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16.6 Chouzán
The landscapes we are seeing along this Route of Landscape Interest experienced some very significant changes in the 1950s, when General Franco’s government launched a revitalization plan for Spain’s public infrastructure. Among other measures, the plan was focused on self-supply of electricity, which led to the construction of various dams along the Miño and Sil rivers.
The reservoir created by the dam at Os Peares began to be filled in 1952 and was completely full by 1955, causing a considerable rise in the level of the Miño River upstream. This in turn caused many farms, vineyards, and villages to become submerged, either partially as in the case of Pincelo or Belesar, or entirely, as in the case of Sernande and Portotide.
However, two local churches had been declared as Historical-Artistic Monuments in 1950: the Church of San Xoán da Cova (12th century) and the Church of Santo Estevo de Chouzán (12th-13th century). Spain’s Artistic Heritage Defence Service therefore decided to save those two churches, and so it commissioned a team led by the architect Francisco Pons-Sorolla to carry out this task.
The Church of San Xoán da Cova was the first one relocated, with the new church remaining very similar to the original. However, in the case of the Church of Santo Estevo de Chouzán some major modifications were made. The church’s layout was altered from one based on a Latin cross floor plan to a longer structure in four sections, with a newly constructed nave, sacristy, parish office, and baptistry.
Only the murals depicting the Last Judgement and some other decorative mouldings in the apse were preserved inside; and on the exterior, the cut stones used on the corners, and the Baroque bell gable.
An impressive structure was also created to support the reconstructed church: a high retaining wall to create a foundation, a series of arches on one side supporting the nave, and some flying buttresses anchored to a side wall, which are high enough to provide space for a path to the church’s entrance below them.
CASTRO SITE AT MARCE AND AUGACAÍDA WATERFALL
Looking across to the other side of the river, we can see an impressive rocky outcropping that contains the Castro culture archaeological site at Marce. According to local legends, this was also the home of mythological beings known as “xacias” and “xacios”, who are half human, half fish.
The Aguianza stream flows along one side of this rock formation, with the Augacaída Waterfall found further upstream. This is a waterfall 40 metres high, which drops into a pool before continuing its course towards the Miño River. Surrounded by lush vegetation, this is undoubtedly one of Galicia’s most spectacular waterfalls.
