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.