Pontecesures

About this heritage

The river port of Pontecesures was one of the oldest ports in Galicia, a shipyard of the Castilian Navy during the battles against Saracens and Normans, and the centre of the salt-trade monopoly in the fifteenth century. A gateway since the remotest of times, evidence of Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and the Roman Empire have been found in Pontecesures.

To learn more

Despite not having direct sea entry, Pontecesures was a maritime power. Commercial relations with the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians have been documented since around the 6th century B.C. The river port of Pontecesures served as the outer port of Iria Flavia. This relationship with the sea continued in the Middle Ages, when the port functioned as a shipyard for warships for the battle of Castile against the Muslims.

The origin of its name probably lies in the bridge that Rome built between the two banks of the river Ulla, navigable to that point and in the Latin word "cesuris" and refers to the fact that during the Roman Empire, the populations census was carried out in this town.

According to legend, the remains of the apostle Santiago travelled the course of the river Ulla, in reaching Galicia. The bridge with ten arches, which still forms the backbone of this area today, was remodeled in the Middle Ages by Master Mateo, creator of the Portico de la Gloria of Santiago's cathedral, and consolidated with its current appearance at the beginning of the 20th century.

Pontecesures preserves four ancient fortifications: Castro Cortinallas, very close to the river; O Castro, in the district of the same name and now privately owned; Castro Valente, on the peak of the mountain and known for resisting the Roman attack and in which its inhabitants committed suicide, and Castro Cassuris, on the site of the old cemetery and church of San Xulián.

To know it better

We can find Puentecesures (in Galician and officially since 1983, Pontecesures), in the region of Caldas, in the province of Pontevedra. Up until 1925, this town belonged to the municipality of Valga, but today has its own city council.

In Pontecesures, we can find a Roman bridge from the 1st century, which marks the boundaries of A Coruña and Pontevedra. This bridge was restored in the 11th century by the Master Mateo. The highlight of his design are the ten arches across the Ulla river, which connects both provinces.

Furthermore, many years ago, approximately in the 6th century, the fluvial port of Pontecesures, known as the “Port of Compostela” was very important for commercial relations with the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians.

The town of Pontecesures is also known for its illustrious celebrities, such as the painter Carlos Maside and the authors Otero Acevedo and Piñeiro Ares.