We
ate breakfast (10€ extra) at Pensión
Maribel: Don cereal and yogurt/MT yogurt; café con leche/hot chocolate; 2 orange juice; 2 toast with
marmalade; 2 chocolate croissants (to go); 2 pan de leche. We got sellos “Pensión-Residencia Maribel www.pensionmaribel.com” before
leaving. We departed at 9 am. (If you want to get to Santiago in time to attend
the pilgrim mass at noon, you will need to make a very early start from here.)
The route continues along the
last great oak woods of the ancient Camino, on a path that alternates between
asphalt an earth.
MT 9:10 AM – After O Pedrouzo: yellow arrows on
stone fence.
MT 9:31 AM – After O Pedrouzo: yellow arrows on
utility pole.
MT 9:34 AM – After O Pedrouzo: (late) sunrise
over path between fields.
Around
9:40, we reached Amenal (pop ?),
where the Camino route went down through a túnel
(tunnel) under the main road.
MT 9:39 AM – Amenal: yellow arrow with
“Imagine – Love - Peace”; this was the first of several Beatles messages.
9:42 AM – Amenal: yellow arrows and Camino
sign directing us to a tunnel under the highway.
MT 9:43 AM – Amenal: yellow arrows and Camino
sign (close up) directing us to tunnel.
MT 9:42 AM – Amenal: Camino sign (close up)
directing us to tunnel.
9:44 AM – Amenal: brick hórreo (on wall) by path down to tunnel.
9:44 AM – Amenal: another, wood and stone hórreo (on 2 transverse wall supports,
with steps) on other side of tunnel.
Around
9:45, MT made a baño stop at Hotel
Parrillada Amenal.
9:45 AM – Amenal: Hotel Parrillada Amenal –
exterior with terraza.
After
Amenal, we continued on a wooded path.
MT 9:58 AM – After Amenal: yellow arrow on
eucalyptus tree (with fallen strips of bark).
10:14 AM – After Amenal: marker stone with yellow arrow; MT and other
pilgrims on path through eucalyptus (imported for the pulp industry).
10:18 AM – After Amenal: MT taking photo of
Camino signs; 12.5 km marker post farther along at right.
10:17 AM – After Amenal: wooden Camino signs –
our first sign for Santiago de Compostela.
MT 10:19 AM – After Amenal: wooden Camino
sign, with graffiti including a cross of Santiago with a yellow arrow as one
arm.
MT 10:18 AM – After Amenal: wooden Camino sign
with conch shell (with rays pointing wrong direction) and yellow arrow (right
direction), plus graffiti including “5 km” (also wrong).
10:18 AM – After Amenal: 12.5 km marker stone
just down the path.
MT 10:19 AM – After Amenal: 12.5 km marker stone
just down the path (closer up).
At
10:27, around San Paio (pop ?),
there was a prominent stone marker with a staff, a gourd, and a scallop shell on
the senda along the highway near a
roundabout where the N-547, N-634, and the A-54 Santiago-Lugo motorway meet,
announcing the entrance to “Santiago” (perhaps the municipality Concello de
Santiago, not the city, which was still several km away).
10:27 AM – Near San Paio: MT and Don with
“Santiago” marker.
10:28 AM – Near San Paio: MT walking back
toward “Santiago” marker and looking at a photo on her iPhone.
Around
San Paio, we passed the end of the Lavacolla international airport runway.
10:33 AM – Near San Paio: MT on path below
the end of the airport runway (many crosses made of wood splinters woven into
chain link fence).
Then
we entered the last recognizable stretch of the medieval Real Camino (Royal Way), on a natural path lined with the remnants
of the native deciduous woodland that once covered the area before eucalyptus
was imported. Around 11 am, we passed through Lavacolla (pop 1,000).
Lavacolla
is
in the parish of San Paio de Sambugueira [elderberry], which is in the Concello
de Santiago de Compostela. It is now the location of the airport of Santiago,
which is still 10 km away.
Historically, Lavacolla was the
place where medieval pilgrims made a ceremonial stop to wash (lavar) from head to toe and purify
themselves before entering Santiago. Lavacolla literally means “washing the
tail (cola),” despite the widespread
belief that the last part of the name comes from collóns, the Galician-language for Spanish cojones (testicles). In the 12th-century Codex Calixtinus, Chapter VI of book V says: “Among the freshwater
rivers and healthy drinking water is Labacolla, beneficial because it passes
through areas of lush landscape, two kilometers from Santiago, French pilgrims
on route to Santiago, removed their clothes and for their love of the Apostle,
would not only wash their intimate parts but their while body.” Although
today’s pilgrims may be smelly, it was much worse in the Middle Ages, since
Christians hardly ever washed, and it was common to mock Jews and Muslims who
were more concerned with personal hygiene and bathed regularly. So this may
have been the medieval pilgrims’ first wash since they began the Camino.
Pilgrims would wash themselves in the small river at Lavacolla, called
Lavamentula in the Codex Calixtinus,
paying particular attention to their private parts: mentula means phallus; it is now called Río Sionlla.
11:09 AM – Near Lavacolla: wood and stone hórreo with cross.
11:16 AM – Lavacolla: city limit sign “A
Lavacolla” (possibly with L of La painted over) and Camino marker stone with
yellow arrow.
11:19 AM – Lavacolla: MT and Igrexa de San
Pelayo de Sabugueira.
The Igrexa de San Pelayo de Sabugueira (aka San Paio de Sabugueira),
built in 1840, is of neoclassical style. Its façade has a semicircular skylight
above the door. The inscription above the door reads: “Parroquial de S. Pelayo
de Sabugueyra se hizo a expensas de D. Francisco Rodriguez Abella, Año de 1840”
[Parish church of San Pelayo de Sabugueira was built at the expense of Don
Francisco Rodriguez Abella, in the year 1840]. The bell tower rises above the
triangular pediment at the top of the façade. San Paio is the Gallego version
of San Pelayo and refers to a child who was martyred by the Muslims in the city
of Córdoba in 925. He was from around Tuy (in southwest Galicia near the
Portuguese border) and his cult is widespread throughout Galicia.
