Palacio de Rajoy (Rajoy Palace), Santiago de Compostela

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Palacio de Rajoy (Rajoy Palace), Santiago de Compostela

Palacio de Rajoy (Rajoy Palace), Santiago de Compostela

The Rajoy Palace is a prominent building that serves as the seat of the City Council and the presidency of the Junta de Galicia.

Constructed in the neoclassical style, the palace was commissioned by the Archbishop of Santiago, Bartolomé Raxoi Losada, in 1766. Its original purpose was to function as a seminary for confessors. The architectural work was entrusted to the French engineer Carlos Lemaur. The palace's façade features a representation of the battle of Clavijo and a sculpture of the Apostle Santiago, adding artistic and historical significance to the structure.

The palace is positioned on the western side of the Plaza del Obradoiro, effectively closing off that side of the square. It stands opposite the main façade of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. To the right of the palace is the Colegio de San Jerónimo, which currently houses the Rectorate of the University of Santiago. On the left side of the palace is the Hospital Real de los Reyes Católicos, a part of the Paradores Nacionales de España network.

In 2015, when UNESCO approved the extension of the Camino de Santiago in Spain to include the "Caminos de Santiago de Compostela: French Camino and Caminos del Norte de España," the Spanish documentation submitted to UNESCO included a "Retrospective Inventory - Associated Elements." This inventory recognized the Rajoy Palace as item number 912, highlighting its importance in relation to the Camino de Santiago.

The Rajoy Palace stands as a significant architectural and historical landmark in Santiago de Compostela. It symbolizes the region's cultural heritage and serves as a center for civic and governmental activities. Visitors to the Plaza del Obradoiro can appreciate the palace's elegance and its contribution to the rich tapestry of the city's history and identity.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Santiago de Compostela. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51±¬ÁÏÍø: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Palacio de Rajoy (Rajoy Palace) on Map

Sight Name: Palacio de Rajoy (Rajoy Palace)
Sight Location: Santiago de Compostela, Spain (See walking tours in Santiago de Compostela)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Create Your Own Walk in Santiago de Compostela

Create Your Own Walk in Santiago de Compostela

Creating your own self-guided walk in Santiago de Compostela is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Santiago de Compostela Introduction Walking Tour

Santiago de Compostela Introduction Walking Tour

Legend has it that after Saint James, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, was martyred in Jerusalem in 44 AD, his followers carried his decapitated body by sea to Spain. Others claim that the saintly remains were miraculously taken up by angels and sailed to the coast of Galicia, where a massive rock closed around it and was later moved to its final resting place.

Either way, during the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles