Final answer:
The Cathedral of Saint James typifies the Romanesque pilgrimage plan typology with its centralized and symmetrical layout, designed to accommodate and direct the flow of pilgrims, unlike Gothic architecture characterized by pointed arches and flying buttresses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cathedral of Saint James can be identified as a Romanesque pilgrimage plan typology primarily due to its structural plan that hosted a large number of pilgrims, a characteristic of many churches along the route to Santiago de Compostela. It features a cruciform plan that could manage the flow of visitors coming to venerate the relics of saints. Unlike Gothic architecture, which includes pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses, the Romanesque style consisted of massive, thick walls and small windows, with masonry vaulted ceilings replacing old timber roofs. While the pointed arch did appear in late Romanesque and could sometimes feature in these structures, it is in fact the centralized and symmetrical layout typical of Romanesque pilgrimage churches that categorizes it as such, with the main body of the church facilitating the movement and control of pilgrim crowds.