The Cruceiro de Lavacolla is located near the church. It has the image
of a seated figure on one side and the Crucifixion on the other.
Although some sources mistakenly
identify the seated figure as Christ, it actually represents the Virgin Mary
with her heart pierced by a sword, a sign of her sorrow.
MT 11:24 AM – After Lavacolla: pilgrims on
paved road.
MT 11:28 AM – After Lavacolla: bridge over
small stream.
Don
had an emergency stop in a cornfield before Vilamaior.
Around
11:50, we stopped in Vilamaior (pop
?) 20 minutes for baño and apple tart (3.50€) at Albergue Casa de Amancio. We got sellos: “Casa de Amancio – Vilamaior
– Lavacolla.”
11:49 AM – Vilamaior: Casa de Amancio – front,
with HA [hostal albergue?] sign by entrance of left; bar on right.
11:48 AM – Vilamaior: Casa de Amancio – hórreo in terraza behind bar.
MT 12:00 PM – Vilamaior: Casa de Amancio –
apple tarts.
12:13 PM – After Vilamaior: cows lined up at
south end of field (Don called it “South Cowalina”).
After
Vilamaior, we pass a couple of TV
stations belonging to Televisión Galicia (TVG) and to the main Spanish
channel Televisión de España (TVE). These studios are on a hill that is the
actual high point of this stage (396 m), just before San Marcos.
Around
1 pm, we reached San Marcos (pop 603).
MT 1:00 PM – San Marcos?: topiary bushes with
faces.
MT 1:00 PM – San Marcos?: more topiary bushes.
About
1 km after the village of San Marcos is the large pilgrim complex of Monte do Gozo.
1:12 PM – Monte de Gozo: sign on road near
monument: Welcome to Monte do Gozo.
Monte
do Gozo in
Gallego (Monte del Gozo in Spanish) means Mount of Joy. In the 12th-century Codex Calixtinus, it was called Mons Gaudii (Mount of Joy) in Latin. After
medieval pilgrims had finished their washing at Lavacolla, they would climb to
the top of this hill (380 m) to get their first rapturous view of the cathedral
towers of Santiago, still 5 km away. The joy of what the pilgrim felt at seeing
his journey’s end gave rise to the name Monte del Gozo or Mount of Joy. Today,
it is hard to see those towers because of trees that have grown in the middle
distance, and the view is now dominated by the sprawling suburbs of Santiago.
The name also alludes to the
French term montjoies of pagan root:
French pilgrims would mark their path at crossroads with a small pile of stones
(montjoie in French or monxoi in old Gallego) to which each
pilgrim would contribute; they would also plant crosses on the heaps of piled
stones as soon as they discovered the place of worship where they were going on
the pilgrimage.
In the Middle Ages, a chapel was
built on the hill at the request of the Bishop of Compostela in 1105. It is
also believed that there was a cross at the top. At the time, that shrine,
along with the Cruz de Ferro in the Bierzo region, was the most important on
the Camino Francés. From this point, pilgrims traveling on horseback would
finish their journey on foot, leading their horses by the bridle. A
14th-century English pilgrim wrote that there were “many stones and four tall
pillars of stone,” and a 15th-century German pilgrim emphasized in his Camino
travel guide that the place gave joy to pilgrims and that there was a cross and
a “big pile of stones” at the summit. The chapel was abandoned in the 17th
century.
Atop the hill, there is now a
monument commemorating the visit of Pope John Paul II to the hill to lead the
final mass of World Youth Day held in Santiago in August 1989, with thousands
of people. On a stone base is a towering sculpture with a cross and a shell,
guarded by 2 pilgrim figures. The pedestal is decorated with different images
of the pope’s visit to Compostela. Until the pilgrim complex and monument were
built in 1993, this was a simple grassy hill.
(There is an albergue here that
can accommodate around 500 pilgrims; if you have your credencial, you can stay
there one night for free—8 beds to a room.)
1:03 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – N side.
1:04 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – N side
(closer up): “Juan Pablo II Peregrino en Santiago de Compostela” picturing pope
in front of W main façade of cathedral.
MT 1:05 PM – Monto de Gozo: monument – N side
(close up): “Juan Pablo II Peregrino en Santiago de Compostela” picturing pope
in front of W main façade of cathedral.
1:04 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – W side.
1:05 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – W side
(close up) picturing pope embracing Santiago statue on cathedral main altar,
from behind.
1:06 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – S side.
1:07 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – S side
(close up) “San Francisco Peregrino en Santiago” picturing St. Francis as
pilgrim with cane and basket in hand, beside a river flowing to/from Santiago;
pilgrims have added decorations.
1:07 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – E side.
1:08 PM – Monte do Gozo: monument – E side,
picturing a [hand with scallop shell on thumb (Santiago) and ridges from
fingers indicating where pilgrims can start and the routes they take].
After
viewing the monument of the papal visit, we spent at least half an hour looking
for the statue of pilgrims looking toward Santiago (with no luck).
The sculpture “La llegada” [The Arrival], erected in
1994, is by the same sculptor who created the pilgrim statue in front of the
Parador San Marcos in León and the pilgrim monument on Alto San Roque. It depicts
two pilgrims raising their arms in praise when getting their first view of
Santiago.
Monte do Gozo: La llegada
(1994) – people with statues (www.flickr.com at https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/1/185126_79441c3644.jpg).
We
arrived in Santiago de Compostela
(pop over 100,000?) at 1:45 (in the modern part).
Santiago
de Compostela
is the capital of Galicia, and seat of the parliament (Xunta) of Galicia.
Santiago’s original settlement dates back to the 9th century, as do the
beginnings of its cathedral, which shelters the tomb of St. James, the patron
saint of Spain. The old town is full of dazzling examples of Gothic,
Neoclassical, Romanesque, and Baroque design and nearly all are on a grand or
monumental scale. The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the
most beautiful in Europe, and the mostly pedestrianized old center is a maze of
narrow cobbled streets and plazas.
