The building of its Romanesque structure began in the last third of the 12^th century, and was conceived as a church with three naves, containing a semicircular apse in the Gospel nave. In the 14^th century, now in the Gothic period, work continued with a fresh project of five-sided apses in the central and Epistle naves, as well as the remarkable façade. By 1821 most of the building was a virtual ruin, the Gospel nave was saved, but the other two were dismantled and the materials sold. In 1881, owing to the lack of inhabitants in the parish, it was dissolved and absorbed into the parish of San Pedro la Rúa.

Its magnificent Gothic portico was built around 1340. It is flanked in the lower section by the now uncovered sculptures of Saint James and a bishop, and in the upper section by a gallery of niches housing the apostles. The splayed arch of the portico is composed of twelve pointed archivolts that rest on an unbroken band of decorated capitals.

The tympanum is divided into three horizontal sections that depict scenes from the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. The narration begins in the lowest section with the Last Supper, which is characterised by the symmetry of its protagonists, broken only by Saint John, who is seen to be leaning on Jesus. Of particular interest is the angle of the table, which allows us to contemplate the tableware. The account continues in the uppermost section with the Crucifixion, in which Mary and Saint John particularly stand out, together with the soldiers and thieves who are on either side. The story concludes in the middle section, where, from left to right, we bear witness to the visit of the Three Marys to the tomb, Jesus’ descent into hell and the apparition of the risen Christ before Mary Magdalene. Below the lintel, acting as corbels, we see two figures identified as Jews.