The director of Tourism of Galicia, Xosé Merelles, has signed a collaboration agreement with the mayor of Ribadeo, Daniel Vega, for the acquisition and rehabilitation of Casa Maseda. The aim is to transform this historic building into the new tourist information office for the municipality.
The Xunta de Galicia will contribute nearly €900,000 to this project, which seeks to enhance local heritage for tourism purposes. The Ribadeo Town Hall anticipates that the work will be completed by 2027. This initiative will improve services for the visitors and pilgrims who come to Ribadeo each year, while also restoring and valuing an architecturally and historically significant property.
The primary goal of the intervention is to preserve the identity of the building. The project includes structural and functional rehabilitation, with a strong emphasis on conserving protected heritage elements, such as the coat of arms on the façade. Merelles highlighted the project's potential to "recover a cultural and tourist asset and adapt it to current needs," integrating heritage conservation with improved public services for visitors.
He stated, "The aim is for Casa Maseda to become a multifunctional building that not only enhances access to tourist information but also strengthens the cultural offerings of the municipality and enriches the tourist experiences related to its heritage."
In this context, Merelles also reiterated the Xunta's commitment to "modernising tourist services, preserving cultural heritage, and enhancing the experience for visitors and pilgrims to Galicia."
Two floors for visitor services and cultural activities
Constructed in 1880, Casa Maseda is part of the architectural heritage of Ribadeo's urban centre. Its rehabilitation will balance the restoration of the building with the introduction of new tourist and cultural uses, ensuring the preservation of its key heritage values.
The improvements will be spread across two floors, designed to combine direct public service with spaces for cultural and educational activities. The ground floor will focus on tourist information and services, providing a more comfortable and functional experience for visitors. Meanwhile, the first floor will be designated as a multipurpose space for exhibitions, talks, and other cultural and educational events.
This initiative aligns with the objectives of the Galicia Tourism Strategy 2030 and is particularly significant for a municipality traversed by the Northern Way, which has already welcomed over 20,000 pilgrims this year.
