PILGRIMS IN FRONT THE CATHEDRAL IN PLAZA DEL OBRADOIRO SQUARE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA CITY PONTEVEDRA GALICIA SPAIN
The Santiago de Compostela's cathedral is the destination of the important medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St James (in Galician the Camiño de Santiago). A romanesque construction. The present cathedral began in 1075 under the reign of Alfonso VI of Castile (1040-1109) and the patronage of bishop Diego Pelaez. It was built mostly in granite. Construction was halted several times and, according to the Liber Sancti Iacobi, the last stone was laid in 1122. But by then, the construction of the cathedral was certainly not finished. The cathedral was consecrated in 1128 in the presence of king Alfonso IX of Leon. The western façade (or Fachada de la Plaza del Obradoiro) is flanked by two medieval towers, 76 m high. The northern façade leads into the Praza da Immaculada. Here ended the Way of St. James, coming from France, ending at the Francigena (also called Gate of Paradise), the Romanesque portal built in 1122 by Bernard, treasurer of the eastern façade at the Praza da Quintana has two main portals : the Holy Door and the Royal Door. The Holy Door opens only during a Holy Year, the year when 25 July (the saint's day of St. James) falls on a Sunday. The southern façade is situated at the Praza das Praterias. inside the cathedral is 97 m long and 22 m high. It preserves its original barrel-vaulted cruciform Romanesque interior. It consists of a nave, two lateral aisles, a wide transept and a choir with radiating chapels. Perhaps the chief beauty of the cathedral, however, is the 12th century Portico da Gloria, behind the western facade. This Portico da Gloria in the narthex of the west portal is a remains from the Romanesque period. It is a masterwork of Romanesque sculpture built between 1168 and 1188 by Master Mateo at the request of king Ferdinand II of Leon. The Way of St James starts at the french city of Roncesvalles and ends in Santiago . It was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times.
Size: 5309px × 3541px
Location: Santigao de Compostela. Galicia. Northwest. Spain. Europe
Photo credit: © Toni Vilches / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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