The name Santiago is the local Galician evolution of Vulgar Latin Sanctu Iacobu (Saint James), for the
apostle St. James the Greater. Santiago (also San Iago, San Tiago, Santyago,
Sant-Yago, San Thiago) is a Spanish name that derives from the Hebrew Jacob (Hebrew
יַעֲקֹב Ya’akov,
Greek Ἰάκωβος Iakubos), first used to denote the
apostle Saint James the Greater. Variants of Santiago include Iago (a common Galician-language
name); the common name James has many forms in Iberia, including Xacobo or
Xabobe in Galician or Jacobo or Diego in Spanish.
There are two possibilities for
the origin of the name Compostela:
the more popular is that it comes from the Latin campus stellae (field of stars). But compostum (burial place) is better accepted by scholars.
In the Middle Ages, together with
Rome and Jerusalem, Santiago made up a trio of so-called “great pilgrimages,”
and was then, as today, one of the largest centers of pilgrimage in the
Christian world.
Santiago had its first
settlements in prehistoric times, and later with Celtic peoples settled in castros [hill forts]. In Roman times,
from the 1st to the 5th century, there was a town called Aseconia in the area
where the cathedral stands today. It was a stop on the Roman road Via XIX from
Bracara Augusta (Braga, now in Portugal) and Asturica Augusta (Astorga). That
town disappeared with the arrival of the Swabians, keeping the old Roman
necropolis (cemetery) that survived until the 7th century, although it was
sometimes used as a quarry. However, the place was not of consequence until the
9th century, when the pilgrimages to the city began.
Historical documents relating to
Compostela and dating from the 9th to 12th centuries place the “discovery” of
the Apostle’s tomb in the early part of the 9th century, between 813 and 820.
History and legend are intermingles in the account. The tomb was supposedly
discovered by the hermit Pelayo in the vicinity of Mahía, and identified by
Theodomir, Bishop of Iria Flavia (the most influential city in the vicinity at
the time), as the burial mound of the Apostle. The event was variously
described as a “discovery” and an “invention,” and the site was described as
the holy grave of the Apostle where worship was rendered.
The grave of the Apostle was
found in dense woodland. The burial chamber was a small room decorated with
marble and had a floor paved with mosaic, below which were interred the saint’s
remains. Alongside lay the bodies of the disciples, whose tombs survive. The
grave formed part of a more complex Roman building: a pagan mausoleum with a cella (sanctuary) that was taken over by
Christians in the earliest phase of evangelization. Archaeological excavations
revealed that the mausoleum was situated in a Roman and Visigothic necropolis,
in use from the 1st to 7th centuries.
Modern historical investigation
has revealed that well before the 9th century, both in the Iberian peninsula
and outside it, there existed a firm belief that St. James had preached in
Spain and the western provinces of the Roman Empire, and that after his
beheading and martyrdom at the hands of Herod Agrippa in 44 AD he was buried at
or in Arca Marmorica [a marble arch
or ark], although whether this was a stone vessel or the name of a place is uncertain.
This tradition was recorded by St. Jerome in the 4th century and by the English
Bishop Aldhelm of Malmesbury (650-709).
Long before the discovery of tomb
in Spain, the Visigoths already venerated St. James. His evangelization of
Spain and burial there were already accepted as fact in the 6th century. The
Visigoth King Reccared (ca. 559-601, ruled 586-601) referred to him as “the
sole patron of Spain” as early as 587 AD, when he converted from Arianism to
the Christian faith. In the middle of the 7th century, St. Isidore of Seville
recorded that the Sueve [Swabians] and Visigoths identified the western parts
of Spain as the place where St. James had preached, that he was beheaded by
Herod, and that he was buried in a place known as Arca Marmorica; however, this text mixes biblical tradition,
history, and legend.
Despite the Muslim invasion of
711 and the destruction of the Visigothic kingdom, the new kingdom of Asturias
and Galicia kept this jacobean tradition alive. A document, without naming the
city, refers to local features (such as Monte Ilicino, today the Pico Sacro);
it also mentions the names of the disciples (Theodore and Athanasius) and the
fact of their burial in the Apostle’s mausoleum. Alongside this source of
hagiography (literature about saints’ lives and legends), the foundation of a
church at Meilan by Odoario, Bishop of Lugo, is placed in the 7th century; it
was dedicated to St. James—indicating that, in this instance at least, the
ancient jacobean tradition was taken for granted.
It is important to be aware of
the “discovery” and the reasons for identifying it with the tomb of St. James
on the part of those who found it. On the face of it, they must have felt they
had clear proof, including the testimony of viable authorities. Today, the
conclusions regarding the authenticity of the tomb of the Apostle, based on
archaeological investigation, can also be said to offer an effective defense.
With the discovery of the tomb of
St. James, King Alfonso II of Asturias (759-842, ruled 791-842) undertook the
first Christian pilgrimage to the new city of Santiago, looking for internal
cohesion to govern and external support to consolidate his kingdom. Alfonso II
regularly sent envoys and letters to Charlemagne, which led to French interest
in the cult of Santiago. The news spread quickly, and people began to travel
there to visit the grave, giving rise to the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.
This pilgrimage became extremely popular, especially since Jerusalem was then
in the hands of the Muslims.
The city of Santiago grew
progressively, from a church community to a more diverse community with an
influx of people from neighboring villages. However, in 997, the city was
destroyed by Moorish troops, who complied with the order of the caliph to
preserve the tomb of St. James. The gradual return of inhabitants and
reconstruction in the mid-11th century provided a defensive wall.
The
route continued down the hill along Rúa do Peregrino and down a flight of steps
into the city, where we passed a park with a statue of “El Templario Peregrino”
[The Templar Pilgrim].
1:49 PM – Santiago: Templar pilgrim statue;
plaque: “El Templario Peregrino.”
1:50 PM – Santiago: dancing star sculpture in same park.
After
crossing the AP-9 highway, pilgrims enter the park Camino de la Condorde, with the sculpture “Porta itineris Santi Jacobi.”
