{"id":2411,"date":"2026-05-29T11:14:59","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/cathedrals-of-the-camino-de-santiago\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T10:02:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T10:02:15","slug":"cathedrals-of-the-camino-de-santiago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/cathedrals-of-the-camino-de-santiago\/","title":{"rendered":"Cathedrals of the Camino de Santiago"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The French way: The axis of gothic art jewels<\/h2>\n\n
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Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral<\/h3>\n\n

Located in the Riojan city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, this cathedral is famous for housing a live chicken coop inside with a white rooster and a white hen. This curiosity recalls the miracle of the hanged pilgrim who came back to life to prove his innocence. <\/p>\n\n

Architecturally, the temple started out as Romanesque and evolved into Gothic, with its prominent Baroque tower being visible from afar.<\/p>\n\n

Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos<\/h3>\n\n

Located in the center of Burgos, this cathedral is the only one in Spain declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its German Gothic-style openwork spires dominate the city’s skyline. <\/p>\n\n

Inside the cathedral, you cannot miss the tomb of El Cid Campeador and his wife. Additionally, inside you will find the Flycatcher (Papamoscas) clock, a medieval figure that opens its mouth as it chimes the hours. <\/p>\n\n

Le\u00f3n Cathedral<\/h3>\n\n

This cathedral is also known as the Pulchra Leonina<\/em> (the Beautiful Leonese), located in the city of Le\u00f3n. This temple is the pinnacle of Gothic representation in Spain. <\/p>\n\n

Additionally, it features nearly 1,800 square meters of medieval stained glass windows, which flood the interior with light when struck by the sun.<\/p>\n\n

Cathedral of Saint Mary of Astorga<\/h3>\n\n

It is located in the city of Astorga (Le\u00f3n) and stands out for its reddish color and its Plateresque-style facade. Visually, the most striking feature is the contrast with the Episcopal Palace, designed by Antoni Gaud\u00ed. <\/p>\n\n

The cathedral combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements, a result of its construction being extended over several centuries.<\/p>\n\n

Jaca Cathedral (o Cathedral of Saint Peter of Jaca)<\/h3>\n\n

Considered one of the oldest Romanesque temples in Spain, it is located in the city of Jaca (Huesca). The construction of this cathedral is linked to the birth of the Kingdom of Aragon and the rise of trans-Pyrenean pilgrimages. <\/p>\n\n

On its walls, the jaqu\u00e9s checkerboard (ajedrezado jaqu\u00e9s) stands out\u2014a decorative motif in the shape of a chessboard that was later copied in hundreds of churches all along the Camino.<\/p>\n\n

Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary the Royal of Pamplona<\/h3>\n\n

Located in the city of Pamplona (Navarre), this cathedral surprises with its neoclassical exterior facade. Its medieval cloister stands out, considered a masterpiece of universal Gothic art thanks to the elegance of its arches and stone reliefs. <\/p>\n\n

The Portuguese way: History and art between two nations<\/h2>\n\n
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Porto Cathedral (The “S\u00e9”)<\/h3>\n\n

The Porto Cathedral-fortress, also known as the S\u00e9, is located at the highest point of the city of Porto. It has a sober and massive appearance which, along with its battlements, reveals its former defensive function. <\/p>\n\n

The highlight is its Gothic cloister, decorated with blue and white Baroque tiles that depict religious scenes.<\/p>\n\n

Cathedral of Saint Mary of Tui<\/h3>\n\n

Located in the border town of Tui (Pontevedra), it sits atop a hill, looking out toward Portuguese lands. It features the appearance of a medieval castle, complete with battlemented towers and defensive passageways. <\/p>\n\n

Its main facade is one of the oldest examples of Gothic architecture in the Iberian Peninsula and serves as the official entrance to the Camino within Galician territory.<\/p>\n\n

Lisbon Cathedral<\/h3>\n\n

Popularly known as the “S\u00e9 de Lisboa,” it is located in the Alfama neighborhood of Lisbon. Considered the oldest temple in the Portuguese capital, its original architectural style is Romanesque, giving it a compact and mysterious aura that is highly characteristic of Reconquista churches. <\/p>\n\n

The northern way: Faith facing the cantabrian sea<\/h2>\n\n
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Santiago Cathedral of Bilbao<\/h3>\n\n

This cathedral is located in the heart of Bilbao’s Old Town (Casco Viejo, Biscay). It is a Gothic temple, consecrated to the Apostle Saint James himself long before the city’s industrial boom. <\/p>\n\n

The highlight is its Cloister of the Flower (Claustro de la Flor), featuring a highly ornate late Gothic style, and the so-called Angel’s Door (Puerta del \u00c1ngel), a traditional entrance to the temple.<\/p>\n\n

Santander Cathedral<\/h3>\n\n

Located in the city of Santander, this complex is made up of two superimposed Gothic churches. <\/p>\n\n

    \n
  • The lower part, known as the Church of Christ (Iglesia del Cristo), houses a low-ceilinged crypt that guards the heads of the city’s patron saints, Emeterio and Celedonio.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The upper temple had to be rebuilt after the fire that devastated the city in 1941.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

    Cathedral-Basilica of the Assumption of Mondo\u00f1edo<\/h3>\n\n

    Popularly known as the “Kneeling Cathedral” due to its low and compact proportions, it is located in the town of Mondo\u00f1edo (Lugo). Its facade blends the original Romanesque style with a Gothic rose window and towers added during the Baroque period. <\/p>\n\n

    The Primitive Way: Where the first great basilica was born<\/h2>\n\n
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    Cathedral of San Salvador of Oviedo<\/h3>\n\n

    The Cathedral of San Salvador is the starting point of the Primitive Way; it is located in Oviedo (Asturias). It features a slender Gothic tower. <\/p>\n\n

    In addition, its most sacred space is the Holy Chamber (C\u00e1mara Santa), a Pre-Romanesque temple listed as a World Heritage Site that houses relics such as the Holy Shroud and the Crosses of Victory and the Angels.<\/p>\n\n

    Cathedral of Santa Mar\u00eda of Lugo<\/h3>\n\n

    Located in the city of Lugo, it is surrounded by the famous Roman wall. In its architecture, we find a Gothic apse and a Neoclassical facade. <\/p>\n\n

    The most curious thing about this cathedral is that it holds the papal privilege of exposing the Blessed Sacrament (the Holy Host) 24 hours a day, perpetually.<\/p>\n\n

    Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela<\/h2>\n\n

    No matter which route you have taken, you will end up at the exact same spot: the Plaza del Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela. The cathedral’s spectacular Baroque facade is what all pilgrims imagine when they begin their journey. <\/p>\n\n

    This temple guards beneath its altar the crypt with the relics of the Apostle Saint James. Inside, we can admire the Botafumeiro and the Portico of the Glory (P\u00f3rtico de la Gloria), a masterpiece by Master Mateo. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The French way: The axis of gothic art jewels Santo Domingo de la Calzada Cathedral Located in the Riojan city […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sin-categorizar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2411"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2412,"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411\/revisions\/2412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elcaminoapedales.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}