Highlights
- You'll tour the Cathedral's monumental surroundings with an expert eye
- You'll discover stories and details that often go unnoticed
- You'll learn about the evolution of Santiago through its squares and facades
Description
The tour begins in Plaza de Platerías, where the Fountain of the Horses evokes the city's founding origins. In front of it stands the Romanesque portico dedicated to Paradise from the 12th century, a work marked by the fire of 1117 that forced it to be rebuilt with sculptures from different parts of the Cathedral, creating an ensemble as unique as it is enigmatic.
From there, you'll head up to the Quintana, a space divided between the 'Dead' and the 'Living' that for centuries functioned as a burial site until the end of the 18th century. In this square, you'll find the Holy Door, a symbolic access that only opens on the eve of the Holy Year. Right across from it, the monastery of San Paio de Antealtares helps you understand the relationship between the monastic community and the cathedral.
Going around the outside of the temple's head, the walk leads you to Plaza de Azabachería, where the new neoclassical façade from the 18th century replaces the old Romanesque-style Francigena façade, which lets us see the changes the cathedral complex has undergone over the centuries. Opposite this square is one of the largest Benedictine monasteries in Galicia: San Martín Pinario. This monument serves as an example to explain the disendowment phenomenon that monastic and conventual communities suffered during the first third of the 19th century.
In the Plaza del Obradoiro, the tour reaches its climax. This large space, conceived as an authentic 'urban theater,' brings together the four powers that have shaped Santiago's history: spiritual, civil, hospital, and university. In front of you unfolds the baroque façade of the Cathedral, designed to impress the pilgrim who arrived exhausted after the Camino. On one side, the Pazo de Raxoi represents civil power and enlightened administration; on the other, the old Royal Hospital recalls the vocation of welcoming walkers since the 16th century. Closing the square, the College of San Xerome evokes the origins of the University and the intellectual life of the city.
Includes
A monumental tour around the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
Historical and cultural explanations throughout the itinerary.
Specialized accompaniment during the visit.
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
