What is a pazo singular? A large rustic manor house, with all its characteristic architectural attributes: built in stone, with a coat of arms, chapel, dovecote, etc. But it also has details that make it different from the rest.

“At the bottom of a valley between trees and meadows. On the outside, a compact prismatic volume. Surprisingly, there is a curious interior courtyard. Interesting in parts, such as the entrance arch, sundeck, small fountain, curious chimney, almost square free-standing chapel”.

This is how the Pazo de Elfe (House of Elfe) is described on the official website of Turismo de Galicia. Located near Chantada, Lugo, and even closer to the Camino de Santiago de Invierno, this authentic and singular pazo, with its 80 ha of land, although in need of a thorough restoration, is a unique property.

In different publications and at different times, this singular manor house is mentioned: “…we cannot forget the Losadas and Quiroga families. Native to the valley of Quiroga, they were important knights in the even. Their descendants were the Lugo de Pedrosa lords who conserved or conserve an important property in the place called A Elfe, located in the parish of Santa María de Arcos in Chantada”. And also “Santa María de Arcos, a parish in the municipality of Chantada in Lugo, a place with a noble past that still preserves traces of grandeur. The Pazo del Elfe is a good testimony”.

Today, it is a noble building in which the carved railing of its sunny porche and the columns that support the roof stand out. The massive, compact appearance of the house. The arches of its façade and interior courtyard. And the singularity of its main chimney. The interior of the house is in need of extensive restoration.

The house has an area of approximately 1,000 m2, distributed over one and a half floors. The upper floor is the actual dwelling. The lower half floor was used for stables, storage of the products of the land and the cellar. The roof is made of old tiles and requires attention.

As for the rooms, the spaces that make up the interior of this house are so large that today it is difficult to determine their number and use. There are several stone fireplaces of different sizes. There is also what appears to be a carved stone baptismal font in one of the rooms, which indicates that the chapel that today stands outside was once there.

This ample space allows us to ensure that, with a suitable refurbishment, any residential or business project has a place in this unique pazo in Elfe.

Agriculture and livestock farming are the main activities to which this property has been dedicated throughout its history. Today it could be used for a wide variety of purposes.

A large meadow slopes down from the back of the house to the River Enviade. This is the name of the river and it has quite a lot of water. It runs through the whole estate. It once had three stone watermills along its course. Today only two remain, but one of them is known to have worked day and night.

A large forest of hundred-year-old indigenous trees, some of which could even be a thousand years old, presides over the upper parts of the land. A white dovecote with red tiles welcomes us as we enter the pazo. Not far from it, a series of modern sheds store fodder and tools, even a small garage for agricultural machinery. And, next, the square stone chapel, with 36 m2. With its wooden altar. A stone coat of arms on the lintel of the door. And a little further on, the stone fountain and the trough where the cattle used to drink.

On the hills that rise up in front of the pazo, on the other side of the river, you can see a series of modern sheds for cattle. But, without leaving the building, on the ground floor, we find an old cowshed. A wood-fired oven. And a wine cellar.