Pontevedra Auditorium and Convention Centre

The construction of the Pontevedra Auditorium and Convention Centre was planned at the beginning of the 1990s as part of an extensive urban planning project for the development of the north-eastern part of the city, on the reclaimed land of an old marsh.

The project included the construction of a cable-stayed bridge, the Tirantes Bridge, to serve the auditorium and as an exit from the city to the north, an exhibition centre annexed to the Auditorium in front of the Rosalía de Castro Park, and the development of the banks of the Lérez River and the Island of Sculptures park.{{Cite web|date=13 May 2017|title=Prueba de resistencia y apertura del quinto puente|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/pontevedra/2017/05/13/prueba-resistencia-apertura-quinto-puente/0003_201705P13C11993.htm|website=La Voz de Galicia|language=es}}

The architect Manuel de las Casas won the preliminary design competition for the construction of the convention centre, the resolution of which was announced on 2 November 1991.{{Cite web|date=2 November 2018|title=Manuel de las Casas gana el concurso del gran auditorio|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/pontevedra/pontevedra/2018/11/02/manuel-casas-gana-concurso-gran-auditorio/0003_201811P2C10993.htm|website=La Voz de Galicia|language=es}} He designed the project in 1992. Construction of the Convention Centre began in 1993 and the auditorium was opened in 1997,{{Cite web|date=March 2014|title=Manuel de las Casas Gómez|url=https://www.coam.org/media/Default%20Files/fundacion/biblioteca/bibliografias-muestras/docs/BIBLIOGRAFIA-MANUEL-DE-LAS-CASAS.pdf|website=Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Madrid (COAM)|language=es}} while the exhibition centre was inaugurated in 1998.

The palace was inaugurated on 20 September 1997, with the exhibition The Neutrality of the Order by Manuel de las Casas and a concert by mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza and the Royal Galician Philharmonic conducted by Maximino Zumalave.{{Cite web|date=26 May 2017|title=El diseño del Pazo da Cultura atrajo a 180 arquitectos|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/pontevedra/pontevedra/2017/05/26/diseno-pazo-da-cultura-atrajo-180-arquitectos/0003_201705P26C10993.htm|website=La Voz de Galicia|language=es}}

Just afterwards, on 24 and 25 September 1997, a congress on Infrastructure, Environment and Regional Development was held in the convention centre.{{Cite web|date=27 November 2022|title=La necesidad de una infraestructura

|url=https://www.diariodepontevedra.es/articulo/pontevedra/necesidad-infraestructura/202211271850001229008.html|website=Diario de Pontevedra|language=es}}

With its contemporary architecture, the palace comprises a complex of buildings covering 10,000 m², which includes an exhibition area, plenary rooms, an auditorium and a restaurant area.{{Cite web|date=9 February 2014|title=Fallece Manuel de las Casas, arquitecto del Pazo da Cultura de Pontevedra|url=https://www.diariodepontevedra.es/articulo/noticias/fallece-manuel-de-las-casas-arquitecto-del-pazo-da-cultura-de-pontevedra/20140209223100247667.html|website=Diario de Pontevedra|language=es}} It is a multi-purpose building that allows all its spaces to be used at the same time.

The most characteristic aspect of the exterior of the palace are the green slate slabs, corten steel, copper and glass which, together with the harmonious ensemble of the building's volumes, such as the cube of the exhibition hall, favour its integration into the surrounding landscape and greenery.{{Cite web|date=23 June 2018|title=El recinto ferial se integra en el conjunto del auditorio|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/pontevedra/2018/06/23/recinto-ferial-integra-conjunto-auditorio/0003_201806P23C10992.htm|website=La Voz de Galicia|language=es}} Manuel de las Casas organises the terrain by designing artificial platforms, squares and stone terraces that overlook the ria, the Lérez and the city.

The complex is composed of pure volumes with a cylinder for the Auditorium and two prisms on different floors, housing a large exhibition hall, the Convention Centre, a restaurant and a cafeteria. The congress hall and meeting rooms are located inside the trapezoidal prism. On the square-based prism, the entrance and the large skylight lead to the exhibition hall on the lower level. At the edge of the Lérez, the building is accessed by a stone staircase covered by the green slate wall.

The Pontevedra Convention Centre has been designed to host different types of events,{{Cite web|date=27 November 2022|title=En Imágenes. La necesidad de una infraestructura|url=https://www.diariodepontevedra.es/album/pontevedra/en-ima/202211271935581229030.html|website=Diario de Pontevedra|language=es}} conventions, trade fairs, public fairs, exhibitions, corporate events, business conventions, seminars, symposiums, conferences - whatever format or tone the organisers wish to give it. Its advantages can be summed up in two words: modularity and functionality.

