Today we’re going to talk about Santiago de Compostela.
Every year for centuries, thousands of pilgrims have traveled the Saint James' Way, arriving
at Galicia's capital and entering the famed Cathedral.
The relics of James the Apostle, found in the ninth century, are believed by tradition
to be interred here.
However, Santiago de Compostela is a very vibrant city with a variety of other things
to do for tourists, pilgrims included: countless eateries and bars where you can sample delectable
Galician seafood, an old town centre that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provocative
contemporary art, etc.
This city, which blends history with a more contemporary side, offers a lot to do.
Now let’s have a look at the top five things that you can do here besides the pilgrim.
5.Plaza del Obradoiro (OBRA - DOOR - IO) The historical heart of Santiago de Compostela
is the Plaza del Obradoiro, one of Spain's most stunning and well-known squares and the
centre of the historic Santiago de Compostela.
This square bears witness to the history of an ancient city.
It consists of a number of the city's most recognizable structures, witnesses to its
extensive history.
These buildings combine Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Neoclassical architectural styles, accumulating
the cultural heritage of more than 700 years of history.
The San Jerónimo College, now the rectorate of the University of Santiago, the Hostal
de los Reyes Católicos, and the Palace of Rajoy are the structures that precisely define
this Square of the Obradoiro.
The Palace of Rajoy closes for its western part just in front of the main façade of
the Cathedral of Santiago, which is the most famous image of the city.
The significance of this square's four defining structures is timeless and still holds true
today.
They are founded on the four pillars that support the Galician capital: religion, pilgrim
care, public service, and higher education.
These structures still carry out these four tasks in the modern day and age of the 21st
century.
The Obradoiro is a place of celebration and constant activity, both for the pilgrims who
have successfully completed their journey and for the numerous groups that travel to
Santiago to view its impressive architectural legacy.
The Plaza del Obradoiro is joined by the squares of Plateras, Azabachera, and A Quintana in
the task of encircling the Cathedral of Santiago, creating a cultural and architectural environment
that should not be missed if you visit Santiago de Compostela.
Today, hundreds of people pass through this area, and the piled-high backpacks of the
pilgrims who arrive exhausted in the city, stacked in the arcades of the Palace of Rajoy.
4.Monastry of San Martino Pinario A group of Benedictine monks who had moved
to the city after learning of the discovery of St. James' remains founded this in the
ninth century.
What you see today was created in the late 15th century as a result of an influx of wealth
after the monastery joined the Benedictine Congregation of the City of Valladolid.
The church is a striking example of baroque architecture, one of Spain's most impressive.
It ruled 32 other monasteries for a while.
The complex was repeatedly expanded, and as a result, it is constructed using various
architectural styles.
Step up to the choir to see the incredible wood carving detail and to admire the altarpieces
designed by Fernando de Casas Novoa in the 18th century.
The facade is divided into three sections, with two enormous canvases each having four
floors and a central shaft in the middle.
Five-body tower breaks up the monotony.
Two pairs of enormous Tuscan columns stand guard over the central baroque facade, which
has a span of lintel entrance.
The ball flew over the statue of San Benedicto.
The structure, which Fernando de Casas added in 1738, has a figure of San Martn de Tours
sharing his crown with the Spanish flag between scallops at the top.
This monastery is a stunning example of Galician baroque and definitely worth visiting.
3.Park de La Alameda Galicia's city parks are unique from those
in the rest of Spain because of the region's favorable climate.
This is true of Parque de la Alameda, which has expansive grassy areas and paths that
are shaded by horse chestnut, oak, eucalyptus, cypress, and palm trees.
Check out the central avenue, which is lit by gas and demonstrates a peculiarity of 19th-century
Spanish society: Depending on your social class, there are different walkways.
Alameda is a lovely place to be at, with its many flower beds, ponds, sculptures, and fountains,
but what will stay with you long after you leave are the views across to the Cathedral.
La Alameda, as the locals call it, is likely the most approachable and fascinating park
for visitors.
The old quarter and Santiago Cathedral are both close by.
Its privileged location is what draws so many tourists looking for some urban nature and
fresh air.
It will take you about 30 minutes to explore the park completely.
The sculpture of As Marias is among the park's highlights.
After the Cathedral and Plaza del Obradorio, this is arguably the tourist destination in
Santiago de Compostela that gets the most photos.
We advise you to go see As Marias and get yours!
Two sisters whose family was persecuted under the Franco regime are depicted in the sculpture.
The two sisters used to stroll through Alameda Park wearing eye-catching dresses at the time.
