The Legacy, The Cathedral, 13 Monasteries and Convents, 1 Collegiate Church, 13 Monumental Churches, 5 Religious Museums
Starting from the Middle Ages, the Apostle’s basilica was surrounded by convents and monasteries belonging to different religious orders (Benedictines, Franciscans, Dominicans, Order of St. Claire, Carmelites, Jesuits, etc), which can be explored by means of an itinerary. Entrusted with looking after the tomb, and taking care of and providing accommodation for the pilgrims, they brought to the city their centuries-old knowledge of pharmacy and medicine, giving rise to Santiago’s medical-healthcare tradition, and their educational vocation, which contributed to the birth of the University.
This spiritual, documentary, artistic and archaeological legacy, the origins of the Cathedral and the city, and the history of Jacobean pilgrimages is explained in five museums: the Cathedral Museum, the Holy Land Museum, the Pilgrimage Museum and two sacred art museums.
Santiago’s extensive religious heritage also includes a Romanesque collegiate church and 13 monumental churches . Their beauty and acoustic characteristics make them privileged venues for classical and sacred music concerts, especially organ concerts. Others have been carefully rehabilitated as exhibition halls.