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Give me my scallop-shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk on,
My script of joy, immortal diet,
My bottle of salvation,
My gown of glory, hope's true gage,
And thus I'll take my pilgrimage.
-- Sir Walter Raleigh

I really had never heard of Santiago de Compostela until 1992, when I was reading in preparation for our first visit to Spain. The more that I read the more I realized that Santiago is, and has been for centuries, a pilgrimage site to which people have traveled by every known means. It is also a city of beautiful legends and history. I knew we had to go!

It is said that people travel to Santiago from all parts of the world. Michael Jacobs, in his book, The Road To Santiago De Compostela, describes four distinct routes from France into Spain, then west to Santiago, the city of St. James. James Michener, in Iberia tells of his pilgrimage as beginning near Pamplona, in Spain near France. The route passes through certain towns and cities, including Burgos, Leon, Astorga, and others.

For those who made the often difficult and long journey, upon arrival in Santiago, they would receive their compostellana, the document of validation which certified that they had completed the journey.

There are certain symbols of the Pilgrimage and Santiago. The scallop shell was essential for the pilgrim to obtain; we saw them on our recent trip, tied on the backpacks that so many modern day pilgrims carry in the magnificent Plaza de Obradoiro, carved into the sculptures, and inlaid into the street's paving stones. Also, the walking staff is still used today by the pilgrims.

The Old City
Santiago, often called the City of Stone has been declared by UNESCO, a World Heritage Site. The Obradoiro Square lies in the middle of the "living museum," the old city. There are four wonderful buildings surrounding this very large square: The Cathedral, The Hostelry of the Reyes Católicos (now a beautiful parador/hotel), The Rajoy Palace, and The College of San Jeronimo. To me, the Cathedral is the hub of the wheel, the heart of the city and the most inspirational of the monuments. Construction of the present cathedral was in 1075, and was added to in subsequent years. Supposedly it is built on the ground in which the remains of St. James were found.

The Legend
The legend of Santiago de Compostela tells the story that Christ instructed his disciples to go into the world to teach and preach. James went to Spain, and when he had completed his mission, returned to Jerusalem where he was later executed. His remains were returned to Spain and buried, until the ninth century when a Bishop, alerted by a shepherd who had seen a bright star, discovered the relics. Thus the legend, believed and held sacred in Spain came into being.


The Cathedral is very beautiful and inspirational. Books describe it as Romanesque and Baroque architecture and sculpture. Ever since the discovery of the Apostle's tomb, thousands of Christians have made the pilgrimage from the ninth century to the present.

The Portal of Gloria is the best known entrance and is the one through which we passed each day, placing our five fingers into the worn holes in the Tree Of Jesse, a magnificent sculpture at the entrance. One can easily see the indentations left by hundreds of thousands of Pilgrims placing their hand there as a gesture of thanksgiving for their safe journey over the centuries. The Portal is beautiful with the many sculptured figures, and many people were there that day as we entered waiting patiently for their time at the Tree of Jesse.

The High Altar
The Cathedral is very large, and upon entering and passing by the Tree of Jesse, one can see the High Altar, some distance away. At the High Altar is an image of James. The figure dates from the 1200s and has a serene and comforting expression. If one goes to the side of the High Altar, a narrow stairway upward will be found which takes you to the back of the statue, and it is customary for Pilgrims to embrace the Statue (we did!). On approaching the High Altar, we kept seeing hands and arms reaching around the statue -- the embrace! The statue is adorned with silver and precious stones.

The Botafumeiro
At special times and events, we had read that during the Pilgrims' Mass, a huge silver botafumeiro, or censer, is swung by heavy ropes across the transept of the Cathedral, with charcoal burning inside. Friends had told us of the fantastic sight. We had first seen the beautiful silver botafumeiro in the Cathedral's library while passing through the museum. One morning while passing through the cloisters of the Cathedral we noticed a small container of charcoal smoldering on a wall. Upon turning around we noticed the botafumeiro sitting near a door, ready to be moved into the Cathedral, and we hurried back into the Sanctuary in order not to miss the event! It was absolutely spectacular, the heavy shiny silver censer being swung with great force, almost touching the ceiling, with the charcoal glowing red hot as it flew through the transcept. It was a very holy event to the people assembled there that day in July. We had heard it said that the purpose of the botafumeiro was to carry the prayers of the people to heaven. Others say, it was to "freshen" the odor of the air in the Cathedral in the early centuries when the exhausted pilgrims would sleep in the Cathedral. Which is it? It is for each to decide.

The Cathedral has several facades and doorways. They are most interesting and one can read about them in one or more of the books in my recommended reading list.

Around the Old City
Places to see: The Tapestry Museum and Library in the Cathedral, the Rajoy Palace (city hall), Plaza Obradoiro, the College of San Jeronimo (Plaza Obradoiro, the Hostelry of Los Reyes Católicos (Plaza Obradoiro) a beautiful historic hotel (Parador), Plaza Las Platerías (at the side of the Cathedral), and others (see the books in the following book list). There are many interesting streets to explore. A few of the most interesting are: Rua Nova, Rua de Vilar, and Rua de Franco.

Hotel de los Reyes Católicos, now a five star hotel. It was built in 1489 by the Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella as a hostel for pilgrims coming to Santiago. It is designed around four courtyards dating from 16th through the 18th centuries. It is very near the Cathedral on the north side of the Plaza del Obradoiro. It is a wonderful place to stay while in Santiago.

We enjoyed Santiago de Compostela immensely, and we will return to the city of St. James. We had arrived on a silver Iberia Airline A300 Airbus. The trip was very comfortable and brief. There are other ways to go: rail, car, bus, ship (the coast is just west of the city), and of course, as Pilgrims in whatever way you choose.

The weather in Santiago is very moist. It rains often and there is moss on some of the buildings from the rain. It is picturesque, beautiful, and a very special city. Memories that remain: the broad expanse of the Plaza de Obradoiro with the massive Cathedral looming over the square, youth groups cheering upon their arrival at the Plaza near the Cathedral, the people climbing the stairs to the dark recessed area behind the High Altar to hug the statue of St. James, and the view in the Cathedral that day during the Pilgrim's mass of the silver botafumeiro, after being prepared by the priest, flying high above through the transcept carrying the prayers skyward. And of course, the beautiful silver Coffer, containing the relics of St. James, in the crypt, down the small stairway beneath the High Altar.

What more appropriate place to end this diary page; with St. James, the Coffer, the High Altar, and the Cathedral!