Every day at 2:00 PM, they would go for a walk.
They used to make fun of college students and were thought to have some sort of mental
illness.
Locals adored them dearly, and following their death a statue was put in the park to commemorate
them.
This park is a lovely place to take a stroll in.
2.Mercado de Abastos The Mercado de Abastos has been in its location
for 300 years, and there can't be many more gorgeous market halls in Spain.
With its stone walls, long arches, and windows, the current structure, which was constructed
in 1941 to match the style of the city, resembles a Romanesque church.
It is the place to observe daily life, similar to the majority of central markets in Spain.
The permanent stands, which sell regional cheese, cured meat, fresh fish and seafood
from the Atlantic, are positioned in arches facing a central aisle.
By the entrance, there are also temporary stalls selling fruit and vegetables.
The current market complex was built in the 1940s, and the eight halls' granite walls
and whitewashed barrel-vaulted ceilings are reminiscent of the nearby cathedral.
Around 70 different vendors run their businesses out of the stands in these halls, selling
everything from recently caught fish and seafood to fresh fruits and vegetables (many of which
are grown in Galicia's northwest region).
Even if you don't like shellfish, it's fun to walk by the ice beds and see the colourful,
striped fish, the scallops that are Santiago's national symbol, and still-chowing crabs.
There is no better place to find authentic Galician goods like cured meats, soft cheeses,
empanadas (savoury pies), and homebrewed wine.
Octopus is frequently being cooked in a pot in the middle of the plaza.
This isn't just for tourists; locals like to hang out here and share a platter of the
seafood with a glass of white Albario wine.
Apron-clad women from the countryside who sell the meagre harvests of their family farms
can frequently be found along the market's edges.
They sell items like potatoes with soil-stained skins, a wicker basket of vibrant green Padrón
peppers, and a few bottles of coffee liqueur made from grapes from their own vineyards.
Thursdays and Saturdays are the best days of the week to visit the market, but get there
early to avoid being outbid by locals pushing carts!
1.Cathedral de Santiago
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the most revered Christian structure in Spain,
is a sight deserving of an arduous pilgrimage.
The cathedral towers soar above the town as it stands majestically on the Plaza del Obradoiro.
The structure, an outstanding example of Early Romanesque architecture, was built between
1075 and 1211 on the site of an earlier 9th-century church that Almansor's Moorish army had destroyed
in 997.
Numerous architectural styles, including Gothic, Plateresque, and Neoclassical, were used in
the cathedral's renovations.
The Portico de la Gloria, a magnificent entrance, welcomes pilgrims.
This doorway, which Master Mateo built in 1188, is covered in sculptures, including
200 representations of characters from the Apocalypse story and a statue of Saint James
the Apostle.
Under the rule of Alfonso VI, work on the current Cathedral began in 1075.
Over the centuries, it was enhanced and changed; the 18th century saw the Cathedral's final
alterations.
It’s impressive on the inside as well as the outside.
The cathedral's interior is equally impressive.
The elaborate baroque altar is beautifully decorated.
You can see Saint James' relics in the crypt beneath the altar.
The Cathedral is free to enter, but during services it is forbidden to wander around
and take pictures.
The Plaza Obradoiro, an attractive square in front of the Cathedral, offers the best
view of the front facade.
Late afternoon, when it starts to get quiet, you can enjoy the square and the Cathedral
lit up, and that’s also the preferred time to visit Praza Obradoiro.
It's interesting to visit the Cathedral during the mass even if you're not a pilgrim.
Every day at 12 o'clock, the main mass is held.
It lasts for about 30 to 45 minutes.
If you're lucky, you might get to see the Botafumeiro Ceremony, in which six specially
trained monks swing a sizable silver incense burner attached to the ceiling.
Only on significant religious holidays like Christmas, Easter, etc. does it occur daily.
You have a better chance of seeing a botafumeiro during the busiest Camino months of August
and September, when some pilgrimage groups reserve the ceremony for their arrival in
Santiago.
If you can’t explore it all on your own you can take a guided tour of the Cathedral
and Museum and learn more about its history.
Santiago is a special city that exudes the spirit of millennia's worth of travels.
Its arcaded streets and magnificent stone architecture, of which the well-known cathedral
is the crown jewel, are remnants of centuries long past.
Even if you don’t come here with the intention of pilgrimage, this city would not disappoint
you with its vast architecture.
What you loved the most about Santiago de Compostela?
Let us know in the comments below.
And as always, where to next?