Catedral de Santiago (Santiago Cathedral), Bilbao

Catedral de Santiago (Santiago Cathedral), Bilbao (must see)

Santiago Cathedral holds the honor of being Bilbao鈥檚 oldest surviving monument and the city鈥檚 chief religious landmark. Dedicated to Saint James the Apostle, its very name is tied to the famed Way of Saint James, for Bilbao once sat along one of the pilgrimage routes leading to Santiago de Compostela. The first church here rose in the 14th century, only a few years after the port town was founded, and like the city around it, the building has been reshaped by fires, floods, and the passage of time. What survives is a layered mix of Gothic foundations and later renovations, each leaving its own mark.

At its heart, the cathedral is Gothic through and through. Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and a soaring spire dominate the old town skyline. Laid out in a Latin cross plan and consecrated in 1379, it holds three naves, an ambulatory around the presbytery, and a cloister that once gave the clergy respite from the bustle outside. Sixteen chapels fill the interior, some small and intimate, others richly adorned with altars and statues, each speaking to different eras of devotion. The cloister garden, enclosed by vaulted bays, still offers a measure of peace amid the surrounding Casco Viejo.

The centuries brought new details without erasing the Gothic core. In the 19th century, architect Severino de Achucarro added a Neo-Gothic fa莽ade, spire, and rose window. The main entrance is flanked by Saints Peter and Paul, while the 16th-century Angel Gate depicts Saint James guiding pilgrims. To the south, a broad portico built over an old necropolis in 1580 doubles as structural support and as another showcase of Gothic stonework.

For today鈥檚 visitor, the cathedral is not just about worship-it is a cornerstone of Bilbao鈥檚 story. Rising in the heart of the medieval quarter, it links the city鈥檚 modest beginnings as a 14th-century port to its present as a cultural hub. Pilgrims still pause for blessings, and travelers can wander through chapels and cloisters where stone and sculpture preserve centuries of faith, memory, and resilience.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Bilbao. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: 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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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Catedral de Santiago (Santiago Cathedral)
Sight Location: Bilbao, Spain (See walking tours in Bilbao)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Bilbao, Spain

Create Your Own Walk in Bilbao

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bilbao 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.

Bilbao Introduction Walking Tour

Officially founded in 1300 AD by the Lord of Biscay, Bilbao began as a small port settlement. Its sheltered estuary allowed ships to load wool, iron, and other goods bound for northern Europe, while merchants imported salt, wine, and luxury items. The name "Bilbao" likely comes from the Basque words bil, meaning "settlement," and bao, meaning "estuary"-a fitting... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles

Bilbao's Old Town Walking Tour

Bilbao's old town, also known as The Seven Streets, is the medieval heart of the city. Indeed, this ancient neighborhood, a place where the city began and which had been fortified by walls until the late 19th century, today consists of seven main streets and many narrow alleys 鈥� called cantons (kantoi, cant贸n) 鈥� that connect them.

Often regarded as a jewel of Basque architecture and... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles

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