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| Tour of Cathedral |
The facade of the cathedral was built in the 18th century, replacing the previous Romanesque front. The original polychrome was damaged over time and was replaced by the magnificent work of art that stands today.
There are several buildings that surround the cathedral, one of them was originally built as a town hall. Another was built as the royal hospital founded by the Catholic Monarchs is now a hotel.
After our tour we attended Catholic mass that was held especially for the pilgrims. It was a special day because the bishop of Portugal spoke to the pilgrims and celebrated the mass. It was especially exciting because they used the botafumeiro at the end of the mass. It is one of the largest incense burners in the world weighing 80 kg. The swinging censor came into existence in the 11th century when pilgrims arrived at the cathedral tired and unwashed. It takes 8 men to pull on the lower ropes that are fastened to the cable and swing the burner forming a 50-meter arc and can reach speeds up to 68km/h. It is an amazing sight to see. We were sitting right in front and had an awesome view. I was thrilled to get it on video. Click here for utube video.
After the mass we left for the Finisterre, the end of the world.
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