Checked in August 2026
Santiago Cathedral works in 2026: what they actually affect
If you have read that the pilgrim's mass is being held outside the Cathedral because of building work, that information is from 2019 and is no longer true. Here is what is open and what is genuinely under restoration.
By Cesar Rodriguez · updated
On this page
Updated 31 August 2026.
There is a notice that has been circulating online for years and still turns up on travel sites, tour operators' pages and forums: that the interior restoration of the Cathedral has moved the pilgrim's mass to the church of San Francisco at noon and to San Fiz de Solovio at 7:00 pm. That notice existed and it was correct. The problem is that it is from 2019, and there are pilgrims in 2026 still planning the end of their Camino around it.
What actually happened: the 2019-2021 restoration
Between 2019 and 2021 the Cathedral carried out the major restoration of its interior — the central nave, the transept and the ambulatory — and for much of that period the services were spread across other churches in the old town. That is where the San Francisco and San Fiz de Solovio times came from, along with the masses in several languages at the chapel of the Pilgrim Reception Office. That work finished: the masses went back to the High Altar and the botafumeiro to its place under the dome over the crossing.
What did not finish was the online afterlife of those notices. Because they were published on pages that were never updated or taken down, they keep being copied from one site to another with no visible date. If you come across one, find out when it was published before you trust it.
What is under restoration in 2026
In June 2026 the restoration of the clock towerbegan — the one that houses the Berenguela bell. It is a long job, running through 2027, covering the cleaning and consolidation of the stonework, the paintwork, the clock faces and a new timber structure to carry the bell. It is part-funded by Spain's 2% Cultural scheme. In parallel, work is under way on the roofs of several chapels.
Both of those are exterior. The one you do notice inside is the cimborrio, the lantern tower crowning the crossing: the work is advancing on the inside — mostly recovering the polychromy — and the scaffolding has been lowered until it covers the mechanism the botafumeiro hangs from. That is why the censer is not flying at the moment.
| Element | Status in August 2026 | Does it affect your visit? |
|---|---|---|
| Pilgrim's masses | High Altar: 7:30 am, 9:30 am, noon, 7:30 pm | No |
| Access to the basilica | Open and free | No |
| Embrace of the Apostle and crypt | Open | No |
| Botafumeiro | Temporarily out of action because of the cimborrio scaffolding, no date for its return | Yes — see the note below |
| Clock tower (Berenguela) | Under restoration since June 2026 | Scaffolding visible from Praza da Quintana |
| Chapel roofs | Under works | Occasional scaffolding outside |
| Museum, Pórtico de la Gloria, guided rooftops | Normal calendar | No |
On the botafumeiro, the one caveat on this page: it is temporarily out of action. This was confirmed by El Correo Gallego to santiago.es on 24 August 2026, and the reason is the only piece of work that does touch the crossing: the cimborrio restoration, whose scaffolding has been lowered and now covers the mechanism the censer hangs from. Nothing is broken, and there is no date for its return: the Chapter will not venture one and the Cathedral has published no notice. We have gathered it all in the botafumeiro guide, including who to write to if your trip depends on seeing it.
Why this matters if you are finishing the Camino
A lot of people build their last day around the noon mass. If you arrive believing it is held at San Francisco, you will miss the one at the High Altar, which is the one most people want. And the other way round: some give up on the Cathedral altogether, assuming it is closed behind scaffolding. Neither of those is true in 2026. What to do on the day you arrive, in order, is in the guide to arriving in Santiago.
Frequently asked questions
Has the pilgrim's mass been moved out of the Cathedral because of the works?
No. All four pilgrim's masses are held at the High Altar of the Cathedral at 7:30 am, 9:30 am, noon and 7:30 pm. The move to the churches of San Francisco and San Fiz de Solovio was real, but it belongs to the 2019-2021 interior restoration, which is finished. If you find that notice on a website, check its publication date: it is almost always from 2019.
What is being restored at the Cathedral in 2026?
The clock tower — the Berenguela — since June 2026, and the roofs of several chapels: exterior work, part-funded by Spain's 2% Cultural scheme, covering the stonework, the clock faces and a new timber structure for the bell. Inside, the restoration of the cimborrio (the lantern tower over the crossing) continues, mostly recovering its polychromy, and it is the only one that affects your visit: its scaffolding has the botafumeiro grounded.
Can you visit the Cathedral normally in 2026?
Yes. The basilica is free to enter, the naves are open, you can do the ritual embrace of the Apostle and go down to the crypt. Large backpacks are not allowed inside for security reasons.
Does the botafumeiro fly despite the works?
No. Right now the botafumeiro is temporarily out of action. The clock tower and roof restorations don't affect it, but the cimborrio one does: as the work advances inside, the scaffolding has been lowered and now covers the mechanism it hangs from. El Correo Gallego confirmed this to santiago.es on 24 August 2026, there is no date for its return, and the Cathedral has published no notice. We cover it in the botafumeiro guide. If your trip depends on seeing it, write to botafumeiro@catedraldesantiago.es first.
How do I check the situation before I travel?
At catedraldesantiago.es, in the liturgy section, or by phone on +34 981 55 29 85. Be sceptical of any website that gives times without a visible update date.
Full opening hours and prices are in the Cathedral guide, the detail of each service in mass times at the Cathedral, and the censer's dates in the botafumeiro schedule.
Keep reading
What to see
Santiago Cathedral: hours, tickets and visiting
Museum prices, the Pórtico de la Gloria, the botafumeiro and everything to know before you walk in.
What to see
Mass times at the Cathedral
The four pilgrim's masses, the mass in English and how long each service lasts.
Camino
Arriving in Santiago: mass, botafumeiro and traditions
What to do on the day you finish the Camino, with the real 2026 times.