Each of the façades along with their adjoining squares constitute a large urban square. The Baroque façade of the
Praza do Obradoiro square was completed by
Fernando de Casas Novoa in 1740. Also in baroque style is the Acibecharía façade by Ferro Caaveiro and Fernández Sarela, later modified by Ventura Rodríguez. The Pratarías façade, built by the Master Esteban in 1103, and most importantly the Pórtico da Gloria, an early work of
Romanesque sculpture, were completed by
Master Mateo in 1188.
Façade of the Obradoiro The Obradoiro square in front of the façade alludes to the workshop () of stonemasons who worked on the square during the construction of the cathedral. In order to protect the Pórtico da Gloria from deterioration caused by weather, this façade and towers have had several reforms since the 16th century. In the 18th century it was decided to build the current Baroque façade, designed by
Fernando de Casas Novoa. It has large glazed windows that illuminate the ancient
Romanesque façade, located between the towers of the Bells and of the Ratchet. In the middle of the central body is St. James and one level below his two disciples Athanasius and Theodore, all dressed as
pilgrims. In between, the urn (representing the found tomb) and the star (representing the lights Hermit Pelagius saw) between angels and clouds. The tower on the right depicts
Mary Salome, mother of St. James, and the tower on the left depicts his father
Zebedee. The
balustrade on the left side depicts St. Susanna and St. John and the one on the right depicts St. Barbara and James the Less. The
Maximilian Staircase allows entrance to the façade. The stair was made in the 17th century by Ginés Martínez and it is of Renaissance style inspired by
Giacomo Vignola of
Palazzo Farnese. It is diamond-shaped with two ramps that surround the entrance to the old 12th century Romanesque crypt of the
Master Mateo, popularly called the "Old Cathedral". According to
Manuel Gago Mariño, the sculptures at the base of the Maximilian Staircase of the cathedral, built by
Maximilian of Austria are also related to the
Battle of Clavijo. Between the existing plane of the façade of the Obradoiro and the old Romanesque portal (Pórtico da Gloria) there is a covered
narthex. This façade has become a symbol of the cathedral and the city of Santiago de Compostela. As such, it is the engraving on the back of the
Spanish euro coins of 1, 2 and 5 cents.
South façade or das Pratarías The façade of the Silverware (Pratarías in Galician) is the southern façade of the transept of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela; it is the only Romanesque façade that is preserved in the cathedral. It was built between 1103 and 1117 and elements from other parts of the cathedral have been added in subsequent years. The square is bound by the cathedral and cloister on two sides. Next to the cathedral is the
Casa do Cabido. It has two entrance doors in degradation with archivolts and historical tympanums. The archivolts are attached over eleven columns, three are of white
marble (middle and corners) and the rest of
granite. In the center are the figures of twelve prophets and the Apostles on the sideline. On the tympanums is a large
frieze separated from the upper body by a strip supported by grotesque corbels; on this floor are two windows decorated with Romanesque archivolts. A central medallion shows the Eternal Father (or
Transfiguration) with open hands and on the top surface there are four angels with trumpets heralding the Final Judgment. In the tympanum of the right door there are several scenes from the
Passion of Christ and the
Adoration of the Magi. In one of the jambs is the inscription commemorating the laying of the stone: Registration follows the
Roman calendar, according to the computation of the
Spanish era, corresponding to July 11, 1078. An image, unidentified, of a fox eating a rabbit and, against this, a badly dressed woman with an animal in her lap. Supported on the wall of the tower Berenguela appear other images representing the creation of Eve, Christ on a throne, and the
Binding of Isaac. At the top of the façade is an 18th-century statue of St. James, with two kings in
prayer at his feet:
Alfonso III of Asturias and
Ordoño II of León. In the centre is the statue of Faith.
East façade or da Quintana The façade of the cathedral that overlooks the
Plaza de la Quintana has two gates: the Porta Real (royal gate) and the Porta Santa (holy gate). The construction of the Porta Real, baroque, was begun under the direction of José de Vega y Verdugo and by José de la Peña de Toro in 1666, and was completed by
Domingo de Andrade in 1700, who built some of the columns that span two floors of windows, a
balustrade with large
pinnacles, and an
aedicula with an
equestrian statue of Saint James (now disappeared), well adorned with decorative fruit clusters and large-scale military trophies. The kings of Spain entered the cathedral through this door, hence its name, and the
royal coat of arms on its
lintel. The
holy door (Porta Santa) or Door of Forgiveness (Porta do Perdón) is the closest to the steps. It is usually closed with a fence and opened only in a
Jacobean holy year (years when
Saint James' Day, 25 July, falls on a Sunday). It was one of the seven lesser gates and was dedicated to
St. Pelagius (for whom is named a
convent just opposite). On this door
niches contain the image of James, with his disciples Athanasius and Theodore at his side. On the bottom and sides of the door were placed twenty-four figures of prophets and apostles (including St. James) coming from the old stone choir of Master Mateo. Inside this door through a small courtyard is the true Holy Door, which enters into the
ambulatory of the
apse of the church.
Bell Towers The early towers in the main façade of the cathedral were Romanesque (current façade of the Obradoiro). They are called the Torre das Campás, which is situated on the side of the Epistle (right) and Torre da Carraca, to the side of the Gospel (left). The two have a height of between 75 and 80 metres. The first part of the tower was built in the 12th century, but in the 15th century several modifications were made and King
Louis XI of France donated in 1483 the two largest of the thirteen
bells. Due to a tilt that was detected in its structure between the 16th and 17th centuries, the towers had to be reinforced with
buttresses, between 1667 and 1670. The towers housing the bells were made by José de la Peña de Toro (1614–1676) in a baroque style, and completed by Domingo de Andrade. The architecture of the towers has a great effect in perspective with its vertical lines and the sequencing of its floors.
North Tower or da Carraca It is located to the left of the façade del Obradoiro, and was built – like its partner – on the opposite side of an earlier tower of the
Romanesque period. It was designed by
Fernando de Casas Novoa in 1738, imitating the bell towers by Peña de Toro and Domingo de Andrade in the 17th century: baroque decorations adorned all kinds of ornamentation that provided a unifying architecture across the façade. During a
Jacobean Holy Year, pilgrims may enter the cathedral through the
holy door (Porta Santa) to gain a
plenary indulgence. During a holy year, the
lantern of the
Berenguela Tower is lit throughout the year. otherwise it stays unlit. The light acts as a
lighthouse to guide pilgrims to the cathedral during the holy years. ==Interior==