Closely connected to the writer Ramón María del Valle Inclán, the pazo of Rúa Nova is located in the border of Sobrán (Vilagarcía) and András (Vilanova). Typical of many pazos, Rúa Nova was built on the ruins of al old fortification. Its construction dates from the 16th century and it became what it is today in the mid-18th century when Miguel de Inclán and Rosa Malvido created the family estate and moved to Rúa Nova Tower-Home whose chapel was consacrated to San Miguel.
The pazo of Rúa Nova has an L-shaped floor plan, typical of the “pacega” – related to pazos- architecture. On the left hand side there is a big battlemented gate leading to the garden and to the tower staircase. Back then, the garden was so magnificent that it came out in some publications for being one of the most beautiful in Spain. It stood out for its Romantic style, the fountain and the stone statues of its founders, Miguel de Inclán and Rosa Malvido; he was dressed with diplomatic attire and she was playing a musical instrument.
Behind the big entrance door it is the Tower-Home, the central body of the pazo. Similarly to Pardiñas in Vilaxoán, it also has a splendid cast iron railed stone balcony supported by some solid corbels.
However, if there is something unique in Rúa Nova it is the chapel, since it is not detached from the building but integrated in the main construction. Moreover, it is the link between the two parts of the L-shape structure, to the point that it shares the same roof with the rest of the pazo. The chapel, which has a round arch door, reaches its highest point with a bell gable. Between both, the door and the bell gable, there is a niche which hosts the statue of San Miguel, with part of its original polychromy, fighting and beating the devil. This chapel and its surroundings are likely to have inspired Ramón del Valle Inclán, who lived in the family pazo in several occasions, to write his “Romance de lobos” – Wolf romance.
Behind the chapel, a third structure used for housing purposes completes the pazo which is nowadays rather dilapidated, alongside its garden. However, it may well be worth a visit for the quaint constructions and for the two cultural assets located in its surroundings.
Address: Rúa Maceiras, 29. András. 36611 – Vilanova de Arousa,
Visits: Private property. Only outside visits allowed
