Castro de Baroña

It is known by all that the galician coast, between its islands, its cape and its gulfs surrounded by the wild sea, keep a great amount of treasures, but if there is one that draws the attention especially for its great archaeological importance is undoubtedly the Castro de Baroña.

The Castro de Baroña is settlement whose origin dates back to the Iron Age (it was inhabited from the 1st century BC until the 1st century AD) and whose discovery would not take place until 1933 after an excavation in the area.

We locate this castro in the parish of Baroña, in Porto do Son (A Coruña) and, just after arriving, the first thing that catches our attention, besides its beauty, is the singularity of its location, since it is situated on a small peninsula separated from the earth by an isthmus of sand. It is precisely in this isthmus that connects the town to the castro where we find the first defensive measure: a pit 4 meters wide and 3 deep.

The constructions that we find in this castro are almost all of circular plant, and do not appreciate doors of entrance or windows. This is very common in hamlets that have not been influenced by Romans, since it is the Romans who brought urbanism to our lands, also bringing the square houses. Thus, an urbanistic organization and square dwellings with interior distribution are only found in later castros and reached their apogee under Roman domination.

The inhabitants in this settlement were self-sufficient farmers who were fed mainly on seafood and fish. The proof is that during his excavation were found numerous hooks and fishing tools, as well as thorns and vertebrae of fish. In those excavations also were found remains that allow to know that there were developed activities related to the mining and metallurgy. In fact, in the north there is an oven in which possibly worked, as it used to be common in most “castros”, bronze and other metals such as gold and iron.

But if there is something that makes the Castro de Baroña majestic, its situation on a rocky peninsula, perfectly defensible by all its sides, in which the wild Atlantic played an important part along with the cliffs that surround it, as well as the fortification of its only possible access, which makes it a bastion of resistance, in its day, prepared for wars, sieges and attacks of all types of armies.

Nowadays it has the recognition of National Artistic Heritage and Well of Cultural Interest, which, together with the fact of being surrounded by beautiful beaches and forests, makes every year thousands of people decide to visit it. In addition, it is the best preserved castro of all Galicia along with the one located in A Guarda, south of the province of Pontevedra, and the few that are so close to the sea, so we certainly recommend you visit it and enjoy the thousand types of blue, the infinite cliffs, the centuries-old forests and that Celtic trace that time has not managed to erase.