The photo that accompanies these lines was taken in one of the most picturesque, idyllic, and historically valuable places in Galicia. It’s Piornedo, a small pre-Roman village located in the municipality of Cervantes, right in the heart of the Ancares region. Its main attraction is the pallozas, traditional round stone and thatch-roofed dwellings, which are scattered throughout the village and preserved in remarkably good condition. Some, like the museum-palloza Casa do Sesto, are so well preserved they’ve been turned into proper museums.
From a photographic standpoint, the place offers a lot. The number of preserved pallozas is so high that the combinations of angles, compositions, and variations are nearly endless, giving photographers full creative freedom. Moreover, the village itself is well maintained. Several of the streets are still cobbled, and while the more modern houses don’t match the pre-Roman aesthetic, they don’t clash too much with the surroundings either. Visually, there’s a certain harmony, and it’s relatively easy to get good shots.
Perhaps the biggest challenge I encountered was the presence of parked cars, which sit beside the pallozas or even beneath the traditional hórreos, somewhat breaking the spell of the place. But it’s important to remember that this is a fully functioning village, not a tourist resort, so the locals have to live their daily lives, and it’s perfectly understandable that they park their cars close to their homes.
The few people I met that day were very friendly. An elderly couple kindly let me photograph them beside their palloza, and a woman I passed in the street greeted me warmly, she clearly felt like chatting. Despite how pesky we tourists can be, it’s clear that the villagers still maintain a great deal of kindness and good humor. It’s a truly authentic place, with immense historical value and a powerful visual impact. One of the best places I’ve visited this year.
