12 REASONS FOR VISITING SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA Spiritual Destination of Europe 12 Galicia_ Spain SEEKING 1 Beacon of Medieval Christendom The Chosen Pllace According toto an ancient tradition,tradition, St. James, one of thethe twelvetwelve apostles, travelledtravelled toto Hispania and came toto Galicia, thethe end of thethe earth, toto preach Christianity.. InIn thethe year 44 AD, he was executed inin Jerusalem. Denied permission toto bury him, his disciples sailed toto Galicia and buried him there.there. His tombtomb was forgottenforgotten until thethe year 813 AD, when a bright lightlight revealedrevealed his burial place. After thethe discovery of his tomb,tomb, thethe Apostle was proclaimed thethe patron saint of thethe small Christian kingdom inin thethe northwest IberianIberian Peninsula, providing Christendom with guidance and support, while IslamIslam prospered inin thethe centre and south of thethe Peninsula. On thatthat site a chapel was erected that,that, with thethe passing of time,time, became a monumental Cathedral. The place saw thethe birth and growth of a wonderful leviticallevitical city: Santiago de Compostela. Destination of a thus a network of roads gradually Year, which made Santiago the third Thousand-Year-Old Route formed the so-called Way of Holy City, after Jerusalem and Rome. St. James, which was accompanied Since then, every year that the Day The discovery of the tomb gave rise by the construction of churches of St. James, July 25th, falls on a to a series of miracles and and monasteries, shelters, Sunday, thousands of believers appearances, as well as numerous hostels and hospitals, as well as come on a pilgrimage to obtain legends. Guided by the Milky Way, cities and markets. forgiveness for all of their sins. the itinerary marked in the sky, There have been 118 Holy Years: the thousands of pilgrims began to come In the 12th century, the Papacy last one was 2004 and the following from distant parts of Europe. And granted the Full Jubilee of the Holy ones will be in 2010 and 2021. An intangible channel of ideas, of propagation of faith, of trade relations and artistic and cultural exchanges, the Way was the spiritual route that built Europe and made Compostela a crossroads in medieval Christendom. 3 Due to its importance in the continent’s history, the Way of St. James was declared the ‘First European Cultural Itinerary’ by the Council of Europe and a ‘World Heritage City’ by UNESCO. Today, as in the past, its great richness continues to attract others. A route of spirituality, a road of faith, of companionship and of hospitality, a personal challenge or an artistic and cultural route –each person finds in it what he is looking for, and even more. FINDING The Way 2 BEING INSPIRED 3 World Heritage City university monuments, and of stately mansions and small houses, with balconies overlooking narrow streets of stone featuring arcaded sections. The names of the streets recall the guilds and trades that used to fill them, as well as the old city gates. The baroque style gave Santiago de Compostela its definitive essence. With its own personality, conditioned 4 by the hardness of granite, it filled the churches and climbed up the façades of the Romanesque Cathedral, surrounding it with a series of magnificent squares, which stand out in Europe due to their monumentality. The city’s skyline, visible from its natural viewpoints, is dominated by the impressive Cathedral towers, church belfries, garden trees and A Fairy-Tale City the outlines of the surrounding hills. The city’s medieval splendour is A World Heritage Site, Santiago perceived in the atmosphere de Compostela is a charming, mira- enshrouding it, which emanates from culously preserved city whose magic the Cathedral. The cityscape is a is enhanced after sunset, when its forest of stone full of religious and streets take on an amber hue. de la Gloria´, the Romanesque style’s most complete and complex sculptural work. Its `Botafumeiro´ is unique and spectacular –a giant censer that flies above the naves, 5 propelled by 8 men, until it almost reaches the vault. The Cathedral Museum contains extremely valuable sacred art, significant documents and important archaeological remains from Roman and medieval Santiago; it also Europe’s Richest elements, which require spending at features a visit to the Archbishop’s Cathedral Complex least several hours to visit. Palace, a jewel of the civil The complex of which the Cathedral The Cathedral is the heart of the city. Romanesque style. A tour of the of Santiago de Compostela forms A baroque shell with a Romanesque Cathedral roofs, apart from its part is one of Europe’s most heart that houses, in its crypt, ´ artistic interest, enables visitors to interesting and richest. An entire the Apostle’s remains, its most understand the city’s structure and universe of historical and artistic outstanding feature is the `Pórtico admire its beauty from high up. UNDERSTANDING The Force of Religion 4 Franciscan, Dominican, St. Claire, Carmelite, Jesuit, etc- which make up a fine sightseeing itinerary. Entrusted with looking after the tomb, and catering to the pilgrims, they brought their centuries-old knowledge of pharmacy and medicine to the city. This gave rise to Santiago’s medical-healthcare tradition and its educational vocation, which contributed to the founding of the University. The spiritual, documentary, artistic and archaeological legacy, the origins of the Cathedral and the city, and the history of the Jacobean 6 pilgrimages is explained in five museums: the Cathedral Museum, the Holy Land Museum, the Pilgrimage Museum and two specialised sacred art museums. 