1:52 PM – Santiago: Camino del Concorde park
– “Santiago de Compostela” welcome sign and “Porta itineris Santi Jacobi”
gateway monument.
The “Porta itineris Santi Jacobi” [Gateway of the Camino de Santiago]”
in the Camino de la Condorde park is
a symbol of the doorway to the Camino de Santiago, which opens to the city of
the Apostle. The monument, erected in 2004, includes 20 bronze sculpture panels
placed in groups of 5 pieces on each of the faces of a granite column. The
sculptures represent characters throughout history who were related in one way
or another to the Camino de Santiago and its spiritual, religious, cultural,
and social significance. They range from Bishop Teodomiro, who first proclaimed
the discovered tomb to be that of St. James, to Pope John Paul II, who visited
Santiago in 1982.
1:55 PM – Santiago: Camino del Concorde park
– MT and Don at “Santiago de Compostela” welcome sign.
The
Camino approaches Santiago through the suburb of San Lázaro, site of the 12th-century San Lázaro hospital for leprosy.
MT 2:16 PM – Santiago – bronze scallop shell
marker in pavement.
Then,
we finally went through the Porta do
Camiño [Gate of the Way], aka Porto Francigena [French Gate], which was the
traditional entry point for pilgrims into the old walled town of Santiago.
We
got our first sight of the Cathedral
at 2:30, as we walked along Rúa das Casas Reais toward Rúa das Ánimas.
2:32 PM – Santiago: MT on street with our
first sight of Cathedral in distance.
On
the way to the Cathedral, we passed Igrexa
das Ánimas.
The 18th-century Igrexa das Ánimas (or As Ánimas) [Church
of the Souls] is a very simple church was completed in 1784. The construction
work was financed by the alms of the devotees of the souls in Purgatory. The
most outstanding feature of the neoclassical façade is the immense Ionic
columns supporting a large pediment. In the center there is a bas-relief
depicting the souls burning in the fire of Purgatory and, above the pediment,
two angels worshiping the cross.
2:41 PM – Santiago: Igrexa das Ánimas –
façade.
2:41 PM – Santiago: Igrexa das Ánimas –
frieze above main door picturing souls burning in fire of Purgatory.
We
continued on Rúa das Ánimas into Praza de Cervantes and then Rúa Azabacheria to
the Cathedral.
Rúa
Azabacheria
(aka Acibecheria) is lined with jewelers selling jet (azabache).
Even
though we had missed the noon pilgrim mass, we went directly to the Cathedral and into Praza do Obradoiro. Unfortunately, that part of the cathedral was
currently under restoration with scaffolding; but the towers and central part
of the façade were covered with canvas showing pictures of what was underneath.
We got to the Cathedral at 2:45, but stayed there only briefly.
The Cathedral is surrounded by various buildings that together form an
architectural complex with the current Romanesque church at the heart of it.
The first church over the tomb of the Apostle was built by King Alfonso II
around 830-840. Alfonso III the Greater built an even larger church, commonly
known as “la Basilica,” on the same spot in 899, but it was destroyed by the
Moorish army in 997. Starting from scratch, construction of the present Romanesque
building began in 1075 and was completed and consecrated in 1211. Skilled
craftsmen came to Galicia from all over Europe, and hunks of limestone were
hauled from Triacastela to Castañeda, where they were formed into mortar for the
cathedral’s stone blocks. There were later additions in Gothic, Renaissance,
and Baroque styles.
The vast Cathedral covers around
10,000 square meters. The cathedral is so massive that its doors open out onto four
separate squares: Praza do Obradoiro on the west, Praza das Platerías on the
south, Praza da Quintana on the east, and Praza da Inmaculada on the north.
2:49 PM – Santiago: Cathedral – main
(western) façade El Obradoiro with scaffolding and canvas pictures.
The Praza do Obradoiro (aka Praza del Obradoiro) [Square of the
Workshop] seems to derive its Galician name from the workshops of the
stonemasons who built the cathedral’s Baroque façade, which dominates the
square. The buildings enclosing the square represent the city’s main centers of
activity: the Cathedral (religion), Hostal de los Reyes Católicos
(accommodation for pilgrims and visitors), Colegio de San Xerome (university
education), and Palacio de Raxoi (administration). A quick glance around the
square reveals the presence of different architectural styles that arose during
more than 700 years of construction.
The main (west) façade of the Cathedral faces the Praza do Obradoiro
and is named after that plaza, “El
Obradoiro.” This is not the original façade, but an 18th-century Baroque replacement
that has graced the entrance to the cathedral since 1750. Most of “El
Obradoiro” was constructed in the first half of the 18th century in the
Galician Baroque style. Some older sections do remain, including the two
converging flights of external stairs leading to the main entrance. These
stairs date back to 1606 and connect to the even older 12th-century structure
that is referred to as the original or old cathedral. Before the building of
the Obradoiro façade, the Portico de la Gloria, now inside the cathedral, could
be seen from the square through an archway.
Looking at the cathedral from
Praza del Obradoiro, its most striking feature is the pair of Baroque towers erected over the
Romanesque ones. Called the “Torre de la Carraca” [tower of the old boat] and
“Torre de la Campanas” [tower of the bell(s)], they are 74 m in height. The
lower and more original levels of these towers date back as far as the 12th
century, while the upper and more recent additions are from the seventeen and
eighteen hundreds, mostly carried out between 1738 and 1750. They completed a
remodeling project begun in 1670. Thus, these towers combine the Baroque and
Romanesque styles.
Between the towers is a large
stone altarpiece and large windows, which fill the interior with daylight while
reflecting it onto the façade’s ornaments—coats of arms, volutes, columns,
capitals, and pinnacles—to create a play of light and shade. The façade is
dominated by the figure of St. James dressed in pilgrim attire, with hat, cape,
and staff.
The verticality of the
cathedral’s main façade contrasts with the horizontal weight of the less
visually impressive side wings of
the Cathedral: the cloister to the right and the Archbishop’s palace to the
left. Because of their sheer size, many assume from a first glance that these
large side structures are completely symmetrical, but they are not. Both are
quite different in design, the cloister with colonnades and the palace with
buttress-like projections. Both wings have pitched roofs with red roof tiles.
