Today is bittersweet: it is our last day together. After a nice breakfast, we meet our local Santiago art historian for an enriching tour of the Cathedral.
Once inside the ‘walled’ part of the city, we are a short stroll from the Cathedral. The Plaza de Obradoiro has unofficially become “kilometer 0” for the thousands of pilgrims that complete their pilgrimage every year.
The Plaza is surrounded by some of the most important monuments in Santiago: the Plateresque style (Spanish Renaissance) Hostal de los Reyes Católicos, the Palacio de Rajoy, the Colegio de San Jerónimo, and finally, the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela.
As our local guide will explain, this structure has undergone many changes since the first chapel was built in the early 9th century. The interior of the Cathedral is a progression of Romanesque styles and displays a classic layout for pilgrimage cathedrals. However, the architectural jewel of the Cathedral is unquestionably the Pórtico de la Gloria, the west Romanesque door. This masterpiece is the work of Master Mateo and was completed in 1188. The Pórtico de la Gloria boasts over 200 sculpted figures that appear to almost come to life.
This magnificent finale, as well as the meaningful journey, make it all worth it! After a tour of the Cathedral, we leave you to participate, if you wish, in the pilgrim’s’ mass at noon. We hope that you enjoyed your journey, and we can’t wait to see you again soon!
