Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Santiago de Compostela
POP 79,000 / ELEV 260M
Locals say the arcaded, stone streets of Santiago de Compostela are at their most
beautiful in the rain, when the old city glistens. Most would agree, though, that it's
hard to catch the Galician capital in a bad pose. Whether you're wandering the me-
dieval streets of the old city, nibbling on tapas in the taverns along Rúa do Franco
or gazing down at the rooftops from the cathedral, Santiago seduces.
Walking the Camino de Santiago, Santiago de Compestela
PHOTOGRAPHER: CHRISTOPHER HERWIG
The faithful believe that Santiago Apóstol (St James the Apostle) preached in
Galicia and, after his death in Palestine, was brought back by stone boat and buried
here. The tomb was supposedly rediscovered in 813 by a religious hermit who fol-
lowed a guiding star (hence 'Compostela' - from the Latin
campus stellae,
field of
the star). The grave became a rallying symbol for Christian Spain, the Asturian king
Alfonso II turned up to have a church erected above the holy remains, pilgrims
began flocking to it and the rest is history.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search