A "pazo" is a type of grand old house found in Galicia. A "pazo" is usually located in the countryside and the former residence of an important nobleman or other important individual. They were of crucial importance to the rural and monastic communities around them. The "pazo" was a traditional architectural structure associated with a community and social network. It usually consisted of a main building surrounded by gardens, a dovecote and outbuildings such as a small chapels for religious celebrations. The word "pazo" is derived from the Latin "palatiu(m)" ("palace").