The Cathderal of Santiago de Compostela

We had a chance to do something unexpected and very cool- a rooftop tour of  the Cathedral!  Construction of this building began in 1075 !  Of course it has gone thru many changes of the centuries.  The original building was a Romanesque style with a stepped roof and battlements around the top -- it was to be defended.  Later additions of the clock towers and the front facade are a fancier Gothic & Baroque style.  The front facade makes the Cathderal look much taller than it really is- kind of like a movie set.   Here is the middle section of the facade, from the backside, as we were on the roof

This photo shows the front side of the first photo and the actual roof line where we were standing behind the facade

Have more photos on Andy's camera that I will add later 

The interior is not really beautiful like the Cathedrals of  Leon and Burgos- no stained glass at all and many of the original windows were covered over in later additions so it is dark.  The altar area and baldacchino are very ornate and there is a large statue of St James in the center with his crypt below

The other famous area is at the entrance- the Portico of Glory. It is a 3 part arch, ornately carved with many biblical symbols.  It is being restored now so scaffolding around it, not able to get a good picture.  But as I posted before I left home, the center post, the Tree of Jesse, is where pilgrims traditionally touched as they entered.  The portico is made of marble, but not polished marble.  But where hands have touched for centuries has polished and worn grooves in the column. No longer allowed to touch it, but you can only imagine how many hands have been laid there in gratitude for a safe journey