Botafumeiro, Galicia, Spain

4.5 (2.671 reviews) Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #4 in Galicia Points of Interest & Landmarks

Cathedral Censor

The original Botafumeiro, dating to 1851, is the largest censor in the world. When full, it weighs in at a mere 150 pounds, is over 5 feet in height, and has a golden sheen. Another large silver-colored censor or thurible (called “La Alcachofa”) dates to 1971. The censor is attached to a rope hung from a pulley mechanism in the dome on the roof of the church. Eight red-robed tiraboleiros pull the ropes and bring it into a swinging motion almost to the roof of the side naves reaching speeds of 45 mph and dispensing thick clouds of incense. The Botafumeiro is normally only swung on Holy Days such as Christmas and Easter and Pilgrim’s Masses during Jubilee years. I’d already attended two Masses and while it hung over the altar, it wasn’t used. Much to my delight and amazement, the Botafumeiro was swung at the conclusion of the final Sunday Mass I attended. While Mass is a solemn event, the audience became downright gleeful watching this performance! Pictures don’t do it justice.
Galicia review images

Address

Praza Inmaculada s/n, 15704, Santiago de Compostela Spain

Mobile

+34 690 34 01 80

Website

http://www.catedraldesantiago.es/es/botafumeiro

Current local date and time now

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 14:23

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Reviews

5macedonboy 5:00 PM Jan 20, 2023
The Censer of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Botafumeiro is a famous censer in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral and hangs from the ceiling just in front of the high altar. The Botafumeiro is one of the largest censers in the world, weighing 80 kg. For certain important religious occasions, it is swung on the rope to dispense incense around the cathedral. We were fortunate enough to see the censer, but not the ceremony.
4Vadim 5:00 PM Mar 30, 2020
The tourist attraction is closed. Until 2021?
The current censer is not the same as it was originally. It is made of an alloy of brass and bronze by José Losada in 1851. The French are concerned with the appearance and disappearance of the former one. The first Botafumeiro was made of pure silver with money from the French king Louis XI. For three centuries, the censer delighted pilgrims with its exquisite decoration. The French Napoleonic army melted it down in 1809 during the occupation.The question arises, why is such a huge censer here? The secret of the largest censer in the world is simple and not at all romantic. A huge amount of incense was supposed to drown out the unbearable stench from thousands of pilgrims who not only came to worship the relics of St. Mark, but also slept in the Cathedral. This indescribable aroma could only be smothered by 40 kg of incense. Now everything is better with hygiene, so Botafumeiro is lit only on big Catholic holidays. 8 strong tiraboilero swing the censer weighing 80 kg to the speed of the car -60 km/h. However, the Cathedral is under repair, so the attraction is closed. 2021 will be the so-called happy year, so the censer will move again.