Historical period
Middle Ages
Chronology
s. V-VII AD
Access restrictions
None
Description
It is one of the few manifestations of Germanic art in Galicia, without similarity for many km around. It was part of the defunct parish church of San Xoán de Panxón, and went unnoticed until 1926. It gave entrance to the presbytery of the old basilica-plan temple. Magnificent horseshoe arch, seated on two smooth columns ending in two Corinthian capitals. At the margin of the arch, we can see part of the head of the old temple and a sarcophagus lid (lauda) decorated, also, of Germanic tradition.
The remains of the old parish church of San Xoán de Panxón, with its magnificent horseshoe arch, are one of the few examples of Germanic art that are preserved in Galicia. Due to its importance, this space has been considered an Asset of Cultural Interest since 1964.
At present, we can see remains of the quadrangular apse, to which the triumphal horseshoe arch opens. This was identified in the decade of the 30s of the last century, when the expansion of the small parish temple was considered.
Given the importance of the discovery, the architect in charge of the expansion, Antonio Palacios, abandoned the project and chose to create a new church, the Templo Votivo del Mar.
The arch, made up of 21 voussoirs of different sizes, but with a balanced appearance, is supported by two columns with smooth shafts and Corinthian-inspired capitals, with two rows of acanthus leaves and incipient volutes. Although at present they cannot be observed, the shafts are seated on bases that, according to the available information, would be capitals similar to those mentioned, but inverted. Originally the arch was supported by two pairs of columns on each side, as can still be seen today.
Due to its appearance and execution technique, it can be assured that its invoice is Germanic, ruling out that they were reused from a previous Roman construction.
In 1963, a laude, or sarcophagus lid, with stole-type decoration was identified as part of a nearby wall, which was later moved to the apse of the temple. The characteristics of the decoration invite to place it in the Swabian period (5th-7th centuries).
In the 80s of the last century, on the occasion of the consolidation of the arch, a small excavation was carried out in which the original foundations of the Germanic temple were identified, which define a characteristic Greek cross plan. On these, and taking advantage of them in part, during the 17th century the church was reformed, acquiring the appearance that remained until the 20th century, when it disappeared.
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