A Coruña Santiago
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of Galicia and the final destination point on the St James pilgrimage route.
Based on the legend the beginning of this city came when the remains of the apostle St James were founded in the 9th century and then Santiago became a holy city like Rome or Jerusalem.At the medieval time Santiago experienced a great culture exchange with the pilgrims that came from all over Europe. The “camino de Santiago” is a very interesting pilgrimage due to its historic and artistic nature.
The university arrived together with “Isabel and Fernando” the Catholics monarchs and the Fonseca bishop as well as many religious orders during the following centuries.Monasteries and churches were built at that time, giving to Santiago its Baroque and Reanaissance style.
The square Obradoiro is the downtown, where all
the importants monuments are located like the Cathedral. With
its baroque façacade and romanic front “el pórtico
de la Gloria”. In the interior of the Cathedral we can find
differents styles like romanic , gothic and baroque.
The tradition says that you have to bump your head on the figure
of the cathedral creator to obtain wisdom and prudence and to
embrace the Apostle Saint James at the principal Altar.
It is also a tradition to wave a huge “Botafumeiro”
in the main space of the cathedral.
Close to the Cathedral you can find other interesting places like the following squares: Plaza de Quintana, Plaza Azabachería and Plz de Platerías.
And significant buildings like: the College
of San Jeronimo, Pazo Raxoi, and the “Hostal los Reyes Católicos”.
La Coruña guide