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Monastery · Santiago de Compostela, Galicia
San Martín Pinario Monastery
Benedictine monastery beside the cathedral, with a church featuring a baroque façade, a gilded altarpiece by Casas Novoa, a walnut choir, and a museum of sacred art.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About San Martín Pinario Monastery
The Monastery of San Martiño Pinario lies north of the cathedral, between Praza da Inmaculada and Praza de San Martiño. It was founded in the 10th century by Benedictine monks who looked after the cult at the apostle’s tomb, and the current complex, built between the 16th and 18th centuries, covers about 20,000 square meters.
The church has a Renaissance façade in the form of a retable and is reached by a staircase that descends, because the street level ended up higher than the temple. Inside, the baroque main altarpiece, designed by Fernando de Casas Novoa, rises gilded to the vault, and the walnut choir, with carved stalls showing scenes from the life of the Virgin and the saints, sits behind the altar.
The museum occupies parts of the monastery and displays sacred art, the monks’ apothecary, the sacristy and rooms of the former college. The building now houses the major seminary and a guesthouse.
The façade facing Praza da Inmaculada, opposite the cathedral’s north door, has a pediment with the figure of Saint Martin on horseback.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Best time
In the morning or early afternoon, combined with the cathedral. Check the opening hours, which vary by season.
How to get there
It is on Praza da Inmaculada, next to the cathedral's north gate, in the center of the old quarter.
Tip
Enter through the church, descend the stairway and spend a while in front of the main altarpiece and the choir. Combine it with Praza da Quintana, right next door on the other side of the cathedral.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about San Martín Pinario Monastery
Why do you go down to enter the church of San Martiño?
Because the street level rose over the centuries and ended up above the church floor.
What is in the museum of San Martiño Pinario?
Sacred art, the monks’ old apothecary, the sacristy and rooms of the former college.
Is San Martiño near the cathedral?
Yes, next to the north gate, on Praza da Inmaculada.