The medieval Tower of O Castro, erected on a millenary castro, is one of the most interesting monuments and places. From here, you can breathe in the past, heritage, and draw fantastic views of the O Barco landscape.
This historical site is located at one of the highest points of the enclave, preserving part of its walls and the keep. Various archaeological investigations conclude that a Roman settlement existed in O Castro prior to the construction of the medieval fortress, hence its toponym predates it. Some authors place Calubriga, a castro belonging to the “civitas of the Guigurri”, at this location. Important communication routes, both Roman and medieval, passed through here, including the popular Vía Nova (Vía XVIII). Since the Middle Ages, it was also used by pilgrims traveling the Camino de Invierno.
The Tower of O Castro belonged to different lordships of Galicia and Castile. First, it was owned by the Counts of Lemos. Later, by the Marquises of Villafranca, the Sarmiento family, and the Counts of Ribadavia. The wall was built by Juan Pimentel after the irmandiñas revolts (1464-1469), which caused significant damage. The tower underwent various modifications throughout history, the first between 1336 and 1343, promoted by D. Pedro Fernández de Castro, lord of Trastámara, Lemos, and Sarria. The first floor and the vaulted cistern of the lower floor, which can currently be visited, date back to this period. The cistern, with a capacity of more than 84.48 m3, was used in the Middle Ages to collect rainwater from the Tower of O Castro.
The castle is protected by the generic declaration of 1949 and was declared a BIC in 1994, the same year it was donated to the Concello do Barco de Valdeorras.