Church of San Juan of Portomarín, Romanesque church in Portomarín, Spain.
The Church of San Juan of Portomarín is a Romanesque fortified church in the center of Portomarín, Galicia, built to serve both as a place of worship and as a defensive structure. Four corner towers frame its thick stone walls, and inside a barrel-vaulted nave leads to a semicircular apse at the far end.
The church was built in the 12th century by the Knights of Saint John on the banks of the Miño River, at a spot that is now underwater. When the Belesar reservoir was created in the 1960s, workers dismantled the building stone by stone and reassembled it on higher ground before the old town was flooded.
The church stands right on the Camino de Santiago and is often the first stop pilgrims make after crossing the bridge into town. Its location at the center of Portomarín means it draws both travelers passing through and locals going about their day.
The building stands in the center of town and is easy to reach on foot from the main square or the bridge entrance. Opening hours can vary by season, so it is worth checking with the local tourist office before planning your visit.
If you look closely at the exterior walls, you can still spot the numbered markings that workers carved into the stones in the 1960s to guide the reassembly of the building. These marks were meant as a guide during reconstruction and were never removed after the work was completed.
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