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| During the Roman
occupation, Lugo was the only town in Galicia to be legally recognised
as a provincial capital. Its walls, with many semi-circular turrets
along a circuit of over 2 kilometres, date back to that time. In spite
of subsequent additions, it is the finest Roman-walled area in the
country. On the banks of the River Miño, spanned by a Roman bridge, two rooms from Roman baths have been preserved. Lugo’s most important squares, streets and buildings are to be found inside its walls. Taking pride of place is the cathedral, which has the privilege of being the permanent site of the Santísimo (the most Holy) in the Capilla Mayor, the reason why Lugo is known as the City of the Sacrament. Construction of the cathedral began around 1129, directed by many different maestros, and its naves were not completed until the thirteenth century. The northern door with its magnificent Pantocrator (omnipotent Christ) and pinjante (a glove-shaped decorative pendant), the latter featuring a depiction of the last supper of Christ, is perhaps the focal point of the cathedral. Both pieces are the finest examples of Romanesque sculpture in the city. |
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| The old Convento de San Francisco,
which retains the sober medieval cloister, is now the Provincial Museum
and houses superb collections of Iron Age gold and silver-work and
Galician art. The church annex and that of Santo Domingo are among the
first examples of Gothic architecture. |
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| The Town Hall, the old, large houses bearing coats of arms, and other churches complete the artistic heritage of this city, which in the last few years has undergone considerable development, helping Lugo to reinforce its position as the capital of the largest province in Galicia, a province with an extensive agricultural and livestock industry, and which offers the tourist a wide range of activities. | |
