2 Euros Old Town of Santiago de Compostela

Part of Spain's ongoing commemorative €2 program highlighting UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this issue marks the Old Town of Santiago de Compostela, inscribed by UNESCO in 1985. The city's designation was driven not only by its medieval urban fabric but by its unbroken function as the terminus of the Camino de Santiago — a pilgrimage route active since the 9th century, when the tomb of Saint James was purportedly rediscovered there. Franco-era neglect of the cathedral quarter was partially reversed by a major restoration push in the 1970s, which itself factored into the UNESCO case.