This spot was once home to a Celtic settlement and became known as Iria Flavia under the Roman emperor Titus, who ruled from 79 to 81. The town is traditionally known as the first place in Spain where St. James preached. Upon James’ death in Jerusalem, his disciples sailed with his body back to Galicia, arriving in Iria Flavia where they moored their boat to a pedrón (large stone), inspiring the town’s new name of Padrón. Visitors can still see the famous stone today at the parish church of Santiago de Padrón.
Location
Padrón in the Middle Ages
During the early Middle Ages, Iria/Padrón became the seat of a bishopric. The town suffered attacks from both Vikings and Normans, prompting the construction of the defensive Torres do Oeste (West Towers) nearby on the Ulla River, at the head of the estuary known as the Ría de Arousa.
References & Further Reading
Soraluce Blond, José Ramón. Cascos históricos de Galicia. La Coruña: Arenas Publicaciones, 2011. 193-203.