Audioguide

Historical-artistic ensemble of San Salvador de O Hospital

Like the castle of Os Novais, which was linked with the Order of St John of Jerusalem, the historical and artistic complex of O Hospital includes a significant number of items from the cultural legacy of several eras, centred around the parish church of San Salvador.

The chronology is uncertain, but the chapel of San Juan can be dated back to pre-Romanesque times. It contains the tombstones of illustrious individuals from the Quiroga and Losada families and forms the apse of the present-day building, which was extended several times.

Other pieces of particular importance inside this building are the main baroque altarpiece, the Christ crucified, sculptures of Saint Bartholomew the elder and the younger, and the baptismal font.

In this important complex is also the ruined Palacio de Tor, a palace probably originating in the 16th century which has pinnacles in the shape of pyramids on the four corners of the roof, projecting balconies with wrought iron railings, an iron cross on the peaked parapet and a weathervane with the lion of the Balboa family. In the back wall is a door with a slightly pointed arch, reached by a stone staircase.

On the north wall are two shields: the one on the right is divided into four parts by the cross of Alcantara, with a slate, lizards, a dog tied to pine trees, five stakes and a bird with a crown. The shield on the left has four quarters with an arm and a mace, a dog tied to a pine tree, a fleur-de-lis with five roundels and a lion over waves.

Not far from here is Carballedo House, a building dating from 1848 with masonry walls, a slate roof and a corridor with granite steps. It belonged to the counts of Gavia. On the south wall is a shield, with a helmet on the right, and divided into four with a dog tied to a pine tree, five stakes, a slate and lizards and a lion over waves. On the edge is inscribed “Without God all is vanity".

The current owners have preserved another oval, inscribed stone coat of arms made of slate. It is divided into four quarters, with a lion tied to a pine tree, five stakes, two lizards and a crescent moon and five stars.