Ermita de San Sebastian, History/Architecture/Art Lovers Information Please

[scruffy1]

I came across the Ermita de San Sebastian, or Capela de San Sebastian while searching through my library on all things Rias Baixas. Never been there but photographs from the 'net show a fairly modern structure, with a small rotunda like top, covered from top to bottom with…scallop shells! Ermita de San Sebastian is located on the island Illa da Toxa, opposite the town of O Grove, west of Pontevedre a-n-d far off the Camino-a good 70-80 kilometers roundtrip back and forth. O Grove is a fishing village turned tourist resort, many swimming pools, spas, beaches, and well you know what I mean. San Pedro and San Andrés are the patrons of fishermen, San Elmo of boatmen (remember Fromista?), O Grove is not on the Camino, decidedly off course for boats to say Padrón, did the people there particularly love Saint James or were conchas de vieira the mainstay of their diet or perhaps their income? I would enjoy any information you may have.

 

[mspath]

I trust you've read what TurismoGalicia says about the chapel.

Check here to see if it is a BIC , ie listed/protected in the Spanish national list of Bienes de Interés Cultural. (The on-line list can be easily searched in a multitude of languages.)

 

[scruffy1]

I trust you've read what TurismoGalicia says about the chapel.

Check here to see if it is a BIC , ie listed/protected in the Spanish national list of Bienes de Interés Cultural. (The on-line list can be easily searched in a multitude of languages.)

Thanks but it was one of the first places I checked. San Sebastian-Capela-Hermitage-all bring up hundreds of non-revelent entries from Donostio to Madrid and capela is changed automatically to cappella so it throws in music-there may actually be something there but it is well hidden!

 

[Castilian]

The chapel is from XIIth century and was reformed later. There isn't much info about when the shells were introduced. Why shells? I don't know but in O Grove there's the tradition of making ornaments with shells. The collareiras are women that make nacklaces with (local) shells and sell them. You can find info about the Collareiras online and there's a book available on Amazon too. I don't know if all shells but some shells are said to be a good insulator against moisture what may be a(nother) reason too... Just some ideas you may research although, maybe, the best source of knowledge about the subject may be an (old) local from Illa da Toxa or O Grove.

O Grove is not on the Camino, decidedly off course for boats to say Padrón

That's not right. Take a look at:

www.elcaminoasantiago.com/mapas/maritimo/maritimo.htm
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago_de_la_Ría_de_Arosa#Ruta_marítimo-fluvial
www.santiagoturismo.com/caminos/itinerario-xacobeo-do-mar-de-arousa-e-rio-ulla
www.fundacionxacobea.com