The wing containing the Archbishop’s palace is an unusual
example of Romanesque civic architecture that was amended over centuries. The
most ancient parts date back to the twelve and thirteen hundreds and the more
recent parts between the sixteen and nineteen hundreds. The oldest parts
constitute the Pazo de Xelmírez or
“Palacio de Gelmírez” (named after Diego Gelmírez, the first Archbishop of
Santiago, who, along with King Alfonso VI of León, commissioned the building of
the cathedral). Archbishop Xelmírez had this residence built starting from
1120, after his palace was destroyed by a popular uprising due to his
opposition to the first civic assemblies. The present-day façade was added in
the 18th century.
The Gothic-Renaissance cloister in the right wing is primarily
of the 16th century, built between 1521 and 1590 in the late Gothic and early
Renaissance style to replace an earlier Romanesque cloister. This cloister is
one of the largest in Spain. In addition to its high-level arched walkway, also
has a tower at its furthest extremity. The cloister forms part of the Cathedral
Museum.
MT 2:49 PM – Santiago: Cathedral – Don and MT
with main (western) façade El Obradoiro with scaffolding and canvas pictures.
MT 2:49 PM – Santiago: Cathedral – Don and MT
with main (western) façade El Obradoiro with scaffolding and canvas pictures
(more of us, but lost tops of towers).
Santiago:
Cathedral – main (western) façade El Obradoiro without scaffolding (https://www.flickr.com/photos/29971729@N08/3830053838).
2:49 PM – Santiago: Cathedral –close-up of altarpiece-like
part of façade between the two towers of main (western) façade El Obradoiro,
with Santiago statue(s) in niche in upper center (telephoto, 90 mm); the two
similar but smaller statues below probably represent his disciples Athanasius
and Theodore with a relief of the tomb between them.
Inside the current exterior Baroque
façade on the west side, added in 1750, is the inner tripartite porch, Pórtico de la Gloria (Door of Glory) designed
by the sculptor Maestro Mateo [Master Mateo] (lived ca. 1150-1200 or 1217).
This portico was not part of the original plan for the Romanesque cathedral,
begun in 1075. However, it became the cathedral’s original entrance, commissioned
by King Fernando II of León and Galicia (ca. 1137-1188, ruled 1157-1188) and carved
between 1168 and 1188. This portico, with its over 200 sculptures in Romanesque
style, is the artistic high point of the cathedral and is considered the
greatest work of Spanish Romanesque sculpture. Art historians suggest that this
doorway inspired the movement from Romanesque to Gothic architecture across
Europe. The current portico is not exactly the work of Master Mateo, since some
of its original figures were removed to build the present façade of the
cathedral and are now kept in the Cathedral Museum. Also, the portico was
originally polychrome, but today there are only traces of paint in places.
Since 1750, the portico sculpted
by Master Mateo in the late 12th century has been protected by the new façade
set in front of it. The space between the portico and the western façade is a
sort of narthex (vestibule) covered with ribbed vaults. The portico seems to
receive the pilgrim as if into the vestibule of heaven and invites him or her
to enter. The sculpture recalls the vision of St. John in the Book of
Revelation: “a throne was set up in heaven, and one sat on the throne. … And
round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw
four and twenty elders sitting … and in the midst of the throne, and round
about the throne, were four beasts.” (Revelation 4:1-6)
The architectural structure of
the portico consists of three overlapping levels: the crypt, which symbolizes
the underworld; the portal itself, and a rostrum in the top floor illuminated
by a rosette. It consists of three arches that correspond to the three naves of
the church, supported by thick pillars with attached columns. The central arch
is the largest, twice as wide as the other two.
[Because of the Baroque façade
added in the 18th century, the Pórtico de la Gloria is now inside the
cathedral, and it is impossible to photograph all three parts of it from
straight on. Therefore, the following photos show a painting and a model of the
entire complex. In 2014, viewing the portico was further obscured by the
scaffolding during restoration work.]
Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico
de la Gloria painting 1849 by Jenaro Pérez Villaamil in
Palacio de la Moncloa, Madrid, showing original polychrome (en.wikipedia.org).
Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico
de la Gloria model (www.flickr.com
at https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8521/8546274848_5d9d658e6d_b.jpg).
The central arch is the only one with a tympanum and is divided by a
central column, the mullion, with the figure of Santiago. It represents the final
destination of true Christians—glory and resurrection.
2:54 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – St. James below
tympanum with Christ in Glory flanked by apostles (unfortunately with
scaffolding).
Santiago Cathedral - Pórtico de la Gloria - central arch before scaffolding (en.wikipedia.org).
The central tympanum is crowned with an archivolt at the top of the
arch, on which are seated the 24 elders of the Apocalypse, 22 of them carrying
a musical instrument, as if preparing for a concert in honor of God. The other
two (figures 4 and 21, counting from left to right) do not play any instrument,
but are holding a vial.
Santiago
Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – musicians with instruments (en.wikipedia.org).
Santiago
Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – musicians with instruments with polychrome restored (https://www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/9016346525).
In the center of the tympanum is
the image of the Pantocrator (Christ in Majesty). The way in which Master Mateo
represents Christ breaks with the vision of the Apocalypse that reigned in
medieval times. He wanted to show a more human Jesus and less a righteous and
distant God and, therefore, shows Christ with the wounds of the Passion in his
hands, feet, and side, and the ancient ones of the Old and New Testaments seem
to laugh and talk among themselves. Rather than appearing as a judge, Christ is
presented as the “Man of sorrows,” with his wounds making visible his sacrifice
for mankind.
Surrounding the seated Christ is
the tetramorph with figures of the
four Gospel writers using their symbols as desks: Luke (at bottom with ox) and
John (at top with eagle) on the left and Mark (on bottom with lion) and Matthew
(at top with the hood of a tax collector) on the right. On the far left and
right seem to be angels.
