Fonseca College — the Colegio de Fonseca — was founded in 1522 by Archbishop Alonso de Fonseca III as a student residence for scholars from Galicia. It is one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Galicia, and is now used by the University of Santiago de Compostela as a library and exhibition space.
The Renaissance cloister is the highlight: a two-storey arcade of graceful arches surrounding a central courtyard, with carved medallion portraits in the spandrels. The facade on the Rúa do Franco is carved in the same ornamental tradition as the city's grander ecclesiastical buildings. Entry to the cloister is free and the building is often quiet even in high season.