Teixidelo viewpoint
The enigma of the Bacariza granulites
The Teixidelo viewpoint, in the heart of Serra da Capelada, at an altitude of 337 metres, offers more than just a spectacular view: it is a window onto the granulites of the Bacariza Formation, metamorphic rocks that withstood extreme pressures and temperatures when they were buried to a depth of approximately 55 km during the subduction process caused by the collision that led to the formation of the Pangea supercontinent. These are lithologies formed under conditions somewhat less extreme than eclogites, but overall they have been formed under metamorphic conditions known as 'high pressure' and 'high temperature'. This type of granulite is rare on the planet and is one of the most characteristic features of the Cabo Ortegal Complex and of the Variscan Orogeny.
The massif and cliffs that can be seen from the Teixidelo viewpoint are visual proof of the enormous force of the tectonic movements. The Bacariza granulites show significant deformation, visible in the tectonic structures that define their banded appearance, known as 'foliation'. This foliation is the main tectonic feature of the materials in the Cabo Ortegal Complex. Isotopic dating of the minerals formed in these bands allows us to determine the age of the structures and the metamorphism.
