Pontevedra

History

Archeological evidence shows that the town existed as far back as Roman times. The city took its name from the nearby bridge, "Pontus Veteri" Old Bridge. From the Middle Ages through the end of the 16th century, the city was one of the main ports and most populous cities in Galicia, though it afterwards declined first due to the disappearance the Castillian Crown, then later because of successive wars. During the 19th century the Spanish provinces were created and Pontevedra was designed as a provincial capital, bringing new institutions, industries, and population to the city.

Until the Spanish Civil War, Pontevedra was a social and cultural center, but after the war, as power was centralized in Madrid, industry migrated to Vigo because of the excellent port facilities. Pontevedra is currently undergoing a cultural renaissance, and its population is increasing due to the urbanization of the province.

Geography

Although Vigo, in the Southeastern corner of the province, is a far larger city, Pontevedra is beautifully picturesque and unsurpassed in the province for its historical and artistic importance. The Rias Bajas Rias Baixas coastal region has an abundance of natural beauty mountains, green hills, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and seashores. The old city center is well preserved and contains numerous historic buildings and monuments. Pontevedra is proud of its cultural and natural heritage.

The city itself is built on a hill, with some streets sloping down toward the Lérez River. The majority of the town occupies the south bank of the river, although it has spread out in all directions in recent years.

Language

Both Galician Galego and Spanish are commonly spoken, but signage is increasingly in the local language. Galego shares characteristics of Portuguese and French, as well as Spanish, and anyone conversant in the Romance languages shouldn't have a hard time understanding written Galician.