Roxos: Rock Art, the Way of St. James and Waterfalls

Several clearly distinct themes can guide your choice of Roxos as a destination: prehistoric carvings in the Val de Roxos, inscriptions on Pedra da Legua, the Way of St. James to Fisterra, a three-arched stone bridge and the Cascadas del río Roxos. The named places and features bring together archaeology, route connections and riverside scenery, but describe different focal points. If you are considering Roxos, you can decide whether you are most interested in rock art, inscriptions, architectural forms or a type of landscape.

Rock art in the Val de Roxos

The Val de Roxos is home to more than twenty rocks bearing prehistoric carvings. It is also where Compostela’s largest concentration of rock carvings is found. One named site within this subject is the Petroglyph do Rexío: it lies directly on the Way of St. James along its extension to Fisterra and Muxía, and is considered one of the most prominent rock art sites in the Parque Compostela Rupestre. Thus, the valley’s carvings form a broader theme alongside one particularly notable petroglyph. The Ruta Circular Diurna Petroglifos de Val de Roxos circular walk starts and ends at Ponte Brea in A Portela, Villestro. Its name also draws attention to the rock carvings; Ponte Brea is named as both the starting and ending point. If you are interested in rock art, these different points of reference can help structure your choices: a valley with more than twenty carved rocks, a prominent petroglyph, or a circular walk with named start and end points.

Inscriptions and the Way of St. James

Pedra da Legua lies near the centre of Roxos and close to the current route of the Way of St. James to Fisterra. The stone bears inscriptions from various periods, including the year 1760. This distinguishes it from the prehistoric carvings in the Val de Roxos: here, the focus is on inscriptions on a named stone, while there, it is on rock carvings across more than twenty rocks. The route connections can also be distinguished. Pedra da Legua lies near the current route to Fisterra; the Petroglyph do Rexío lies directly on the extension of the Way of St. James to Fisterra and Muxía. If you compare places by their stated connections to the Camino, this distinction is useful: Pedra da Legua combines inscriptions from several periods with its proximity to the town centre, while the Petroglyph do Rexío combines rock art with its direct location on the Way of St. James extension.

Bridge and wayside cross

Ponte de Brea, which crosses the Roxos River, is a stone bridge with three arches and is known in the region as a “Roman bridge.” The Crucero de Roxos is also part of the Chapel of San Miguel complex. Made of granite, it has an octagonal cross with Florentine-style finials. Its depictions include Christ crucified, Santiago Matamoros and Santa Teresa. The two structures have different focal points: the description of Ponte de Brea centres on its stone construction and three arches, while that of the crucero focuses on the shape of the cross, its finials and the figures depicted. In this way, their architectural features complement the archaeological themes of rock carvings and inscriptions with two further specific features.

The Cascadas del río Roxos

The Cascadas del río Roxos form where the Roxos River, within the municipalities of Santiago and Ames, descends steeply towards the Sar River. The river’s course, the steep gradient and the direction towards the Sar are therefore defining elements in the landscape description of these waterfalls. This focal point differs from the rock carvings, the Camino connections and the structures. Taken together, the named themes offer different points of interest to help you decide on your trip: from prehistoric rock art to inscriptions and architectural forms, and a steep river course.

Discover more destinations: Formaris

View the broader travel overview: Santiago De Compostela.