Santiago Cathedral - Pórtico de la Gloria - Christ with Evangelists and angels on tympanum (en.wikipedia.org).
On the two sides of the tympanum,
extending outward from the Evangelists Mark and Luke, appear four angels to
each side carrying the instruments of the Passion of Christ: the column at
which he was flagellated, the cross, and the crown of thorns (left); and the
lance and four nails, the jar with which
Pontius Pilate washed himself, a cane with a sponge, a wand, and a scroll
(right). Over the heads of these angels and just below the elders are two
groups of small figures: souls of the blessed, 40 in total, representing the
celestial crowd that no one could count. (One source says the group at the left may
represent the people of Israel and the group at the right the elect.)
The pilgrim’s gaze passes from
the root of the Tree of Jesse upward to the seated and serene figure of St.
James, who receives the pilgrim in the name of the Lord. St. James, having
entered into Heaven once his earthly life was over, now accompanies pilgrims as
they enter the house of Christ, who is seated above on a throne as judge of the
world, but he also shows the five wounds of his Passion.
3:58 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – St. James seated
atop central column with Jesse Tree – with more light on the tympanum above.
The middle column (mullion) depicts the Tree of Jesse and Santiago.
Over the years, a ritual for arriving pilgrims developed. The Tree of Jesse
traditionally represents the family tree of Jesus from Jesse, father of King
David; this was the first time it was represented in the Iberian Peninsula.
2:55 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – statue of St.
James (telephoto, 90 mm).
At the top of the central column
is Christ in Glory flanked by the apostles, and directly beneath that sits St.
James, holding a scroll and tau
staff, receives pilgrims in the name of the Lord and bids them enter. The parchment
scroll reads Misit me Dominus [God
sent me]), indicating that St. James is the intercessor between Christ and the
pilgrim. Experience teaches that, for steadiness while walking, a pilgrim needs
a long staff, whereas the elderly St. James represented here, who has reached
his destination, needs the shorter version for balance only. The Church Fathers
interpreted the tau as a sign of
redemption. Santiago with his tau has
completed his pilgrimage through life and has entered into the Kingdom of God.
For pilgrims in past ages, Santiago was a symbol of the heavenly Jerusalem.
MT 2:56 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – St. James from the
side, with capitals above and below.
2:53 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria with barrier around
base of column and construction scaffolding behind it.
Above the head of St. James, the
column finishes with a capital, on the three faces of which the temptations of
Christ are represented. At the foot of the saint is another capital with the
figures of the Holy Trinity.
Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – St. James, with capitals above and below (es.m.wikipedia.org).
3:59 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria –center column –
Tree of Jesse with capital of Trinity at top and figures at base.
At the bottom of the center column
is the figure of Jesse, asleep, from which the family tree of Christ springs.
Its first branches form a series of cavities. It became a popular tradition for
pilgrims to pass their hand through the cavities of the tree while praying five
prayers, before entering the cathedral. However, it is no longer permitted for
pilgrims to place their hand in the Tree of Jesse. Millions of pilgrims over
the centuries have worn five finger grooves in the solid marble as a mark of
gratitude for their safe arrival, so much so that in 2007, the pillar was
cordoned off.
3:59 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – figures at base of
front of center column.
The central column rests on a
base on which there is a bearded figure lying on the chest (various sources
believe the bearded man to be Adam, Noah, Samson, Moses, Abraham, or even Hercules)
and two lions with open mouths. For centuries, it was customary for pilgrims
who arrived at Santiago and entered the cathedral to touch the left foot of the
saint, symbolizing the end of the road. The mouths of the lions act as vents
for the lower crypt.
[According to another source] In
the lower part of the central column, a little above the monsters, pilgrims
were faced with their own image: humankind, debased by sin and enveloped in the
dread of Hell but also hoping for pardon and redemption. From the depths of
this image burst forth the Tree of Life, from the wood of which, according to
legend, was wrought the cross of Christ. It is often called the Tree of Jesse,
since his genealogical line, depicted as a tree, led to the Messiah.
Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico
de la Gloria - prophets Jeremiah, Daniel, Isaiah, and Moses, the polychrome
coloring is preserved; around corner to left is one figure from the right jamb
of the left door
On the left jamb of the central door are figures of the Old Testament
prophets, from left to right: Jeremiah (bearded, who does not wish to open his
scroll), Daniel (smiling, with a scroll attesting that his faith was so strong
that no danger could shake it), Isaiah (with his staff, his finger indicating
the future and announcing the Messiah), and Moses (a serious figure carrying
the tablets of the Law, of which Christ was the fulfilment). Each of them holds
a sign on which his name is written. Below the figure of Isaiah there appears a
young man ready to hit a monster; other sources see this as a representation of
the sacrifice of Isaac. A legend explains Daniel’s smile by the fact that he is
facing a statue of a woman with large breasts (according to different
interpretations: Esther, the Queen of Sheba, or an empress); more orthodox is
the theory explaining this as the joy that is to herald the coming of the Lord.
Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico
de la Gloria – apostles Peter, Paul, James, and John on right jamb of central
door, with little of the polychrome coloring preserved; around corner to right
is one figure from left jamb of right door (es.wikipedia.org).
On the columns of the central and
two side arches are figures representing apostles, prophets, and others such as
fairies. All of them are crowned with their respective capital.
In the spaces that unite the
central arch with the lateral arches are two angels each, representing the
Jewish people (left) and the people of the nations (right), and the children
they carry on their backs symbolize the souls they take toward God.
On the right jamb of the central door are the figures of apostles, from
left to right: Peter (in pontifical dress and the keys of Heaven in hand), St.
Paul (with an open book and barefoot). St. James the Greater (Santiago with his
staff) [some identify this as James the Lesser], and St. John (young, with a
book and on an eagle). St. James the Apostle is depicted conversing with his
brother John and holding a staff in the form of the tau, or letter T, indicating that he had completed his journey. His
clothing is similar to that of the seated figure of him in the central column. Below
the figure of St. Paul are some scenes from his life.
