World Heritage Photos

Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) – Destination of an Ancient Route

Santiago de Compostela is situated in the northwestern part of Spain. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is located in the Plaza del Obradoiro, a square in the historic centre of the town. The cathedral is one of the three widely-known Christian pilgrimage destinations in the world; the other two are Jerusalem and Rome. The construction of the cathedral started in 1075 and continued until the 12th century.

For more than a thousand years, pilgrims from all over the world have walked the world-famous Route of Santiago de Compostela, also known as the Way of St. James (Spanish: Camino de Santiago). Their destination is this imposing cathedral, which houses the tomb of the Apostle Saint James. His reliquary chest is situated in the crypt of this sacred building.

Three other important historic buildings on the Plaza del Obradoiro are the Palacio de Rajoy, the Hostal de los Reyes Católicos and the Colegio de San Jerónimo. Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

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   The imposing towers of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela dominate the Old Town of Santiago de Compostela. The construction of the cathedral started in the 11th century during the reign of King Alfonso VI of Castile. For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have been walking the famous Route of Santiago de Compostela, also known as the Way of St. James; their destination is this world-famous cathedral with the tomb of the Apostle James. The cathedral is the most important monument of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Santiago de Compostela (Old Town).

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   The dome of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the Eye of Providence. This dome contains the pulley mechanism to swing the Botafumeiro, one of the most famous and popular symbols of the cathedral. The Botafumeiro is set in motion by eight men – the tiraboleiros. The speed at which it swings back and forth high above the heads of the pilgrims can reach up to 70 kilometres per hour. The world-famous and imposing cathedral is situated in the historic centre of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

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   Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela: The statue of Santo dos Croques (Saint of the Bumps on the Head) was sculpted by Master Mateo, who also created the Romanesque Pórtico da Gloria. For centuries, it was a tradition for pilgrims and students of the University of Santiago de Compostela to knock their forehead three times gently on the forehead of this statue in order to receive some of his wisdom and intelligence. The 12th-century granite figure is likely not a saint at all, but a self-portrait of Master Mateo himself. The impressive cathedral stands on the Plaza del Obradoiro, the main square in the old town of Santiago de Compostela.

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   Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The Botafumeiro hanging from the vault of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The Botafumeiro is the largest censer in the world, weighing 53 kg and measuring 1.05 metres in height. It is one of the most famous and popular symbols of the cathedral. This impressive censer is made of a combination of bronze and brass and is plated with a thin layer of silver. The current Botafumeiro dates from 1851; an earlier version was looted by Napoleon's troops in 1809.

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   Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The Puerta Santa, the Holy Door, from the inside of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. This door is a special entrance of a cathedral, which is only opened during a Holy Year or Jubilee Year. The Holy Door of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela opens when the Feast of the Apostle Saint James (25 July) falls on a Sunday, this occurs every five, six or eleven years. The door is flanked by exquisite 12th-century sculptures of the Prophet Ezekiel and the Apostle Jude Thaddeus, both salvaged from the former choir stalls created by Master Mateo.

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   Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The silver reliquary chest containing the remains of the Apostle James in the crypt of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Inside the 19th-century silver reliquary chest is a cedar box, divided into compartments containing the remains of the apostle and two of his disciples. From the 9th century until today, a countless number of pilgrims from all over the world have travelled to the crypt to venerate the apostle's relics. To protect them from pirate raids, these holy relics were hidden behind a wall in the 16th century and were rediscovered in the 19th century.

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   Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The high altar of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was created in the Romanesque style during the Middle Ages. In the late 17th century, it was remodeled in the Churrigueresque style; this exuberant Spanish Baroque style is characterized by lavish gold ornamentation. The silver reliquary with the remains of the Apostle Saint James rests in the crypt directly below this golden altar. For centuries, this silver reliquary has been the destination for millions of Christian pilgrims. The wooden statue of the apostle, featuring its silver mantle, stands in a narrow corridor behind this altar.

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   Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): One of the two bronze pulpits of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. These true masterpieces of the renaissance was created bij the renowned Master Juan Bautista Celma in 1563. The cathedral is one of the most important Christian pilgrimage destinations in the world, the other two are Jerusalem and Rome. The 12th century was the heyday of the pilgrimage to the Spanish town Santiago de Compostela. Today, each year more than 200,000 pilgrims walk the Way of St. James to the cathedral. 

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   Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The statue of Zebedee in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Zebedee was the father of the Apostles James and John; they worked as fishermen in Galilee. The brothers James and John left Galilee when Jesus called them to follow Him and become 'fishers of men'. The statue is situated on the column to the left of the High Altar. On the column to the right of this altar stands a statue of Salome, the mother of these apostles. The Apostle James is also known as James Major or James the Greater.

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    Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The Romanesque entrance of the Igreja da Corticela features an intriguing granite tympanum depicting the Adoration of the Magi, one of the best-known Christmas stories. Carved figures of biblical prophets, who foretold the coming of Jesus, adorn the innermost arch. The middle arch features images of angels, representing the link between Heaven and Earth, while the outermost arch depicts the Creation. This 9th-century Igreja da Corticela was once a small freestanding church, but when the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was expanded, it was integrated into the massive edifice rather than demolished.

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    Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): This beautiful relief, located in the sacristy of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, depicts the world-famous scene of the Annunciation. On the left, Mary kneels devoutly before the Archangel Gabriel, who is shown on the right. Behind both figures, a scallop shell – the symbol of the cathedral and of the pilgrimage – is visible. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims wore this iconic shell on their clothing, which often granted them a safe journey and free overnight accommodation in monasteries and churches.

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    Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The courtyard of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is surrounded by a Gothic and Renaissance cloister. The courtyard features several old bronze bells from the cathedral, including the famous Berenguela Bell. This 6.6-tonne bell struck the hours for centuries until it cracked in 1989. An exact replica of this bronze bell was cast in the Netherlands at the world-famous Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry in Asten. The cathedral, which also houses a museum, is the most important historic building in Santiago de Compostela and the centrepiece of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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    Santiago de Compostela (Old Town): The façade with the three imposing towers of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The 12th-century twin towers are named the Torre das Campás and the Torre da Carraca. The famous 14th-century clock tower is called the Torre da Trindade or the Berenguela Tower. Two of the current bells were cast by Royal Eijsbouts in the Netherlands in 1990. The monumental double Obradoiro staircase leads from the main square to the Pórtico da Gloria, the cathedral's outstanding main portal. Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

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    After their journey to Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims often extend their walk to Cape Finisterre. In the past, people believed that the world ended at Cape Finisterre, which literally means the  'End of the World'. The origin of the pilgrimage to this rocky cape is uncertain. In pre-Christian times, it was possibly associated with its status as the 'End of the World', while in the  Christian tradition, Jesus sent his apostles on a mission to the very end of the earth. This may explain why, for many pilgrims, this is the endpoint of the route to Santiago de Compostela. The cape is situated on the Atlantic coast, around 90 km from Santiago de Compostela in Spain.