The convention centre offers :

• a total net floor area of 10,000 m2
• a main auditorium with 772 seats. According to the architect Manuel de las Casas, in the concert hall or main auditorium, undulating and even whimsical shapes were sought to avoid sound bouncing.
• an auditorium or conference room with 276 seats
• a 100-seat meeting room
• a light and bright exhibition hall of 1,220 m2
• a panoramic restaurant with a view of the Lérez River and the Tirantes Bridge{{Cite web|date=30 September 2014|title=La cafetería del Pazo da Cultura reabrirá en octubre|url=https://pontevedraviva.com/xeral/14821/cafeteria-restaurante-pazo-cultura-reabrira-outubro-grupo-mochi/?lang=es|website=Pontevedra Viva|language=es}}
• 8 seminar rooms
• a workshop room for 40 people
• a press room
• a VIP room
• rehearsal room, rest room, sewing room, 10 dressing rooms.
• a public car park for 1300 vehicles

In addition to concerts and shows, it hosts conventions and exhibitions such as Culturgal, the fair of cultural activities in Galicia and publishing houses,{{Cite web|date=20 November 2020|title="No hay pandemia que pueda con Culturgal"|url=https://pontevedraviva.com/cultura/69663/presentacion-culturgal-2020-pandemia/?lang=es|website=Pontevedra Viva|language=es}} Pont Up Store, Cantos na maré,{{Cite web|date=13 October 2018|title=Cantos na Maré conecta la galleguidad y la lusofonía|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/vigo/2018/10/13/cantos-na-mare-conecta-galleguidad-lusofoniael/0003_201810V13C11998.htm|website=La Voz de Galicia|language=es}} Etiqueta Negra, Edugal, Debut, etc.

File:Pontevedra - Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Pontevedra (Pazo da Cultura) - Salón de Congresos y Auditorio 1.JPG|Upper section

File:Pontevedra capital Palacio de Congresos.jpg|Façade

File:Pontevedra-Reflejo del Auditorio (5106054098).jpg|Façade integrated into the landscape

File:Pontevedra capital Entrada Palacio de Congresos.jpg|Entrance hall

File:Pontevedra-Entrada del auditorio (7134819231).jpg|Entrance

File:Pontevedra- Gaviota sobre el Auditorio (7147682793).jpg|Auditorium in the foreground

File:Pontevedra Capital Carril bici delante del Palacio de Congresos.jpg|Cycle path in front of the palace

File:Pontevedra - Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Pontevedra (Pazo da Cultura) - Sala de Exposiciones.JPG|Glass cube in the exhibition hall

File:Pontevedra - Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Pontevedra (Pazo da Cultura) - Salón de Congresos y Auditorio 3.JPG|Stairs that are part of the palace

File:Pontevedra-Auditorio y Pazo de exposiciones (7005468624).jpg|Exhibition centre

File:Abanico de cables (16789957489).jpg|View of the palace from the Tirantes Bridge

File:Pontevedra - Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Pontevedra (Pazo da Cultura) - Policía Municipal 2.JPG|Auditorium

File:Vestíbulo del Auditorio (17121851117).jpg|Auditorium Hall

File:Pontevedra-Pazo de exposicions (10768241486).jpg|Interior of the exhibition hall

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Pazo da Cultura de Pontevedra}}

• {{Cite book|last=Aganzo|first=Carlos|title=Pontevedra. Ciudades con encanto|publisher=El País-Aguilar|year=2010|isbn=978-8403509344|location=Madrid|pages=106–107|language=es}}
• {{Cite book|last=Riveiro Tobío|first=Elvira|title=Descubrir Pontevedra|publisher=Edicións do Cumio|year=2008|isbn=9788482890852|location=Pontevedra|page=69|language=es}}

• Pontevedra Exhibition Centre
• Principal Theatre
• Manuel de las Casas

• [https://structurae.net/en/structures/pazo-de-congresos-e-exposicions-de-pontevedra Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Pontevedra on the Structurae website]
• [https://www.turismo.gal/recurso/-/detalle/15950/palacio-de-congresos-y-exposiciones-de-pontevedra?langId=en_US&ctre=185&tp=32 Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones de Pontevedra on the website Galicia Tourism]
• [http://www.pazodacultura.org Pazo da Cultura website]
• [https://v2.culturgal.com/ Culturgal] website

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{{Pontevedra landmarks}}

{{Subject bar|portal1=architecture|portal2=classical music|portal3=the arts|portal4=theatre|portal5=Spain}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pontevedra Auditorium Convention Centre}}

Category:Culture in Pontevedra

Category:Buildings and structures in Pontevedra

Category:Opera houses in Spain

Category:Convention centers in Spain

Category:Buildings and structures in the Province of Pontevedra

Category:Tourist attractions in Galicia (Spain)

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1997

Category:Concert halls in Spain

Category:1997 establishments in Spain

Category:Trade fair venues in Spain

Category:Modernist architecture in Spain