Altar and censer Botafumeiro Cathedral Santiago de Compostela by My Footprints

After completing my Camino to Santiago, I attended the pilgrim mass in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It was a beautiful end to a special journey.

One of the most remarkable features of the cathedral is the Botafumeiro incense burner. This 53 kg, 1.5 metre high burner, dating from 1851, is swung across the transept on a rope by eight men, the tiraboleiros, during special masses and can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour!

Originally, this was intended to purify the air in the cathedral of the smells of pilgrims. I can understand that after all those nights in hostel dormitories ;)

During the pilgrim mass, it is always a surprise when the censer will be swung. This depends on the donations made during the mass. In my case, a group of pilgrims from Memphis had made a donation, so I was able to enjoy the spectacle up close.

The Cathedral of Santiago is a tourist attraction. Attending mass is free, but you can pay for a guided tour. This includes a walk behind the colourful, golden altar and the censer.