Sobreira do Loña

Sobreira do Loña is one of the most beautiful cork oaks in Galicia. It is an isolated specimen that is located in a small green area in the district of As Lagoas, next to the church of the Holy Christ, and very close to the university campus and the Portovello chapel.

It is included in the Galician Catalogue of Singular Trees, created by the Galician regional government, an inventory in which are included the most important trees and tree formations in the region. The specimens in this catalogue are considered true botanical relics and enjoy special protection due to their monumental character and their biological, aesthetic, historical, cultural or dendometric characteristics.

In addition to its beauty, the Sobreira do Loña attracts attention for its thick stem, full of warts, which forks at almost 3 metres high. Its branches form a large globose crown that reaches an area of 551 square meters. It is around three centuries old and has a height of 22 metres, as well as a trunk circumference of 7.55 metres. The fact of being in a public park without elements that obstruct the vision contributes to increasing the spectacular nature of this cork oak.

The cork oak (Quercus suber L.) is a tree typical of the Mediterranean region, unusual in Galicia; however, it can be found relatively frequently around the city of Ourense, with beautiful mixed forests such as the one in the historical-natural ensemble of Santomé.

In the vicinity of this natural monument there are other outstanding natural resources such as the University Campus park, an authentic botanical garden of the city, as well as the pedestrian paths that run along the banks of the Miño and Loña rivers.