with the historic center, including the square in front of the town hall, becoming a stage for much of the celebration.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the town hall? Since it's an active municipal building, access to the interior is generally limited to office hours and isn't always available to visitors.

What's the most distinctive architectural feature? The 16th-century clock tower, which still displays the town's old coats of arms, is the standout element — it's the part that survived the 19th-century reform that removed the building's original arcades.

Are there other sights nearby? Yes, the Pazo dos Condes de Ribadavia stands right next to the town hall, and the surrounding area belongs to Ribadavia's historic center, protected as a historic ensemble since 1947.

What was the alhóndiga function of the building? An alhóndiga was a municipal grain store and goods warehouse — from the 16th century the building served both as storage space and as the meeting place for the town council, reflecting its dual economic and administrative role.