Lugo, A Walled City - A Great Day Trip

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We have been talking about visiting this town since we first heard about it while in Cangas, but just hadn’t been able to make good connections. It turned out to be a 1 ½ hour train ride from A Coruna to Lugo (9.40 euro one way) through beautiful countryside. Fortunately we picked one of the rare completely sunny days for our visit. The highlight of Lugo is that it is the only city in Europe with a completely intact Roman wall. It was built between 265 AD and 310 AD. The city itself is the oldest in Galicia since it was founded in 15 BC. The total length of the wall is 1 ½ miles and varies between 8-12 meters (26-39 feet) thick and at its tallest point it was 35 feet. Over the centuries there have been repairs and modifications with an additional 5 gates added to the original 5. It contained 85 towers and has several access points to the top of the wall. The top of the wall has become a favorite for runners, joggers and tourists. It was amazing to stand on top of something that had been built almost 2 centuries ago. We had time while there to visit two museums. They provided an excellent history of the Roman occupation describing the building of the wall as well as how and why it has changed over the centuries. The provincial museum is housed in the former monastery of San (Saint) Francisco and contains a variety of exhibits. Seeing the cloister, numerous sundials, and architectural details of the monastery complete with its kitchen area, we were able to view works of many Galician artists throughout the ages – this included sculpture, paintings, jewelry and pottery. For the rest of the day we took time to walk the perimeter of the city from the top of the wall, explore the city streets and visit the Cathedral which was built in 1129. We caught the 5:30PM train back to A Coruna after a very enjoyable visit to Lugo. If you are ever in the area, we would recommend putting this on your list of places to visit.

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Photos

First Impression
When you first see the wall the large number and size of the towers is quite impressive.

The Walk On Top of the Wall
The 1 ½ mile walkway on top of the Roman city wall is well used by walkers, joggers, runners and of course tourists.

The Remains of a Taller Tower
The last remains of one of the two taller towers that existed on the wall.

One of the Taller Towers
These towers were believed to have housed many of the guards and were reached by a combination of ladders and stairs.

The Stairs Stop Half Way Down
There were staircases from the top of the wall part way down to the ground. We were told this was a double defense so if the citizens of the city rebelled, the guards could remove the ladders that connect from the ground to the staircase. Note the construction of layered shale.

The Countryside
A view of the countryside as seen from on top of the wall surrounding Lugo.

Glass Fronts Here Too
Many of the buildings in Lugo had the same type of glassed in porches that we have been seeing in A Coruna.

Intricate Mosaics
One of the numerous mosaics on the floor next to the San Pedro Church which was part of a former Franciscan monastery.

Wooden Shoes in Spain
Anyone interested in buying wooden shoes – this shop had quite a few for sale.

The Old Squeezed In Between
The old building was left and is still in use even though it is squeezed between the new.

Twisting Alleyways
The alleyways twist and turn but fortunately you can get your bearings from spotting the steeples.

The Lugo Cathedral
The Lugo Cathedral was built between 1129 - 1273, but the fascade and towers of a Neoclassic style date from 1769.

Intricate Carvings
This is only a small part at the top of one of the doorways in the Lugo Cathedral. It is completely carved out of wood with lots of detail.

One of Many Altars
One of the intricate altars in the Lugo Cathedral.

Painted Ceiling
A sampling of the painted ceiling in the Lugo Cathedral.

Restoration Work
There is plenty of restoration to be done constantly in these buildings as shown here.

Wood Carvings
Some of the detail of the wooden carvings done on one of the two doors within the Lugo Cathedral.

St James Is Here as Well
If you look closely you can see the scallop shell on the hat of St. James on this statute within the Santiago Gate.

Slate Roofs
Slate tiles seem to be a common roofing material here rather than tile.

A Surprise Back Door?
It was a surprise to see this construction site with a man sitting in what looked like his workshop talking on the phone with the “fresh air” back wall of the building.

One of Many in the City
One of numerous church steeples that dot the skyline in the city of Lugo.