Mosteiro de San Martiño Pinario

The twin towers of San Martiño Pinario rise above the slate roofs of Santiago de Compostela, topped by a massive, weathered granite dome. Founded in the tenth century, this Benedictine monastery grew into the wealthiest religious institution in Galicia, second only to the cathedral itself. When the monks decided to rebuild their church in the late sixteenth century, they famously insisted that its main facade face the cathedral, forcing the city to realign the plaza to keep the two institutions staring at each other.