| ( In A Mercé, San Isidro de Posmarcos. Road C-550, Km 31). During the 16th century it was a chapel directed by the hermits. Its change to a Benedictine priory, depending on the powerful San Martín Pinario Abbey, gives special relevance to those pages of the history of the building during the 17th and 18th century. The period of sale of church lands put an end to the previous period of prosperity. In 1836 the Government confiscated its properties to be later put up for auction to Juan José Llamas, a member of the Parliament of A Coruña. Between 1917 and 1921, Ramón María del Valle-Inclán comes to live at A Mercé. These were prolific years of literary production but, paradoxically, those were also years of living from hand to mouth. Here were born two of the sons of the writer: Carlos and Mª de la Encarnación. The chapel of the house functions as the ideal stage for the celebration of family ceremonies. The current building is the result of many different fortunate restorations along the 16th and 19th centuries. The house preserves its chapel, the high altar and the farming installations. The residence is quite simple. As a traditional house, it keeps the masonry in the base, corners and other spaces. The walls are also refilled with masonry and lime mortar, the best way of outlining the house’s relation with San Martín Pinario. The chapel stands out for its masonry façade and for making use of older elements: the renaissance front and the relieve of the Virgin of the Socorro – beating Leviatán with club to save a soul-. The voracity of a fire occurred in 1983 made impossible the preservation of the beautiful baroque altarpiece (1698). Many other valuable figures were also lost. Parish: Posmarcos Place: A Mercé Century: 16th | |