Religious Building · Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: Catedral Basílica de Santiago de Compostela) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. Built 801.
Photo: Fernando via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Santiago de Compostela, Spain |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious Building |
| Built | 801 |
| Architect | Fernando de Casas Novoa |
| Height | Height: 75 m |
| Coordinates | 42.8806° N, 8.5444° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is known for
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: Catedral Basílica de Santiago de Compostela) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain.
About Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: Catedral Basílica de Santiago de Compostela) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. It is also among the remaining churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle, the other ones being St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, St Thomas Cathedral Basilica in Chennai, India, and Basilica of St.
History
According to legend, the tomb in Santiago was rediscovered in AD 814 by Pelagius the Hermit, after he witnessed strange lights in the night sky above the Libredon forest. Bishop Theodomirus of Iria recognized this as a miracle and informed king Alfonso II of Asturias and Galicia (791–842). The king ordered the construction of a chapel on the site.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Santiago de Compostela |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ) |
| Distance from the airport | 6.4 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ) · Santiago de Compostela, Spain · 6.6 miles away
- Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO) · Porto, Portugal · 113.0 miles away
- Asturias Airport (OVD) · Ranón, Spain · 134.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Spain
More religious buildings
Frequently asked questions
What is Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela?
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: Catedral Basílica de Santiago de Compostela) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain.
Where is Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela located?
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Its coordinates are 42.8806° N, 8.5444° W.
How do I get to Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela?
The nearest town is Santiago de Compostela, and the nearest airport is Santiago de Compostela Airport (SCQ), about 6.4 miles away (straight line).
When was Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela built?
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was built 801.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_de_Compostela_Cathedral — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205136 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.catedraldesantiago.es — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.