Virgin of the Rock

On a hillside above the town, a 15-metre stone statue of the Virgin of the Rock stands with one arm raised over the harbour. Climb the steps through the headland park to reach it — the walk takes about fifteen minutes from the waterfront. Once there, you can enter the base and climb an internal staircase to a small balcony at the top for panoramic views of the ría, the castle headland, and the Atlantic horizon.

The statue is visible from much of the harbour and from the fortress walls. It is the work of the Galician sculptor Antonio Palacios, who designed it in 1930 as a monument to the sailors and fishermen of the coast. The park around the base is pleasant for a wander and gets very quiet in the mornings.

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The statue of the Virgin of the Rock was inaugurated in 1930 and stands 15 metres tall on top of Monte Sansón. She holds a boat in her left hand — the traditional attribute of a patroness of sailors and fishermen. An internal staircase climbs up through the stone figure to a small viewing platform in her crown, from which you look out over Baiona harbour, the Cíes Islands, and on a clear day, the Portuguese coast.