Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela is the capital city of Galicia in northwest Spain. It's named for Saint James, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, and in legend is his burial site. It's therefore become a pilgrimage destination, the focus of several routes known collectively as El Camino. With a population just under 100,000 in 2024, Santiago has a glorious cathedral and old city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." — Matthew 4:19 In the 8th century the Arabs captured much of Spain, but the Visigoth Christian lands to the north pushed back. Christian leaders sought symbols of cultural identity to rally and unite this isolated region of fishermen and subsistence farmers, with its coastline littered with scallop shells. It would also help, in an era when pilgrimage to Jerusalem was closed off, if there was some icon or relic as a focus. They cast around and landed a whopper. James, cousin of Jesus, was a fisherman in Galilee and together with his brother John (author of St John's Gospel) was among the Apostles. In 44 AD King Herod Agrippa had him beheaded in Jerusalem, where he almost certainly lies; Peter was thrown in jail but busted out by an angel. As the first martyr James became revered, especially in Spain where he was known as Iacobus or Iago, hence Santiago. A story grew up that he'd preached in Spain, with the Virgin Mary coming down to perch on a pillar in Zaragoza and bless him, before he had to rush back so as not to be late for his beheading. The angels then contrived for his decapitated body to sail away in an unattended boat to Iria Flavia, now the town of Padrón 20 km south of Santiago city. Iria Flavia was a much older religious centre, with a Roman shrine and before that a Celtic, and James was reputed to have preached there, so that's where any angelically-transported remains should belong. But the 9th century saw an ecclesiastical upheaval in which Santiago supplanted Iria Flavia. Conveniently, Pelagius the Hermit then beheld showers of stars descending upon a grave in the forest later dubbed the "field of stars", campos stella. He fetched the bishop, who revealed an unexpected talent for forensic archaeology and declared the three bodies there to be James and his disciples Theodore and Athanasius. King and Pope swiftly got in on the act, a chapel then a cathedral were erected on the spot, and Santiago was acclaimed a Holy City surpassed only by Rome and Jerusalem. It's been a pilgrimage destination ever since. Pilgrims initially brought home a symbolic scallop shell, then later they wore a shell on their outbound quest and were awarded a written certificate. The Lutheran / Protestant movement long scorned the whole business but an ecumenical spirit in the 20th century led to recognition of the value of pilgrimage, emphasising the physical and spiritual personal journey and downplaying the legends and physical icons. St James was invoked to help in various battles: he somehow failed to repel Napoleon, but in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) the falangists were great supporters of his cult and held the city from the outset. After Franco's death in 1975, Spain transitioned to a constitutional monarchy, tourism (including religious tourism) flourished, and Santiago de Compostela was declared capital city of Galicia. Climate of Santiago is typical of the Iberian Atlantic coast: wet winters, and frequent downpours from September to June. Summers are mild. Santiago Turismo is the online visitor portal. The tourist office is 200 m south of the cathedral at Rúa do Vilar 63, open daily 109:00-18:00.

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Santiago de Compostela is the starting point of Santiago to Muxia and Finisterre, From Santiago to Finisterre and Muxia in one week, Santiago to Finisterre and Muxia, From Santiago to Finisterre and From Santiago to Muxía, the ending point of The Camino de Santiago in 31 days, The Camino de Santiago in 35 days, The Camino de Santiago in 26 days, The Camino de Santiago from Sarria: the last 100 Km, From Leon to Santiago in two weeks, From Brugos to Santiago in three weeks, From Astorga to Santiago in 10 days, Winter route via valcarlos, The Portuguese Way, The Camino Primitivo, From Ferrol to Santiago, From A Coruña to Santiago, From Ferrol to Santiago in 9 days, The Camino del Norte, From Finisterre to Santiago and The Camino Aragonés and it’s a stopover point on Saint Jean Pied de Port to Finisterre and Ferrol to Finisterre and Muxia. You can reach Fisterra in 4 days and Muxía in 7 days.