Ferrol had exemptions since the 12th century, granted by Alfonso VII. Enrique II handed the city to Fernán Pérez de Andrade, coming back to the crown and becoming the marine and modern Ferrol.

   St Francisco Church remembers the convent founded by Pérez de Andrade in the 14th century. The present church from the 18th century has a Latin cross floor and interesting images by José Ferreiro can be contemplated inside.

    The naval dockyard was built in the middle of the 18th century and so was the new city. The military facilities were built on solid ground, being the Marine Training Barracks the most standing element. The Magdalena district, which was born up in this century, has a reticulated layout with six parallel streets cut by nine cross ones and two squares in the centre.
   

    The old Hospital de la Caridad, which was erected in the late 18th century to attend pilgrims and ill people, is nowadays Torrente Ballester Cultural Centre.

   St Julian Church (Ferrol shares the bishopric with Mondoñedo) was built by Sánchez Bort in the second half of the 18th century.
    Virgen de los Dolores Church lies at Amboage Square.

    The Town Hall at the Plaza de Armas was built in 1953 and houses the local museum.

    After the Plaza de la Constitución and Cantón de Molíns, the visitor gets to the Angustias neoclassic Church.

    In this way there were hospitals of the Sancti Spiritus order in Ferrol, Neda, Miño, Paderne and Betanzos. The Andrade contributed to pilgrimages building and restoring bridges in Xubia, Pontedeume, Lambre, Betanzos and O Burgo.

Xubia

    We go on a parallel route to the estuary of Ferrol. In Xubia, we find the magnificent St Martiño Romanesque Church, heiress of the old Monastery of O Couto that was erected in the 8th century and restored in the 12th century.

    The church, with three naves and a three-apse head, has artistic corbels that make it special. The Romanesque façade is protected by a portico of the 18th century.
Xubia and this monastery were the first stop for pilgrims coming from Ferrol.

Neda

Near Neda, we find the As Aceas de Lembeie Mill, moved by the tides

On the banks of the River Xubia there is now a pilgrims lodging.

St María Church dates from the beginning of the 18th century.
The Town Hall with a tower of the 18th century preserves the rests of the Sancti Spiritus pilgrim’s hospital of the 15th century.

We leave Neda visiting St Nicolas Church (14th century).