The Church of Santa Mariña de Ribeira is an outstanding example of Neoclassical religious architecture in Galicia, notable for its monumentality within a rural setting. Its main façade, inspired by classical Greco-Roman architecture, stands out for its balanced proportions, the use of large columns and a triangular pediment. At the centre of the pediment there is a heraldic coat of arms of the Count of Pallares, now heavily deteriorated, which recalls the historical link between the temple and the former lordship of the area.
The portal is particularly striking for its two large Doric columns, smooth and without fluting, flanked by pilasters that reinforce its monumental character. The ensemble is completed by a simple single-tier bell tower with two bells, one of them dated 1778, the year in which the construction of the temple was completed. The church was built thanks to the patronage of Don Felipe de la Vega y Calo Ballo de Porras.
The interior is organised with the sobriety and luminosity characteristic of Neoclassicism. A large dome on an octagonal drum stands out, crowned by a lantern that illuminates the apse, while the nave is covered by a continuous barrel vault pierced by lateral windows. The main altarpiece was added after the construction of the church and was financed partly by the local inhabitants and by the Counts of Pallares, whose coats of arms also appear on it. The harmony of its proportions and the architectural quality of the building make Santa Mariña de Ribeira one of the most remarkable religious monuments of inland Galicia.
