As Pontes Industrial Experience

As Pontes de García Rodríguez is a town with a population over 10,000 located in the northwest of Galicia. The town has its origin in the Middle Ages, and its birth is related to the path that passed through it, and which is known from Roman times, although possibly it is older. In the XIV century, the village of As Pontes (the bridges, in Galician language) belonged to a Lord, García Rodríguezde Valcarcel, who gave it his name.

As Pontes is the venue of the biggest power production in Spain and consequently makes it a significant industrial core. To generate energy, the thermal power plant used lignite, which was extracted from the neighbouring open-cast mine, the largest in Spain at the time. In order to reduce environmental pollution, the power plant was switched from domestic to imported coal, opencast lignite mining was stopped, the landscape recultivated and the huge residual hole flooded with water. The result is a beautiful lake, the largest artificial lake in Spain and a magnificent example of environmental rehabilitation of mining areas.

Although industry is the main activity, and its industrial heritage is wide, As Pontes features a large variety of natural, cultural and heritage resources. The town's industrial heritage can get known walking or cycling an itinerary along the most representative points of the industrial landscape: the 'Ruta de la experiencia industrial' offers a short circular route (1 hour walking) and a slightly longer one (just over 2 hours). The beginning and end of both itineraries is the Tourist Information Point.