The traditional housing for the wealthy in Galicia were called pazos, which are literally translated as palaces. However, they're not quite as opulent as the Palace of Versailles or any other grand palace that might come to mind. A better translation would be manors or estate houses. The Rías Baixas, on the southwest coast, is dotted with them. Some are wineries, some are open to the public, and some are private property. On the outskirts of the city of Pontevedra lies Pazo de Lourizán.
The manor house itself is now dilapidated, and you can't go in to visit. But its grandiose staircase and facade remind us of prosperous times gone by. It was built in the 19th century as the summer home for the noteworthy Galician politician, Montero Ríos. It boasts being the place where the Treaty of Paris was hashed out after the Spanish-American War.
With the pazo off limits, the real star of the show is the gardens. It's currently used as an investigation center for forestry, which means it hosts hundreds of different shrubs, trees, and flowers. When we went on a weekday, there was hardly anyone around and we could enjoy a peaceful stroll by ourselves. Well, actually, with our 2-year-old nephew in tow, peaceful probably isn't the best description. But the expansive gardens were lovely and he got to run around freely. The pazo is also on the Camellia Route because it has several varieties of camellia tree (very popular in this region). In the investigation center they are studying what uses camellia oil can have.
The gardens are more than just trees, though. There's a grotto, a fountain, and a long hórreo. The property goes continually upward, so the views of the ría from behind the manor are lovely. They must have been before ENCE was built, at least. ENCE is the controversial paper mill that has been stinking up the city of Pontevedra and its surroundings for decades. Technically their permit is up, but only time (and politics) will tell if they actually close shop. Fingers crossed!