Sights in Santiago De Compostela
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Catedral de Santiago de Compostela
The grand heart of Santiago, the cathedral soars above the city centre in a splendid jumble of moss-covered spires and statues. Though Galicia’s grandest monument was built piecemeal through the centuries, its beauty is only enhanced by the mix of Romanesque, baroque and Gothic flourishes. What you see today is actually the fourth church to stand on this spot. The bulk of it was built between 1075 and 1211, in Romanesque style, with a traditional Latin-cross layout and three naves. Much of the ‘bunting’ (the domes, statues and endless trimmings) came later. The cathedral’s artistic and architectural riches fill guidebooks of their own (a worthwhile investment at around €7…
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Museo da Catedral
The many-roomed Museo da Catedral, entered to the right of the cathedral’s Obradoiro facade, spreads over four floors and includes the cathedral’s large 16th-century, Gothic/plateresque cloister. You’ll see Maestro Mateo’s original stone choir (destroyed in 1603 but recently pieced back together), rooms of tapestries including a set from designs by Goya, an impressive collection of religious art (including the botafumeiro, in the second-floor library), the lavishly decorated 18th-century sala capitular (chapter house), and, off the cloister, the treasury and the Panteón de Reyes, which contains tombs of kings of medieval León. The museum ticket also covers the cry…
reviewed
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Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela
The grand heart of Santiago, the cathedral soars above the city centre in a splendid jumble of moss-covered spires and statues. Though Galicia's grandest monument was built piecemeal through the centuries, its beauty is only enhanced by the enticing mix of Romanesque, baroque and Gothic flourishes. What you see before you is actually the fourth church to stand on this spot. The bulk of it was built between 1075 and 1211, in Romanesque style with a traditional Latin-cross layout and three naves. Much of the 'bunting' (the domes, statues and endless trimmings) came later. Its artistic and architectural riches fill guidebooks of their own; you'd need days to see it all.
reviewed
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Catedral del Apóstol
Anyone who has journeyed along the Camino de Santiago will hardly be disappointed on finally entering Praza do Obradoiro to behold the lavish baroque façade of the Catedral del Apóstol. Before this elaborately festive façade was built in the 18th century, the less overwhelming but artistically unparalleled Pórtico de la Gloria (Galician: Porta da Gloria) - now behind the baroque façade - was the first scene to greet weary pilgrims.
The bulk of the cathedral was built between 1075 and 1211, in Romanesque style, and the Pórtico de la Gloria was its original façade. Much of the 'bunting' (the domes, statues and endless flourishes) came later.
reviewed
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Mosteiro de San Paio de Antealtares
Across the plaza from the Puerta Santa is the long, stark wall of the Mosteiro de San Paio de Antealtares, founded by Alfonso II for Benedictine monks to look after St James' relics, and converted to a nunnery in 1499.
Climbing the steps at the top of the plaza you'll find the entrance to the convent, above which stands the beatific figure of the 10th-century Galician child saint San Paio, his throat being slashed in reference to his martyrdom in Córdoba. Keep an eye out for the sacred art museum, containing the original alter raised over the Santiago relics.
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Mosteiro de San Martiño Pinario Church
The huge Benedictine Mosteiro de San Martiño Pinario, a seminary that's closed to the public except in summer, when it opens as a hostal. The monastery's elaborate baroque church now operates as a museum featuring the beautifully carved Renaissance choir stalls originally used in the cathedral.
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Praza do Obradoiro
Praza do Obradoiro, to which most arriving Camino pilgrims instinctively find their way, earned its name from the stonemasons’ workshops set up here while Catedral de Santiago de Compostela was being built. Along the western side of the square is the elegant 18th-century Pazo de Raxoi, now the city hall.
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Praza das Praterías
Praza das Praterías is marked with the Fuente de los Caballos (1829) fountain, with Catedral de Santiago de Compostela's south facade at the top of the steps. Curiously, the Casa do Cabildo, facing it on the lower side of the square, is no more than a 3m-deep facade, erected in 1758 to embellish the plaza.
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Museo de Arte Sacra
The Museo de Arte Sacra contains the original altar raised over Santiago relics. The church itself is of relatively simple design, with the exception of its main altar, a frenzy of gilded baroque. You can stop by in the evening to hear the nuns singing vespers.
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Colexiata de Santa María do Sar
About 1km south of the old town along Rúa do Patio de Madres stands, precariously (it suffers a pronounced tilt), the Romanesque Colexiata de Santa María do Sar. Part of the beautiful cloister can still be admired and there's a small museum, mainly of Romanesque sculpture.
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Galicia Dixital
Galicia Dixital occupies the left flank of Mosteiro de San Martiño Pinario. It is full of interactive audiovisual fun like a simulated roller-coaster ride over Santiago’s rooftops and an underwater adventure off the Galician coast.
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Colexio de Fonseca
Located south of Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, and in the cafe-lined Praza de Fonseca, the Colexio de Fonseca with a beautiful Renaissance courtyard and exhibition gallery was the original seat of Santiago’s university (founded in 1495).
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Museo do Pobo Galego
A short walk northeast of the old town, the former Convento de San Domingo de Bonaval houses exhibits on Galician life and arts ranging from the fishing industry to music and traditional costumes.
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Puerta Santa
Following the cathedral walls you enter Praza da Quintana. Here is the cathedral's Puerta Santa, opened only in holy years when the Feast of Santiago (25 July) falls on a Sunday.
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Casa do Cabildo
Facing the Fuente de los Caballos from the lower side of the square is the ornamental 18th-century Casa do Cabildo, a residence for cathedral clergy.
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Fundación Eugenio Granell
Fundación Eugenio Granell includes much of Galician surrealist Granell’s own body of work as well as his collections of surrealist and ethnic art.
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Pazo de Raxoi
Along the western side of the Praza do Obradoiro is the elegant 18th-century Pazo de Raxoi, now the city hall.
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Sacred Art Museum
Inside, the sacred art museum contains the original altar raised over the Santiago relics.
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Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea
The Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea hosts temporary exhibitions of modern art.
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Museo das Peregrinacións
Eight rooms explore the Camino de Santiago phenomenon over the centuries.
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Ciudad de la Cultura
This vast and ambitious 21st-century cultural centre is being constructed atop Monte Gaiás, about 1.5km southeast of the old city, to the designs of American Peter Eisenman. The first sections, the Library and Archive of Galicia, were expected to open in late 2010, with the Museum of Galicia following in 2011.
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