Pazo de Fonseca

The Pazo de Fonseca stands out with its heavy Renaissance facade and a wide, open courtyard that anchors the older part of the University of Santiago de Compostela. Founded in the early sixteenth century by Archbishop Alonso de Fonseca, this building began as a college for students who lacked the funds for housing. During a local revolt, the Archbishop famously had to negotiate with insurgents through these stone walls while the city burned, securing the survival of his educational project against the chaos outside.