In order to understand how important Rubiáns is we must trace back to the 14thcentury when the war of succession between Enrique de Trastámara and his stepbrother, Pedro, took place. They fought to claim for the Crown of Castilla and that dispute was taken as an opportunity by an emerging social class: the nobility.
The Caamaño lineage, owning a property in Porto do Son, on “la otra banda” – the other side – of the ría of Arousa, close to Noia, supported Don Enrique and conse-quently , they received the corresponding prebends as a compensation.
Amongst the privileges obtained for supporting the new king, the Caamaño received the parishes of Rubiáns and Arealonga (the land on which Vilagarcía is today). Thus, there is written evidence that at the beginning of the 15th century García Fernández de Caamaño already inhabited his “great house of Ru-biáns”. This construction was the origin of today’s pazo which was built around 1445 by García Caamaño, “the Old” and “the Goodlooking”. Four years before he had established a tax exemption which granted some tax benefits for those “moradores” and “probadores” , or those who lived or had the intention of living in “o meu porto et lugar”- my port and my place- of Vila García, referred to as already founded.
He remarried a member of the Mendoza family thus, García de Caamaño, “the archbishop’s squire” be-came part of the Sotomayor family, “the king’s vassals” which made him increase his social status and this was confirmed in 1524 when the family estate in favour of his son, García “the Tall”, was established. Built over the remains of the old tower, the pazo gained in presence and in possessions. “Caamaño avante, con la cruz delante” – Caamaño advances but the cross comes first – as its motto states.
At the end of the 16th century its chapel was built, and nearly one hundred years later the original tower was demolished in order to turn, after successive attempts, the old medieval fortress into a empire-styled manor house. The pazo of Rubiáns stands out for its exquisite décor which is also evident within the garden with its French-style flower gardens and its magnificent specimens of eucalyptus, oaks, coni-fers, palm trees and an abundant collection of camellia trees.
Today, the pazo is axis of a winery and its garden has been declared International Camellia Garden of Excellence
Address: Rúa do Pazo, 7. Rubiáns. 36609 – Vilagarcía de Arousa.
E-mail: info@pazoderubianes.com
Phone: 986 51 05 34 / 619 261 847.
Visits: Private property and residency which includes a vineyard and an exploitation of camellias. Visits are allowed but an admission fee is charged. SELF-GUIDED TOURS: in summer, Monday-Friday 09:00-14:00; the rest of the year, Monday 09:00 – 18:00 and Friday 09:00-16:00. GUIDED TOURS: for groups of over 10 people, Monday – Sunday 09:00 and 19:00. Individual tickets and tickets for small groups, Monday- Friday 11.30 and 17:00 and Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 11:30.
