It is believed that a trip to Spain is inferior if the tourist has not visited the capital of Galicia, the city of Santiago de Compostela. Over a million visitors from all over the world come here every year. The city, along with Rome and Jerusalem, is the most important point of pilgrimage, and its historical center is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Today you will learn more about Santiago de Compostela (albeit virtually) and its main attractions.
general characteristics
There is a legend according to which, after the martyrdom of the apostle Jacob, the boat with its decapitated body launched along the Mediterranean Sea returned to the Spanish coast, to the place where he had previously preached. A few hundred years later, a hermit monk who lived nearby discovered the imperishable remains of Jacob. The guiding star pointed him the way to them. At the place where the relics lay, a chapel was built, and later a basilica, which became a pilgrimage site for Christians from different parts of the Earth and the endpoint of the path of St. James. This place is located in the city of Santiago de Compostela, which has since become an important shrine to the Catholic world.
Today, the capital of Galicia is not only a shrine, but also a modern and prosperous city with a population of about 100 thousand people. It is divided into two parts: the old, in which the bulk of the historical sights is concentrated, and the new, which is considered the administrative center of the region. Hotels in Santiago de Compostela are found in both parts. The city’s economy is constantly growing and gaining strength, thanks in large part to tourism. The prestigious University of Santiago de Compostela annually attracts a significant number of applicants. It was founded in 1525.
How to get to Santiago de Compostela
You can get into the city in various ways:
- On foot from neighboring cities and countries. Every year, hundreds of tourists from all over the world go to Santiago de Compostela along the pilgrimage route of St. James. The route starts from Germany, France, Portugal and other European countries - it all depends on the physical abilities of the tourist.
- By plane. The nearest international airport is located ten kilometers from the city, in Lavacole. It takes flights from major Spanish and European cities.
- By bus. The local bus station provides both domestic and international transportation. It can be reached from Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Romania and France. Also by bus you can get from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid and other cities in Spain.
- By train. Orreo train station provides short, medium and long distance transportation. Its services are suitable for those who are looking for the answer to the question: "How to get to Santiago de Compostela from Madrid, Bilbao or French Hendaye?" On these routes trains run daily. With one change, you can take the train to Paris, Barcelona and Lisbon. The trains between neighboring cities of the region go several times a day.
- By car. There are quite a lot of car routes in Santiago de Compostela, and most of them are very picturesque. The AR-9 highway connects the city with the Portuguese border, as well as the cities of A Coruña, Ferrol, Pontevedra and Vigo. Two roads lead to the rest of Spain from Galicia: A-6 (through the province of Lugo) and A-52 (through the province of Ourense). You can get to France from Santiago de Compostela via the N-634 motorway, which runs along the country's northern coast.
It's time to get acquainted with the sights of the city.
St. James Cathedral
This attraction is the most impressive building, made in the Romanesque style, not only in Santiago de Compostela, but also in Spain. This cathedral also represents the extreme point of pilgrimage for the followers of St. James. The cathedral, which is already more than a thousand years old, has an area of more than 10,000 m 2 , so travelers and pilgrims always have enough space in it. Its altar is decorated with the image of St. James and the canopy. In addition, the cathedral has a museum, which presents a rich collection of treasures accumulated in the walls of the building over the long history of its existence. This architectural structure is most often found in the photo of Santiago de Compostela and is one of the symbols of the city.
Church of Santa Maria a Real do Sar
The church was built in the 12th century and has been well preserved to this day. The temple attracts primarily the slightly sloping facades of the towers, supporting the dome columns and the original altar, made in the Romanesque style. In addition, a number of religious objects endowed with archaeological value are presented here.
Church of St. Mary of Salome
This church was built in the 12th century. The style is baroque. The temple is decorated with a number of sculptures created by students of the local university, and a huge image of the Virgin Mary on the vault. In the 18th century a tower was erected, which also belongs to the church.
Monastery of St. Francis
The modern monastery building was erected in the 16th century in the then popular Baroque style, but its history began four centuries earlier. The place where the attraction is located is called Val de Dios. Tourists come here to look at the monument to St. Francis, created by the popular sculptor Ferreiro, as well as the religious museum, which presents valuable exhibits brought from the Holy Land. All museum exhibits date from the Paleolithic.
Museum of Galician
This institution has a rich collection, with the help of which you can get acquainted with the history, culture and life of the Galician. Traditional costumes, items of traditional crafts, ancient sculpture and painting, archaeological artifacts - all this and much more can be found here. The museum was organized in 1977 in the building of the monastery of St. Domingo. The monastery itself is also recommended for visiting. Especially famous among tourists is its cemetery, where people who have contributed to the development of the region lie.
Eugenio Granella Foundation Museum
The foundation owns an impressive collection of surreal works of art. The museum building does not have enough space for the entire collection, so the exhibits often change. Here you can see the works of such popular artists as Max Ernst, Man Ray, Jose Hernandez, Esteban Frances, and Paco Pestana. The fund also has its own store, in which everyone can purchase the work they like.
Center for Contemporary Art
This attraction was opened in 1993 in an interesting building, designed by the Portuguese architect Alvero Siza. Both permanent and portable exhibitions are presented here. Recently, the Center often began to conduct various cultural events: literary evenings, art discussions, artistic web shops and more.
Episcopal Palace
The building was built in the Romanesque style, as evidenced primarily by the original portico, which looks through the facade. The most interesting rooms of the palace are the dining room and kitchen, located on the second floor. Here, on large columns supporting the arches, scenes of various medieval celebrations are depicted.