12 monasteries and convents, S a n t i a g o ’s immense religious herita- 1 collegiate church, ge also includes 13 monumental 13 monumental churches, churches and a Romanesque 5 religious museums collegiate church. Their beauty and Starting from the Middle Ages, acoustic characteristics make them the Apostle’s basilica was gradually privileged venues for classical and surrounded by convents and sacred music concerts, especially monasteries belonging to different organ music. Others have been care- religious orders –Benedictine, fully rehabilitated as exhibition halls. KNOWING 5 The Legacy FEELING The Energy of the City 6 Wandering Around Santiago de Compostela is a peaceful and safe city that is made for walking. Its urbanistic and environmental quality, its quantity of green spaces and its integration in the surrounding landscape have made it worthy of international recognition. Two basic routes enable it to be enjoyed on foot. The first one tours 7 the monumental centre, starting from the Cathedral and going around the streets and squares that have made Santiago a universal city. They are spaces full of life and possibilities that form part of the A Lively, Young, city inhabitants’ everyday life. University City The second goes around the Created at the end of the middle historical centre via parks and Ages, the University of Santiago de gardens that feature privileged Compostela attracts thousands of viewpoints and hide outstanding students, who mark the city’s rhythm. monuments –historical and Eternally young, the city’s lively contemporary- including buildings nature also stems from the designed by international architects: continuous arrival of pilgrims of all Siza, Gallego, Grassi, Hejduk, ages and nationalities, who come to Noguerol, Nouvel, Eisenman, López the city full of experiences from their Cotelo and others. journey along the Way. EXPERIENCING 7 Culture There Is Always Something Going On… It can be difficult to choose. Among the city’s museums, apart from the five related to religion, there are two avant-garde art museums, an ethnographic museum, a medical museum, a natural history museum, a jet (the city’s magical stone) enjoy the Christmas events and museum and one related to the atmosphere, including the parade University’s Tuna musical group and featuring the Three Wise Men at the student memories that form part the beginning of January. February of urban myth. Exhibition halls in and March are months of theatre 8 monumental spaces and art galleries and dance, as well as the Carnival complete the range of daytime festivities. More than a week of cultural activities, while auditoriums religious services, sacred concerts and theatres colour the evenings. and processions commemorate the Holy Week in April. In May, the The city’s festival par excellence `Ascensción´ festival, the city’s takes place in July, with the second-most important, fills it with `Apóstol´ fiesta, which is accompa- colour and music; this is also the nied by important classical, modern month of book fairs in Santiago’s and ethnic music events. In August city-centre park. In June, the most and September there is a highly surprising public spaces are the varied and surprising programme in setting of ‘Curtocircuito’, a short-film each corner, with small concerts and festival and competition, and ‘En Pé street shows. October is the month de Pedra’, a street dance festival. of puppets and the lied, while November focuses on independent Throughout the year, markets cinema, with the very popular selling antiques, collector’s items ‘Cineuropa’ festival. During the and crafts make up another of last month of the year, visitors can the city’s attractions. Bars, clubs, cafeterias, atmosphere and folk music. And week, although they are busiest from Many of the cafeterias, in addition to pavement cafés there are also the Compostela Thursday to Saturday, when the a great variety of coffees, serve real classics: long-established bars, streets are full of people going drinking chocolate, of great purity, Santiago, a university city, is one clubs and cafeterias that have from one bar to another, exploring which can be accompanied by the of the Spanish cities with the best always formed part of the city. atmospheres. Housed in historical famous `churros´ (fritters) or nightlife.