Castro Punta do Muíño de Vento
About this heritage
The Castro of Punta do Muíño do Vento is a small maritime settlement located on a peninsula, with an altitude of barely 10 meters above sea level, situated in the parish of Alcabre, in Vigo. It is one of the oldest castro settlements in Vigo. The first occupation of the settlement dates back to the 8th century BC, in the Bronze Age; from this period are the socketed axes, pieces related to commercial exchange with settlements along the European Atlantic fringe. The houses from this time were made of wood and straw, so they left hardly any archaeological record.
To learn more
The Castro do Muíño do Vento was an emporium, like the neighboring Castro of Toralla, that is, a commercial site. The numerous remains of Mediterranean-origin pottery confirm the importance of this enclave within trade with other peoples and it was probably a mandatory stop for navigators coming from the south, who were in search of the precious metals of the north, such as tin. Later, the Romans occupied the surroundings of the enclosure with the construction of salting factories, fishing industries, and Roman villas, which led to the abandonment of the ancient settlement.
To know it better
The Castro Punta do Muíño de Vento is located in the Galician city of Vigo and is one of the oldest in the city along with the Castro of Toralla, located on the island. It is situated on what was until 1887 a canning factory and a municipal slaughterhouse. Currently, it is part of one of the exhibitions of the Museo del Mar de Vigo, located in the parish of Alcabre. More than 20,000 pieces and remains of the castro settlement have been found, where remains of the circular houses of the primitive settlement from the 8th or 7th centuries BC can be observed. At that time, houses were built with wood and straw, but these materials left no trace. Additionally, on the eastern part of the castro, three vertical stones can be seen that could belong to an altar.
Gallery
Location
- Town
- Vigo
- Municipality
- Vigo
- Province
- Pontevedra
- Country
- Spain
The asset
- Type
- Castro
- Eco-destination
- Ría de Vigo
- Environment
- Rural
- Relevance
- International
How to get there
- Access
- By sea By land
- Distance
- 2,8 km / 6 minutos en coche
The visit
- Visitable
- Yes
- Interpretation
- Yes
- Accessible
- Sí
- Parking
- Sí
- Signposted
- Yes
Coordinates
- Latitud
- 42.22436000
- Longitud
- -8.76997600