Monastery of San Martín Pinario

A magnificent monumental site in the historic old town.

Covering an area of over 20,000 square metres, the monastery of San Martín Pinario is the second largest religious monument in Santiago after the cathedral. Its main façade is in the Baroque style, as is most of the work, and is 100 metres long. The old church was founded in the 12th century, and the current church dates from the 17th century. It has an outstanding 16th-century Plateresque façade. Three of the foremost artists of the time, Peña y Toro, Melchor de Velasco and Domingo de Andrade, all worked on the decoration. Highlights include the enormous half-barrel vault.