Pedra da Rá
About this heritage
Below the castro da Cidá, just a few meters to the west, and along a path not suitable for everyone, rises the rock known as Pedra de A Rá (the Frog). From this viewpoint, you can enjoy views of the dune park, the Carregal and Vixán lagoons, and even - in the distance - the Faro de Corrubedo. To the south, the view extends to the Cíes, Ons, and Sálvora islands, and to the north, monte Facho and monte Tahúme. Pedra da Rá is a large rock slightly resting on smaller ones and rises vertically about 15 meters. It has the shape of a frog and is equipped with stairs, as well as a platform where the viewpoint is located. This place is part of a route accessible to people with reduced mobility, offering them the possibility to enjoy the sensory experience of being there
To learn more
The rock known as Pedra da Rá (frog stone, since from the west coast one can discern a shape similar to that of a frog with its mouth open) is located on Monte de O Castro. This place belongs to the Ribeira parish of Carreira. Slightly resting on smaller rocks and rising vertically about 15 meters, it consists of a central granite rock and several blocks that form the base. Little is known about the large rock. Some suggest it was probably an ancient natural monument of sacred character and, certainly, a marker. The site has been used as a viewpoint since the 1980s, when a concrete staircase was built to climb onto the rock and observe the Atlantic horizon from there. Over time, this original access deteriorated and became unusable. To restore the natural state of this space, in 2016, the concrete staircase, which was aggressive to the environment and the rock itself, was demolished, and the place underwent a thorough remodeling. It was designed by architect Carlos Seoane, and the project earned several international awards: third prize in the Urban Projects, Rural Projects, Landscape & Public Spaces-Europe category, awarded by the specialized magazine 2A Magazine
To know it better
the COAG Architecture Award from the Official College of Architects of Galicia
Location
- Town
- Natural
- Municipality
- Ribeira
- Province
- A Coruña
- Country
- Spain
The asset
- Type
- Viewpoint
- Eco-destination
- Ría de Arousa
- Environment
- the FAD Architecture Award for Spain and Portugal, and the Enor Award. Additionally, it was a finalist for the Arch-Daily Building of the Year Awards and the European Award for Intervention in Architectural Heritage from the College of Architects of Catalonia, as well as being selected to be exhibited at the Venice Biennale and the International Architecture Biennale of Argentina. Seoane led a team of architects, all working within an area of 3,300 square meters. Given the nature of the stone chosen for this project - wild-type granite - and the vegetation - creeping groundcover plants - the resulting space requires little to no maintenance. Currently, an expansion with a secondary viewpoint, commonly called mirador do Piñeiro, is underway.
- Relevance
- A Coruña
How to get there
- Access
- By sea By land
- Distance
- 4,1 km
The visit
- Visitable
- Yes
- Accessible
- No
- Parking
- No
Coordinates
- Latitud
- 42.55989600
- Longitud
- -9.01574500