Palacio de Gelmírez

The Palacio de Gelmírez stands beside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela as a Romanesque structure featuring ribbed vaults, carved stone corbels, and granite windows with trilobated arches. The building contains several rooms, with the main hall stretching approximately 32 meters in length and accessed by a narrow granite staircase.

The palace began under Bishop Diego Gelmírez in the 12th century but suffered destruction during a popular uprising in 1117. Reconstruction in the 1180s created the structure that visitors see today.

The main hall displays carved corbels showing medieval banquet scenes that reveal how bishops used feasts to display power and hospitality. These stone carvings offer a rare glimpse into the secular side of religious leadership during the Middle Ages.

The entrance is located on Praza do Obradoiro beside the Cathedral, and visitors should expect steep granite staircases to reach the main rooms. The building can be tight to navigate with narrow passages, so comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

The stonework shows people eating and drinking, a rare depiction of everyday scenes within a medieval religious building. This mixing of secular details with religious architecture creates an unusual blend of purposes visible in the carvings.