PAZO DE OCA
Shallowed by the Pico Sacro (A Estrada, Pontevedra) on Pontevedra?s side of the Ulla?s valley, is the most visited barroque villa of Galicia. On the ruins of an old military construction, Álvaro de Oca began, mid of the fifteenth century, to build a fortress house that was lost in favour of the Compostelanian mitre by one of his descendants, Suero de Oca. It was owned by Felipe II in 1575 and later, in 1586, was bought by María de Neyra who added it to the wealth she made for her son Juan. Since it was inherited many times through the female side of the family, the surname Neyra changed successively to Gayoso, Gayoso de Cobos, Fernández de Henestrosa and Fernández de Córdoba until the last owner adquired the villa, the current Duchess of Medinaceli, who created in 1978 the Fundación Casa Ducal de Medinaceli, adding it to her resources with the rest of her historical heritage.

The incorporation of balls, pinacules, heraldic beasts and cannions increased even more the magnificent place, already characterized by its splendid chapel, ciclopean walls, outstanding gardens and exotic trees... guided by the element that domains it all: water.

A walk in the garden…

Two different gardens can be distinguished in the villa. The orcherd, with plots of various crops, is crossed diagonally by the set of whash-house, river and mill, and surrounded by a line of box, considerably aged and groups of citric trees.

The geometric garden is formed by seven groups of exceptional flora: the camellia reticulata is the most outsranding tree, followed by other relevant specimens of Japonese red ceder, yew tree, evergreen magnolia, lagerstroemia, red sequoia, white maple tree, laurocerasus and a great mass of ancient camellias that shelter walks. The Carreira do Conde, with its path of trees borders the other part of the garden, the English styled one, where a meadow coexists with an ornamental forest in which we shall mention a photinia and a Virginian tuliptree, as well as the lime tree avenue.

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