Pazo de Xelmírez

The Pazo de Xelmírez attaches directly to the north wall of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, marked by the rows of decorative, arched windows that line its stone facade. Bishop Diego Xelmírez commissioned this residence in the twelfth century to provide a fitting home for himself and his successors. When a fire destroyed the earlier Romanesque structure, he rebuilt it as a palace capable of hosting visiting royalty and dignitaries. The king himself stayed here during his frequent visits to the tomb of Saint James.