Page 106 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

104

lAY OF BISCAY
FRAN<l
SANTIAGO DE •Bilbao..,
COMPOSTELA
'AT"'. E ORAL
Barcelona•
.Madrid
PORTUGAL
SPAIN

MEDI7lRIIANEAN
SEA
ATLANTIC
OCEMI AlGERIA

ST. JAMES THE GREAT
Accord1ng to tradition, James returned to
Jerusalem after preaching in Spain and was
the first Apostle to be martyred. His body is
thought to have been translated, some claim
miraculously, to a burial site in Galicia. A bishop
is said to have discovered the rei ics some 7 50
years later in 819, guided by a divine vision. A
church was erected in St. James' honor on the
sacred spot The Moors destroyed Santiago 1n
997, yet the saint's tomb was spared (crypt)
This, and subsequent Christian victories, led to
St James becoming Spain's patron saint, and
forged the cathedral's reputation as one of
Christendom's major pilgrimage sites.

THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO
In the Middle Ages, 500,000 pilgrims a year
flocked to the cathedral from all over Europe
Several pilgrimage roads converge on Santiago
de Compostela. The various routes, marked by
the cathedrals, churches, and inns built along
them, are still used tlf travelers today; the mam
road from the Pyrenees is known as the French
Route. To qualify for a certificate, pilgrims must
produce a stamped and dated pi I grim passport
and have covered the final 62 miles ( 1 00 km)
on foot or hors eback, or have cycled the last
125 miles (200 km)

PORTICO DA GLORIA
The Romanesque pillars, pointed ,..ches, and
ribbed vauting (Romanesque Style, see p.122)
of th1s doorw<PJ were carved in part by Maestro
Mateo (the lintel of the central arch bears his
s1gnature and the date 1188) Its three arches As the symbol of S t. James, scallop
are carved with a lmost 200 express ive biblical shells were worn by pilgrims in the
figures. Christ s its at the center, baring his Middle Ages to s how that the y had
wounds, flanked by his Apostles and the 24 journeyed to his shrine. Hous es willing
E lders of the Apocalypse, who are carrying to accept pas sing pilgrims en route
hung shells over their doors.
musical instruments. St. James is seated below
Christ, perched before the richly sculpted
central column. Several indentations are viSible
on ths column, W'lich also depicts the Tree of
Jesse. These have been created tlf the millions
of pilgnms who have touched this spot wrth
their hands as a gesture of thanks for their safe
journey. On the other side, pilgrims bend to
rest their heads on the statue of the Santos
dos C roques hoping to gain wisdom.