Audioguide

Church of Santa María de Temes

This 18th century church, which had its façade significantly remodelled in the 20th century, is more than a parish church. It is also a historical-archaeological complex where there are remains from three different eras: pre-Roman and Roman, early Christian and Christian-Visigoth.

From the pre-Roman and Roman era there is a Roman altar dedicated to the “Lares Viales”, the Roman gods that protected travellers and roads.

From the early Christian era, there are two items of great importance. The first is the marble lid of a sarcophagus made in a Roman workshop between 315 and 325, showing biblical scenes of the adoration of the Kings, Adam and Eve's sin and the Jonah Cycle. This piece has been incorporated into the triumphal arch of the church.

Another extraordinary item is a piece of granite embedded in the upper northern part of the presbytery, with an inscription that reads FIDES SPES CARITAS (faith, hope, charity). This stone is considered to be the very first Christian document written in Galicia.

From the Christian-Visigoth era, a modillion has been preserved and a rock embedded in the north wall of the nave that says "the consecration of the church came two days before the kalends of December (29th of November) in the year 843 (our 805)”.

Don't miss!

Close to this church is the confluence of the rivers Miño, Sil and Búbal, in the village of Os Peares, which is well worth visiting. From there begins the PR-G 179 Miño River hiking route, which leads to the interesting A Peroxa castle.