THE BOTAFUMEIRO

The Botafumeiro is a big censer of brass dip in silver that weigh 62 kg empty and is 1, 60 meters tall. The previous Botafumeiro weighed 60 kg, but in 2006 was dip with silver, and nowadays weigh 62 kg. The rope what hold is tied to the cathedral transept, the longitude is 65 m, the diameter 5 centimetres and the weigh is 90 kg. Previously a rope was made of hemp or esparto. The Botafumeiro is fill with 40 kg of coal and incense (more than 100 kg when first its movements), after it is to tied, it is to move through a pulley mechanism by the nave of the cathedral; first of all a group of 8 persons (tiraboleiros) push the Botafumeiro, and after they pull of a rope to achieve the speed. The movement of the Botafumeiro can achieve the speed of 68 km/h from la puerta de la Azabachería to la puerta de las Platerías.

The tradition says that the use of the censer in the Santiago cathedral started in the XI century, with the idea of perfume the cathedral and avoids the bad smell of pilgrims sweats. In 1200 was changed the first pulley mechanism for a tread system that allowed the lateral movement, so it can go over approximately 150 cm. The King Luis XI of France gave to the cathedral in 1400 money to replace the medieval incense that was replaced in 1554. The actual tread system was installed in 1604.

The new censer was made with silver, but was stole for the Napoleon soldieries in April of 1809 during the Spanish Independence war, for this was replaced for the actual Botafumeiro.

An indication of the symbolic importance of the Botafumeiro in Spain is the design of the coins of 5 pesetas of 1993, with an engrave of the censure compostelano.