Description
Cathedral de St. James Santiago
Days and Hours of Operation for Catedral de Santiago: Monday through Saturday: From 11am through 1pm (13:00) and 5pm (17.00) through 7:30pm (19:30); Sundays and Public Holidays: From 11am through 12 noon.Admission to Catedral de Santiago is free.The origin of St. James Cathedral, or Done Jakue Katedrala in Basque, dates back to somewhere around the second half of the 1200s when Bilbao was a miniscule fishing village. As such, it is far and away the oldest religious structure in the city. In 1315, when King Alfonso XI of Castile decreed the Way of St. James pilgrimage route pass through Bilbao, the cathedral became a mandatory religious stop on the coastal route to Santiago de Compostela. The result - as pilgrims flowed into Bilbao so did increased trade and commerce. And as the city grew, so did the Cathedral. Most of the Cathedral we see today was built during the 14th and 15th centuries when it was Bilbao’s main parish church. Dedicated to Saint James the Apostle, the patron saint of Bilbao, expansion of the edifice resulted in a blend of various styles. The cloister, the main vault and the beautiful Puerta del Angel portal, also called the Door of the Pilgrims, which gives access to Calle Correo are pure Gothic. The later rather rococo and lavish Gothic Revival or Neo-Gothic influence dominates in the stunning façade and spire. Both were designed by Severino de Achúcarro in the 1800s. Those rather odd looking stone carvings running along the buttresses of the main vault are of by-gone local merchants. Perhaps an acknowledgement of the influence trade played in the development and growth of the city?The Cathedral interior has three naves with ogive vaulted ceilings and 26 altars. Note should be taken of the nave in the form of a Greek cross which is Isabelline Gothic (Gótico Isabelino), a style which represents the transition between late Gothic and early Renaissance architecture along with features and decorative influences of Mudéjar, Flemish and Italian architecture.Also of special interest is the crypt, located where the original shrine stood, that incorporates the original walls as part of its construction. Little known fact: It was not until 1950 that Rome elevated St. James de Santiago to the status of a Cathedral.As we exit the Cathedral via Plaza de Santiago take a moment to appreciate the central fountain designed by Luis Paret during the reign of Carlos III. The inscription reads “Por el bien público” translating to “For the good of the people”.
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