Pazo Xelmirez

The Pazo Xelmírez, also known as the Palace of Gelmírez, is the former Archbishop's Palace of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It stands on the north side of the cathedral, directly across from Obradoiro Square. The building was constructed under Archbishop Diego Gelmírez in the early 12th century to replace an earlier structure that had been destroyed. Today, only the connecting doors to the basilica survive from the original structure. Over the centuries the building was remodeled several times, with the most significant changes taking place in the 13th century. At that time, Archbishop Juan Arias had a stately assembly hall built under the master builder Pedro Boneth, modeled on French episcopal palaces. Later renovations in the 18th century produced today's Baroque façade, behind which the Romanesque portal is hidden.

For visitors, the palace is now part of the Cathedral Museum and offers a glimpse into the civil Christian architecture of the Middle Ages. Its centerpiece is the large, rectangular assembly hall, built in the 13th century. It is impressive for its Gothic groin vaults and above all for the richly decorated corbels along the walls. These depict scenes of a royal banquet, musicians, and religious motifs, and come from the workshop of the famous Master Mateo. The ground floor holds the armory with its Romanesque vaults, while a courtyard leads to further historic rooms such as the medieval kitchen and the chamber of Archbishop Manrique from the 16th century.

Beyond its architectural importance, the building also has a political history. It briefly served as the provisional seat of the Galician Parliament before returning to its use as a museum. Today the Pazo Xelmírez hosts temporary exhibitions in addition to its permanent display. For example, the Codex Calixtinus was shown to the public here shortly after it was recovered following a theft. The palace is also recognized as an associated component of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Routes of Santiago de Compostela" and is an important cultural attraction in the city's historic center.