El Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James)
by Redang
I wouldn't say that this is a local costume or tradition due to it's very well known all over the world, and people from almost all four corners of the world go to Santiago de Compostela as pilgrims.
The discovery of the tomb of the Apóstol Santiago (Apostle James), the son of Zebedee and brother of John the Evangelist, changed the appearance of a small Roman settlement in the northwest Iberian Peninsula that, with the passing of the centuries, had become a necropolis; it was also a turning point in the spiritual history of a continent that soon set about building a road in order to reach the precious relic.
The pilgrimage to Santiago soon became the most outstanding and most profoundly experienced religious phenomenon of the Middle Ages, a fact that was recently recognised by the European Parliament, which designated the Way the First European Cultural Itinerary, and by UNESCO, which declared it a World Heritage route.
There are several "Caminos de Santiago" (Ways of St. James):
- French Way
- Aragonese Way
- Primitive Way
- North Way
- Portuguese Way
- English Way
- Silver Way
- Arousa Sea and Ulla River Jacobean Itinerary
- Finisterre Way
As far as I know, maybe I am wrong, there is not an offical website but many, so, I give you one link offers the info in different languages.
Getting to Santiago by Train
by Tami_G
You can get to Santiago by train. The "RENFE" station is very conveniently located and just a few minutes walk to downtonw Santiago. There are 2 trains daily to Madrid (Talgo and expreso) and 1 to Bilbao.
14 trains daily to La Coruña, 11 to Vigo and 8 to Ourense.
Connections to Portugal via Vigo (3 trains daily to Porto), and to France on the La Coruña-Vigo-Barcelona line.
The average price to/from Madrid return is € 77. It takes around 8 hours.
You can buy tickets online at:
RENFE
Monastery and Church of San Martino Pinario
by ncfg
" This monastery is situated in Plaza de la Inmaculada and was founded by a group of Benedictines who, shortly after the discovery of the Apostle´s remains, settled in the place called Pignario, near the Chapel of Corticela (now part of the Cathedral), where they held their services. The main developments took place after 1494, when it came under the Benedictine Congregation of Valladolid. Thereafter the wealth they accumulated enabled them to undertake the impressive construction of the church, which, along with the Cathedral, is the most valuable building of Galicia´s baroque style. "
Pazo de Raxoi
by ncfg
18th c. Praza do Obradoiro. This palace, which closes Praza do Obradoiro opposite the Cathedral´s west façade, was commissioned by Archbishop Raxoi in 1766 in order to house the boys of the choir and seminary. The construction work was carried out by the French engineer Charles Lemaur. The long open façade with an elegant porch gives the building a marked horizontal nature. In the centre of the façade there is a pediment with a marble relief representing the Battle of Clavijo, made by Gambino and Ferreiro, crowned by a statue of St. James on horseback. The rococo stairway, also designed by Lemaur, stands out inside. It presently houses Compostela´s City Council, the Galician Culture Council and some offices of the Xunta de Galicia regional government.
Squares of the Cathedral (2/4)
by Redang
Plaza de la Azabachería/Azabachería square o da Inmaculada.
This is another important square and it is only a short walk from the Plaza del Obradoiro. You reach it by passing under the "Arco (arch) de Palacio" between the cathedral and the "Hostal dos Reis Ctólicos and climbing a few steps. This is the north façade of the Cathedral (see Tip in the Things to Do section).
Another beautiful building is the Monasterio de San Martín Pinario (Monastery of San Martin Pinario (third pic).
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Hot Chocolate and Churros
Santiago de C. (Spain)
Rúa Nova (Santiago de C., Spain)
Maestro Mateos statue
