A MezquitaA Mezquita Manor House
This is an extraordinary palatial building known in the neighbourhood by the name of "o palacio". Its façade is notable for the stonemason's marks on most of its stones, which could be explained by the fact that it was moved here from another building, possibly a medieval tower owned by the Knights of the Order of the Temple. The building was rebuilt in 1480, according to an inscription on its façade. It was enlarged with two lateral wings in the 17th and 18th centuries, when a portico was built under a suntrap giving access to the farm buildings. This element, perhaps also the work of Simón de Monasterio, has a barrel vault and two original portholes with a mixtilinear design on both sides.
The presence of a semicircular arch decorated with an alfiz, a richly decorated moulding that frames the outer part of the arch that covers the main entrance door and ends in corbels decorated with balls, is striking. The alfiz appears again framing a window covered by a lintel on which a Losada armorial stone is carved in high relief. The soffit is also decorated with balls.
It was owned by the Cadórniga or Dukes of Láncara family, originally from Tierra de Campos, who arrived here in 1388, and also by the Losada and Sarmiento families.
Stonemason's marks
During the Middle Ages, stonemasons engraved symbols or abstract marks on the stones they worked, which were intended to identify the author of each of the ashlars, in order to charge for them. These stones were not originally carved for this pazo, but were brought from the now disappeared Torre da Pedreira, which was owned by the Knights of the Order of the Temple.
