Santiago de Compostela
After 12 days in North Western France, I decided to go to Santiago de Compostela on my way home, as I have never been there before, and it is only a slight off route going home.
Santiago de Compostela is the Administrative, social and commercial capital of the Autonomous Community of Galícia, declared a World Heritage City by UNESCO, thanks to its multicultural nature ad as the final destination to a thousand-year old pilgrim route - the Way of St. James, which since the 9th Century has transformed this finisterrae into a meeting point of western Faith and thinking.
The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the city's Cathedral.
Santiago de Compostela, in North Western Spain became a symbol in the Spanish Christians's Strugle against Islam. Destroyed by the Muslims at the end of the 10th Century, it was completely rebuilt in the following century.
With its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings, the oldest monuments are grouped around the tomb of St. James and the Cathedral, which contains the Remarkable Pórtico de la Glória.
As I only had half a day to spare, I went straight to a few touristic sights in the "old Town".
The beautiful "Corridors" of the Old town
Beautiful fruit stall
(My lunch this day was fruit bought here)
The way to the Monastery of San Martiño Pinario
Convent and church of San Domingos de Bonaval
At the back of the Convent and church of San Domingos de Bonaval, you come to the very old Cemetery
Monastery of San Martiño Pinario
End of their pilgrimage? Passing the Monastery of San Martiño Pinario
Staircase to the Cathedral
There's a sense of calmness and relaxing life in Santiago de Compoetala
Lots of Pilgrims this day
Inside the Cathedral
Inside the Cathedral
Promised myself that I have to come back to Santiago for a long weekend, maybe do a 150km Pilgirmage from the Northern Portugal side, starting at Ponte de Lima.
