The Catedral de Santiago de Compostela was completed in 1128 in Galicia, Spain. It is a popular pilgrimage destination, and claims to have the remains of St. James the apostle.
King Ordono II built the original church in 916 on the site of old Roman baths and state buildings. The building was based on the Reims cathedral, at a smaller scale, but the detail in much more intricate and finer. The barrel-vaulted basilica has five aisles, with transept and gallery attached. Each of the four façades of the Romanesque church holds different activities and architectural significance. Grand plazas, stairways, and cloisters connect them to the monastery and civic buildings nearby. Surrounding buildings are carefully integrated into the arrangement and program of spaces.
Moral codes and statements on the religious universe is carved into the building with exquisite detail throughout the structure. Carvings of biblical scenes such as the Final Judgment sit above main portals. The Temptation of Christ carving is particularly interesting, due to its similarities of Egyptian funeral documents.
The structure was built as a destination point for pilgrims, a concept that is difficult for us to understand today. The pure French craftsmanship and Spanish renovations make for an interesting mix of culture, and the celebration of victory over Muslims in the area also determines the message of the form. The twin spires rise triumphantly int the air, with a pyramidal front and paradisaical sacrum. Gold is a material particularly prevalent in the lush interior.
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