The arch of the left door has scenes from the Old
Testament and its patriarchs, with the just of the Jewish people awaiting the
coming of the Savior. In the center of the first archivolt, wrapped in sheets,
is God the Creator, who blesses pilgrims and holds the book of eternal truth,
and to his right is Adam (naked), Abraham (with raised index finger), and Jacob.
There are two more figures that some sources identify with Noah and Esau and
others with Isaac and Judah. On the left of God, we see Eve, Moses, Aaron,
David, and King Solomon (other sources put Judah and Benjamin instead of Aaron
and Solomon). Both Adam and Eve appear without a crown because they sinned and
lost their innocence. Some sources interpret the left door as Limbo, as opposed
to the right, which is Hell.
In the second archivolt of the
left door, the top 10 small figures represent the 10 tribes of Israel, lacking
the tribes of Judah (to which Christ belonged) and Benjamin. All the figures
are half hidden by a bulging projection that seems to hold them prey and
symbolizes the slavery to which they are subjected. On the jamb to the right
are the prophets Hosea and Joel and to the left are Amos and Obadiah, although
the identification of all four is doubtful. On the jamb to the left are a
figure with a cane that could be Job, and the figures of Judith and Esther.
Beneath the statue of Joel is a column with doves picking at grapes, two
centaurs, four soldiers, and two lions.
Santiago Cathedral: Portico
de la Gloria - statues on right jamb of left door, identified here as Ezekiel
and Habakkuk (www.flickriver.com
at http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2012/2393200080_63c31b278e.jpg).
The arch of the right door represents the Last
Judgment. Like the left door, it lacks a tympanum, perhaps eliminated by the
order of a bishop in some restoration. The double archivolt is divided into two
halves by two heads; some identify these as the heads of St. Michael and
Christ, others as Christ the Judge and an angel, or as God the Father and God
the Son. Represented to the right of these heads is Hell, with figures of
monsters (demons) that drag and torture the souls of the damned. On the left is
Heaven, with the elect and figures of angels with children who symbolize the
saved souls. Represented in the jamb on the right are, in order, the apostles
Bartholomew and Thomas, followed by Saints Mark, Luke, and John. On the left
are the apostles St. Phillip and St. Andrew, although their identities are
subject to discussion.
Santiago Cathedral: Portico de la Gloria - two busts in each archivolt of right door (en.wikipedia.org).
The three pillars of the portico
are supported by strong plinths
(bases) in which various groups of animals are represented: six eagles, a bear,
four lions, and two indeterminate animals, as well as three human heads with
beards. Some people see these figures as images of demons, symbolizing that the
weight of the glory (the portico itself) crushes sin. Other sources give them
an apocalyptic interpretation, with wars, hunger, and death (represented by the
beasts), presenting situations that can be resolved thanks to human intelligence
(the heads of old men).
3:59 PM – Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico de la Gloria – view around to
back of bottom of center column – statue of Master Mateo on back side, mostly
hidden by scaffolding; this prevents the ritual head-butting.
On the back side of the Pórtico
de la Gloria, carved into the base of the central column is the kneeling figure
of Maestro Mateo, the architect of the Pórtico de la Gloria, facing the
main altar and carrying a poster that reads “Architectus.” Traditionally,
pilgrims butted his brow three times with their forehead, by which they were
said to receive some of his considerable intelligence and artistic genius. This
tradition led to the statue’s being known by the nicknamed “Santo dos Croques”
(saint of the bumps). However, this figure too is now sadly inaccessible.
Santiago Cathedral: Pórtico
de la Gloria - Master Matteo, before scaffolding (en.wikipedia.org).
From
the Pórtico de la Gloria, we took a brief look around the nave, with main altar
and the botafumeiro (giant incense
burner); we also visited the crypt with tomb of St. James (since it was not
busy at this time, around 3 pm).
Santiago Cathedral: nave, view from rear to Main
Altar (es.m.wikipedia.org).
Santiago Cathedral - Main
Altar (commons.wikimedia.org).
The main altar reflects the lavish Baroque intervention in the
Romanesque cathedral. To “brush up” the old 12th-century altar, it was
surrounded by 36 Solomonic re-gilded columns covered with vine tendrils.
Finally, the Romanesque altar was replaced by a large silver Baroque work. In
the center of the silver Baroque altar is the 13th-century principal statue of
Santiago, seated and wearing a silver cloak adorned with large jewels. On the
right side, as you look at the altar, is a narrow set of stairs on which
pilgrims can climb up behind the jeweled statue of Santiago Apóstol and embrace
the statue from behind (another tradition, known as “a hug for the apostle”).
The gold crown that pilgrims could place on their heads has long since
disappeared, along with the pilgrim tradition of placing their own hats on
Santiago’s head.
Santiago Cathedral: Statue of
Santiago on High Altar, with people behind
(es.m.wikipedia).
Santiago Cathedral - Main
Altar with 3 statues of Santiago (https://www.flickr.com/photos/ilti/3157777784/).
Directly above the silver altar
is the figure of St. James dressed as a pilgrim with hat and staff (Santiago
Peregrino). Above that statue is a spectacular 17th-century baldachin supported
by massive gold angels. Centered just above the platform of the baldachin is the
Spanish coat of arms. The massive baldachin is crowned by the figure of the
apostle on horseback (Santiago Matamoros), with Moors falling or fleeing before
him.
Santiago Cathedral:
Santiago Matamoros at top of Main Altar (www.flickr.com
at https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2944/15358311325_14b1dc3ed3_b.jpg).
2:57 PM – Santiago Cathedral: main altar,
with musicians practicing (taken under scaffolding that also covered the organ
on both sides).
Another representation of Santiago Matamoros, from the second
half of the 18th century, can be seen in the Capilla de Santiago Matamoros just by the door leading to the
cloister, in the left-hand (north) transept of the cathedral.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 12:59 PM – Santiago Cathedral: side altar in
north transept with busts of Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II above niche
with statue of Santiago Matamoros.
MT Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 1:00 PM – Santiago Cathedral: statue of
Santiago Matamoros in north transept; the flowers cover up the dead moors.
