We return to Celanova municipality located to the south of the province of Ourense inland Galicia near the neighboring Portugal. Celanova has about 6,000 inhabitants.
We visit the Tower of Vilanova dos Infantes which is one of the 18 parishes in Celanova. We also will see the Parish Church of San Salvador.
Coordinates to find the location of Celanova in Galicia. Extend the map and reach Vilanova dos Infantes: 42.166186, -7.955267
Click Here to see our previous visit to Celanova: Visit Celanova, Province of Ourense. The Alcázar of Milmanda, Church of San Salvador and the Sanctuary of A Armada in Rabal.
According to tradition Ilduara Eriz, mother of San Rosendo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudesind) in 940 founded a female monastery of which there are no remains today. The parents of San Rosendo lived here in Vilanova since the year 927. They were probably the builders of the castle of which only the Torre del Homenaje (Homage Tower) is still standing, it is 19 meters high.
The castle was demolished in 1475 in the framework of the irmandiñas riots (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irmandiño) and then rebuilt.
Vilanova dos Infantes was a separate municipality since the early nineteenth century until 1927 when became part of the municipality of Celanova.
The Tower underwent modifications to convert it into the seat of the municipality: a new horizontal division of three floors was made. It is as it is today. An entrance to the first floor was also built. The original entrance was on the second floor through a wooden walkway from the wall of the fortress.
The tower is visible from different places all over the region. View from the Sanctuary of O Cristal which is very close to Vilanova dos Infantes and we will visit soon.
We are in Vilanova dos Infantes.
This was the original entrance from medieval period to the castle through the door with a pointed arch. The corbels that are seen in the picture held a walkway that connected it with the other part of the castle, the outer wall, demolished today.
The staircase in the lower part of the picture
was built in the nineteenth century when the homage tower became the seat of
the municipality of Vilanova dos Infantes.
42.166341, -7.955175
The inside of the tower:
The walls of the tower are two metres wide.
Stonemasons marks. The master stonemasons received their emoluments for each unit worked so marked the ashlars with their signatures.
Stairs and stonemasons marks.
This is the door of the current balcony on the second floor. It was the original entrance to the castle in the medieval period.
Views from the upper part of the tower:
End of Part 1.
Click Here for Part 2: Tower of Vilanova dos Infantes in Celanova. Province of Ourense. Part 2.
The inside of the tower:
The walls of the tower are two metres wide.
Stonemasons marks. The master stonemasons received their emoluments for each unit worked so marked the ashlars with their signatures.
Stairs and stonemasons marks.
This is the door of the current balcony on the second floor. It was the original entrance to the castle in the medieval period.
Views from the upper part of the tower:
End of Part 1.
Click Here for Part 2: Tower of Vilanova dos Infantes in Celanova. Province of Ourense. Part 2.
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