Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

Timeline

1. c. 1075–1211Santiago de Compostela · GaliciaUnder the impetus of Bishop Diego Gelmírez and others, the cathedral was rebuilt in Romanesque style with an expanded nave and transept; in 1211 Master Mateo completed the Portico of Glory on the west facade, establishing the site's religious status as the pilgrimage destination of all Europe.
2. c. 1310–1380Santiago de Compostela Cathedral · GaliciaIn the 14th century the cathedral added a Gothic facade, bell towers, and cloister, and expanded the side aisles to accommodate the growing stream of pilgrims; the architectural form transitioned from Romanesque to Late Gothic, with Galician local elements incorporated into the decoration.
3. 1381–1390Santiago de Compostela Cathedral · GaliciaAfter the 1378 tower fire, between 1381 and 1390 the cathedral continued structural reinforcement and interior repairs while maintaining daily masses and pilgrimage ceremonies; pilgrims from France, Italy, and across Iberia still gathered there, making the cathedral an iconic site of late-14th-century European religious culture.
4. c. 1500–1750Santiago de Compostela · GaliciaFrom the 16th to 18th centuries the cathedral added a Renaissance treasury, the Baroque Obradoiro facade, and various chapels, forming the multi-layered composite appearance seen today; it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1985.