Museo de los Caminos
Museum of the Camino de Santiago in the Episcopal Palace of Astorga, the neo-Gothic building designed by Gaudí, with religious art and archaeology.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Episcopal Palace of Astorga is a neo-Gothic building designed by Antoni Gaudí. The old palace was burned down in 1886, and Bishop Grau, a friend of the architect, commissioned a new one. The project was approved in February 1889 and the foundation stone was laid that same year. Gaudí left the work after the bishop's death in 1893, and other architects continued it until 1915. The result resembles a castle from the outside and a church inside.
After serving military and administrative uses, in 1962 the palace became the Museo de los Caminos, devoted to the Camino de Santiago. It was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Asset of Cultural Interest) in 1969 and restored between 2014 and 2017.
The museum houses the diocese's religious art, mainly related to pilgrimage: Roman and medieval archaeological objects, polychrome carvings and Gothic paintings, processional crosses, the Navianos altarpiece, attributed to Berruguete, and goldsmith's pieces from the 15th to the 18th centuries. Today the route also includes Gaudí's building and the area known as the Palacio Escondido (Hidden Palace).
Highlights
- Neo-Gothic palace designed by Gaudí
- Art related to the Camino de Santiago and pilgrimage
- Processional crosses and the Navianos altarpiece, attributed to Berruguete
- Goldsmith's pieces from the 15th to the 18th centuries
- Visit with audio guide and family visit with tablet
Permanent exhibitions
- Arqueología romana y medieval – Roman and medieval archaeological objects, including inscriptions found in Astorga and other towns in the north-west.
- Arte religioso y peregrinación – Polychrome carvings, Gothic paintings with images of the apostle James, processional crosses and the Navianos altarpiece.
- Founded
- 1962
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Guided visit (approx. 1 hour) | €12 |
| Palacio Escondido (includes the general visit) | €15 |
| Visit with guidebook | €22Official visual guide in Spanish, English, French, German and Italian. |
The general visit is self-guided and includes an audio guide, accessed with the QR code on the ticket. The website does not publish reduced, group or school rates; they can be checked on the booking telephone, 987 616 882.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
The “Visita en familia” (family visit), for children aged 6 to 14, offers an interactive tablet and games and is available at the ticket office.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | The general visit is done with an audio guide via QR code. The family visit, for children aged 6 to 14, includes an interactive tablet and games and is booked at the ticket office; bringing your own headphones is recommended. |
