Betanzos, the old Roman port of Brigantium Flavium, lies on the Ría de Betanzos, an inlet reaching far inland. It is an attractive little town surrounded by fields, with remains of its medieval walls, town gates, noble mansions, narrow streets and picturesque nooks and corners.
This splendid Gothic Church, built in the late 1300s, displays fine sculpture and tombs. Of particular note is the finely carved tomb of Count Pérez de Andrade.
"Pasatiempo" means pastime or amusement; and this was what Juan Carcá Naveira had in mind when, at the end of the 19th century, he laid out on the banks of the Río Mandeo a fantastic garden with fountains, grottoes and all kinds of exotic plants. During the 1920s the gardens attracted large numbers of visitors.
The Plaza o Campo is the focal point of Betanzos with a monument to two citizens who emigrated to America, and a fountain with a statue of Diana. The plaza is surrounded by typically Galician houses with glass fronts.
The most notable feature of the church of Santa María del Azogue (14th-15th C.) is the facade with its large Gothic rose window. In niches on either side of the doorway are figures of the Virgin and the Archangel Gabriel. This church also has a number of noble tombs, as well as a medieval retablo of Flemish origin.
Address: Santa María del Azogue, Plaza Fernán Pérez de Andrade, E-15004 Betanzos, Spain
The parish church of Santiago (15th C.) is the mother church of the town. Originally dating from the 11th century, it was renovated in the 15thc century by the tailors' guild of Betanzos. In the tympanum is a figure of St. James (Santiago) on horseback. The chapel of San Pedro and San Pablo (SS. Peter and Paul) has a Plateresque altar by Cornelis de Holanda.
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