Santa María la Mayor Basilica

The basilica of Santa Maria la Mayor is one of the jewels in the crown of Galician Gothic architecture.

It is a clear example of Spanish Elizabethan Gothic architecture. Built in the sixteenth century, by order of the Guild of fishermen. The architects of the building are Joao Noble and Cornelius de Holanda. It was granted the status of small basilica in 1962, by Pope John XXIII. The west façade that was designed by Cornelius de Holanda, has been built in the style of an altarpiece, with three ornately decorated sections. There is a massive transept in the south façade and the main entrance opens up under a semicircular arch, bordered by a stone jamb and ornate Baroque ornamentation. Inside there are three naves that are separated by columns. The High Altarpiece, is made of chestnut tree wood and walnut tree wood, dating back to the end of the nineteenth century. It is a work of art that was made by a cabinetmaker and woodcarver from Santiago. To the left of the south doorway lies a sculpture of the Christ of Safe Journeys, to which the faithful flock in the hope that they may be granted protection during their journeys.