Glory's Portico, Romanesque portico at Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Description
Glory's Portico is a Romanesque church portal at the western entrance to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, spanning three large rounded arches. The stone figures show prophets, apostles, and heavenly beings on both sides of the openings.
History
Ferdinand II of León commissioned the architect Mateo to build the structure between 1168 and 1188 as the crowning entrance to the cathedral. The completion marked the end of decades of construction and was recorded through carved inscriptions.
Culture
The name refers to an Old Testament hymn of praise that runs through the entire structure. Visitors today can recognize the medieval vision of heaven as a place filled with music and singing, shown through stone musicians holding their instruments.
Practical
Visitors must book entrance tickets online in advance, as the number of guests per day is limited. Daily opening hours allow several time slots from morning until evening.
Did you know?
At the base of the central column, a small kneeling figure represents the architect Mateo himself, with the word Architectus on a sign. Visitors have followed the tradition of touching the fingers of the figure for centuries, leaving deep grooves in the stone.
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Discover a selection of points of interest in Santiago de Compostela, bringing together religious, historical and cultural sites. This city in northwestern Spain offers much more than the endpoint of the famous pilgrimage route that bears its name: a 12th-century Romanesque cathedral, a medieval...
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