Rahoy Palace
This palace was built in 1766 as the official residence for children from the church seminary and choir. His project was developed by the famous Spanish architect and designer Lemaer. The facade is decorated with a series of bas-reliefs depicting the victory of Clavijo, which is considered an important event in the history of the region. The interior of the building was furnished in the rococo style by the same Lemaire.
Casa da Parra
The Casa de Para building was designed by Dominico de Andrade in the 18th century, built in the Baroque style. Today it hosts exhibitions where you can get acquainted with various artifacts discovered in different years during the excavations of Santiago de Compostela. At these exhibitions, they also present documents that somehow relate to the history of the city.
Fonseca College
The college is located near Obradoiro Square and is one of the most impressive architectural attractions of Santiago de Compostela and Spain in general. It was erected in 1522 in the Renaissance style and became the first building of a local university. One of the building's facades depicts Santiago Alfeo, who is considered the patron saint of the college. Inside the building is the famous Sala a Grados library. Previously, there was the headquarters of the Padre Sarmiente Seminary, whose members edited the Declaration on the Autonomy of the Region. The college is surrounded by a picturesque garden in which there are sculptures of Manolo Paz.
Alameda Park
Alameda Park has been one of the favorite vacation spots for residents of Santiago de Compostela and guests of the city since the 19th century. It offers a great view of the west side of the city, including its old part. The park is also famous for its oak and eucalyptus groves, colorful flower beds and beautiful fountains. Also on its territory there are convenient areas for picnics.
Obradoiro Square
Obradoiro is the main square of Santiago de Compostela and one of the largest in all of Galicia. The attraction is located in the historical quarter of the city, but is not its geographical center. The main facade of the cathedral overlooks it. The square is surrounded on four sides by historical buildings, which are said to have embodied four aspects of the life of the city: the cathedral (church) mentioned above , Paso de Rajoy (government), Hostal dos Reis Catholicos (bourgeoisie and doctors), Colechio de San Jeronimé (university ) Each of the buildings is made in its own architectural style. Once Obradoiro was opened for cars, but now only pedestrians can move on it, as in most of the historical quarter.
Hostal de los Reyes Catholicos
This is the name of the palace-hotel of the Catholic Kings, located on Obradoiro Square. This building was once a hospital, and then the first hotel in the world. Today, it is considered one of the most luxurious parades in Santiago de Compostela and Spain in general. Paradors are called hotels located in ancient buildings.
Hostal de los Reyes Catholicos is not only remarkable for its location - the building is one of the most popular examples of Galicia architecture. Its facade, designed by Enrique de Egas, is replete with sculptures, family crests and a composition of narrow windows. The building has four pretty courtyards. Two of them date back to the 16th century, and two more - to the 18th.
During its existence, the Hostal has transformed several times. Its construction was initiated by the Spanish king in the distant 15th century. Then they planned to place a hospital or an inn for pilgrims in the building. In front of the building facade was a narrow corridor, fenced with a rope. He testified that anyone persecuted by law could find refuge in the building. This rule could be violated if the owner of the Hostal gave permission to capture this person.
In 1953, the building was converted into a luxurious parador. Today it is one of four icon buildings that frame the main square of the city.
Quintana Square
Quintana Square is also a tourist attraction in Santiago de Cospostela. In size and importance, it is second only to Obradoiro. The square, which was built on two levels, borders the Cathedral of St. James. This lively area is sometimes called the "area of the dead", since in ancient times there was a cemetery.
The main part of the square is a rectangle, one of the sides of which passes into the stairs leading to the second level. On the west side, where the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is located, offers an excellent view of the Royal Gate.
Caught on Quintana at night, not far from the clock tower, made in the Baroque style, you can see the appearance of a pilgrim. However, if you approach it, it turns out that this is just a shadow cast by the tower. According to local legend, a priest, having changed clothes, was expecting his beloved nun here, but he did not wait. Now he comes here every night in the hope of meeting with her ...
The Cultural City of Galicia
This name was given to a complex of cultural buildings built in Santiago de Compostela under the direction of architect Peter Eisenman. The construction of this attraction was very expensive and complicated and required a professional approach at every stage. The fact is that according to the project, each building was supposed to resemble a hill, and each window decorating the external facade should have an original shape. In 2013, when a little more than 10 years have passed since the start of construction, due to high costs, it was decided to abandon the construction of the last two buildings.
Museum of Natural History
One of the attractions of Santiago de Compostela located in the Vista Alegre Park is the Natural History Museum. The collections presented in this institution allow visitors to get acquainted with the exhibits of the XIX-XX centuries that are related to the environment of Galicia and its biological diversity.
Each of the ecosystems examined in the museum is presented in the form of an exact reproduction. Especially for children, all kinds of interactive platforms are being prepared and master classes are held. With their help, a child can easily and naturally plunge into the complex and fascinating world of nature.
Reviews
According to reviews, Santiago de Compostela is one of the cities in Spain that are required to visit.
Tourists say they come here in order to:
- Get into the atmosphere of the ancient city, which is recognized as the property of mankind.
- Discover medieval iconography and impressive sculptural sculptures.
- Soak up the student atmosphere at one of the oldest universities in the world.
- Take a walk through the mazes of medieval streets and squares.
- Taste fresh octopuses, lobsters, oysters and sea urchins.
- Discover the architecture of the city, harmoniously combining medieval and modern styles.