Glory's Portico

The Portal of Glory (Pórtico da Gloria) of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is a Romanesque portico and the cathedral's main gate created by Master Mateo and his workshop, on the orders of King Ferdinand II of León. The king donated to Mateo one hundred maravedís annually between 1168 and 1188. To commemorate its completion in 1188, the date was carved on a stone set in the cathedral and on the lintel that supports the richly ornamental tympanum. Under the contract made in 1168, if Mateo was to renege on the deal to create the portico at any time, he would have to pay 1,000 gold pieces (aureos). The complete three-piece set took until 1211 to completely finish; when the cathedral was consecrated in the presence of King Alfonso IX of León.

Originally projected as a four-part division, it was modified into a three-part format, which changed the proportions of the entire portal. With over 200 Romanesque style sculptures, the portico is the artistic high-point of the cathedral and often considered the greatest work of Spanish Romanesque sculpture. The Pórtico de la Gloria consists of an inner double-arched porch and finished with an outer western façade. The lateral archivolts were left undecorated, which might have been due to time restraints to finish the gate for the Jubilee of 1182 and formal procession of pilgrims.

The pure Romanesque fabric was altered slightly and later encased with a Baroque facade. Before the facade was erected, the portico would be seen from afar and would take pilgrims up a large flight of stairs to approach it. Without door valves, the three large arches were decorated with angels and foliage and framed the ciborium and altar at the end of the nave. Prophets and apostles form the columns and jambs welcoming pilgrims inside the church.

Though the portal was originally poly-chromed, the numerous traces of the remaining paint seen today are due to later interventions. Records show that the portico was repainted often with contracts surviving from the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries. Two types of paintings are distinguishable now on the structure. On some of the figures, the paint is powdery; the colors are light, soft and clear without any additional ornaments. This dates back to the fifteenth or sixteenth century. The more enamel-like painting is harsher and darker with ornamental patterns dated back to the 17th century in a similar style to offering boxes in 1656.

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