Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela - Overview:
Santiago de Compostela is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, steeped in a rich history and religious heritage. The old, world famous centre of European pilgrimage, its Romanesque cathedral has an impressive Baroque facade and is the centre of life in Santiago.
Santiago de Compostela - Pilgrims Route:
Santiago de Compostela is, with Jerusalem and the Vatican, one of the three holiest cities for Christians around the world. The French path, known as Camino Frances, starts in Ronchesvalles, or Saint Jean Pied de Port, and via this French and Spanish routes lots of pilgrims arrive in Santiago after almost 900km walking.
In addition to our properties throughout Galicia, we offer a fabulous collection of Spanish Parador hotels that specifically line this route, taking in all of points of historical interest.
Santiago de Compostela - Historic sight-seeing:
The cathedral stands on the site of what is believed to be the burial place of the apostle St. James and looks down on Obradoiro Square and the sculptures of the Portico de la Gloria. Many people still follow the medieval pilgrimage routes from France across northern Spain to visit the cathedral.
The city has many other interesting buildings, such as the Old University, the Romanesque Collegiate Church of Santa Maria del Sar and the Gelmirez Palace. Santiago de Compostela, situated in the northwest corner of Spain in the region of Galicia, has been a cultural and scientific meeting point since the middle ages.
The city was founded on legend following the discovery in 813AD of the sepulchre of St. James, the apostle beheaded in 44AD in Palestine. King Alfonso II visited the site and ordered a modest temple and monastery to be built, erecting the centre around which the city later grew.
Alfonso III built the ancient basilica at the end of the 9th Century. It was destroyed during the Moorish invasion of Almanzor in 997AD which completely devastated the city. Santiago was rebuilt and encircled by a wall.
In 1075AD Bishop Diego Pelez began the building-works on the cathedral, which continued under the supervision of Bishop Diego Gelmrez, a key figure in the development of Santiago city.
The 11th and 12th Centuries were the highlight of pilgrimages to Compostela. The Pilgrims' road to Santiago de Compostela was an extremely efficient means of scientific, artistic and literary communication. Set amid the unmistakably rural region of Galicia, Santiago became an important centre of economic and cultural activity, a melting pot of distant cultures and civilizations. At the end of the 12th Century the master-crafstman Mateo built the Portico de la Gloria (Gateway of Glory).
The end of the 14th Century witnessed the start of a turbulent period which lasted into the 15th Century. The arrival of Archbishop Fonseca, the founder of the University, marked the beginning of the Renaissance in Compostela. It was the Catholic Monarchs who brought the Court to the City in 1501 and in 1534 the Royal Hospital and the Colegio de Fonseca were built.
At the end of the 17th Century it was the archbishops and religious orders who promoted the Baroque building frenzy which created a school of its own in the 18th Century. This style dominates the historic centre of Santiago - the cathedral, the monasteries and the churches- and gives it a unique character which remains today.
The Cathedral of Santiango is, with Rome and Jerusalem, one of the milestones of Christianity and, worldwide, it is revered among the most famous cathedrals. Santiago gives shelter to 46 churches, 114 bell towers, 288 altars and 36 orders. The history of Santiago de Compostela is told through its extraordinary religious architecture, such as the two angels with spectacles inside a relief from the 14th century and a pregnant virgin at the entrance to a church.
Apart from being famous for its university, monuments and religious and commercial activity, this city of 100,000 inhabitants is also a major centre of administration, having become the capital of the Autonomous Community of Galicia in 1982. It is the seat of the Xunta (regional government), the regional parliament and other regional administrative institutions.
The city plays an important role in the timber industry. It is also extremely well connected to the outside, being centrally situated between the most important urban centres in Galicia.
Santiago de Compostela - Our holiday accommodation and service:
Travel with secretdestinations.com holidays and enjoy delightful, privileged, sophisticated Galician holiday destinations in La Coruna province, including Santiago de Compostela. From privately owned houses, charming cottages, villas and apartments to villas with pools and hotels; all in beautiful coastal and rural locations, hand-picked for an authentic taste of unspoiled Galicia and secret Northern Green Spain.
So, if you're looking for an activity holiday walking, cycling and trekking or climbing in Northern Green Spain's mountains and countryside; exploring La Coruna's fascinating Galician villages, rural towns and historic cities such as Santiago de Compostela; following the historic pilgrims' routes; enjoy bird watching, nature, fancy a spot of surfing, swimming, sunbathing or relaxing on great beaches; sampling fabulous Galician seafood or you just want to simply escape the tourism masses with a privately owned apartment, cottage or villa with a pool, call our holiday team today. We can also assist you with flights to La Coruna and Galicia, ferry travel and holiday car hire.