2:58 PM – Santiago Cathedral: botafumeiro with pulley system from octagonal
lantern; main altar to right.
MT 2:58 PM – Santiago Cathedral: botafumeiro hanging near main altar.
MT 3:12 PM – replica of botafumeiro in window of souvenir store.
Then
we went to the Pilgrim Office in the
18th-century Casa do Deán (Dean’s
House) on the Rúa Vilar, near its junction with Rúa Gelmírez, go get our compostelas.
The Casa do Deán (House of the Dean) was built between 1747 and 1753
for a member of the Ulloa family, one of Galicia’s most noble lineages, and was
used to house bishops visiting Compostela. It was later used by one of the
cathedral deans and presently houses the Pilgrim Office.
Santiago: Casa do Deán - decoration above door (pt.wikipedia.org).
We
joined a long line of pilgrims that stretched outside the building onto the
street; then our priest friends from Richmond, VA and Morgantown, WV motioned
for us to join them in a much shorter line for a window next to the street,
which was supposed to be for groups (we formed a group), and we got our compostelas by 3:39. We also got sellos:
“Oficina de la Peregrinación A.M.I. Catedral Santiago.”
Santiago: MT’s compostela certificate 2014 (Scanned).
3:39 PM – Santiago: view from Pilgrim Office
back up Rúa Vilar toward Cathedral; at a table just before the arcade on the
right is the bearded priest from Morgantown, WV having a drink.
3:39 PM (Cropped) – Santiago: view from
Pilgrim Office back up Rúa Vilar toward Cathedral; at a table just before the
arcade on the right is the bearded priest from Morgantown, WV having a drink.
Then
we went to find the Convento de San
Francisco, to get the special cotolaya
certificate available for the 800th anniversary of the pilgrimage of St.
Francis of Assisi to Santiago. We got there around 4 pm, but it was closed.
(Don remembered reading online that it was only open 10-11 am or 5-7 pm, which
the sign on the door verified.)
So,
then we tried (unsuccessfully) to find Pensión
Estrela. (We confused the address with another pensión, Estela, and got
confused directions from several people on the streets.) Don was almost there
once; having climbed some steep steps near the Convento de San Francisco, he
saw Pensión Girasol and Pensión San Roque down the street at the top of the
steps, but couldn’t see Pensión Estrela around the corner. So he returned to
the bottom of the steps, where a tired MT was waiting.
We
went back to a bar in Rúa Franco for 2 sangrias (5€ total).
Then
we went back to the Convento de San
Francisco for our cotolayas; they
also stamped our credencials “franciscanos no camino” [Franciscans on the
Camino].
Santiago: Don’s cotolaya certificate (Scanned).
According to legend, St. Francis
commissioned a coalman named Cotolay
(or Cotolai) to build the Convent and Church of San Francisco in Santiago.
MT 5:03 PM – Santiago: Convento de San
Francisco – poem on pilgrim poster, which says [translated]:
"Although
I had seen the monuments
and
contemplated the best sunsets,
although
I had learned a greeting in every language
and
tried the clean water from all the fountains,
if
I have not discovered who is the author
of
so much free beauty and so much peace,
I
have not come to any place.
“If
starting from today I do not keep on walking in your ways,
looking
and living according to what has been learned;
if
starting from today I do not see in every person,
friend
and enemy, a companion on the way;
if
starting from today I do not recognize God,
the
God of Jesus of Nazareth,
as
the one God of my life,
I
have not come to and place.”
Then
we went back to the Cathedral, then to Monasterio de San Martín Pinario, then
found the small square of same name (Praza de San Martiño), and finally saw the
small sign for Pensión da Estrela at
Plazuela de San Martín Pinario, 5 2°
[No. 5, 2nd floor]. We got a double room for 45€, with no breakfast, but he
said there was coffee in the kitchen if we wanted. (The room actually had 3
beds.) The receptionist in Sarria had made our reservation only for Sep 23, and
he said he was “completo” (full) for the 24th. Then he called Pensión Girasol,
nearby, and got us a double room for the 24th for 50€.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 10:13 AM – Santiago: Pensión Estrela –
exterior of building (a piece of Monasterio de San Martiño Pinario at left).
Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 10:13 AM – Santiago: Pensión Estrela –
hard-to-see sign for pensión (1-star) on 2nd floor (3 flights up) and street
sign for “Praza de San Martiño.”
Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 9:51 AM – Santiago: Pensión Estrela – our
room (No. 1) with 3 beds.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 9:51 AM – Santiago: Pensión Estrela – our
room (No. 1).
Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 9:52 AM – Santiago: Pensión Estrela –
church towers of Convento de San Francisco from our window (telephoto, 112 mm).
The
view out our window showed that we were very close to the Convento de San
Francisco and the steps coming up from there that Don had tried earlier.
We
went to Jamonería-Restaurante Sant-Yago (Rúa da Raiña, 12 [parallel
to Rúa Vilar]) and ate their 10.80€ menu: 1st course: both had polbo (pulpo) con patatas cocidas (octopus
with cooked potatoes); 2nd course: both had merluza
with salad (vice fries); desert: both had tarta
de Santiago; 2 glasses red wine; bread.
7:15 PM – Santiago: Jamonería-Restaurante
Sant-Yago - Don’s pulpo (MT’s across
table).
MT 7:15 PM – Santiago: Jamonería-Restaurante
Sant-Yago – MT’s pulpo (Don’s across
table).
7:16 PM – Santiago: Jamonería-Restaurante
Sant-Yago – MT getting ready to taste her pulpo.
We
checked on a room at Hospedería San
Martín Pinario, in the old monastery; they were “completo” for the 24th
(but they said a double room was 100€); we thought we might go there for their
buffet breakfast (5€ each).
Then
we went back to Convento de San Francisco
for the 8 pm mass (versus 7:30 mass with vespers in the Cathedral).
The Convento de San Francisco de Valdediós is rumored to have been
founded by St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis is said to have made a pilgrimage
to Santiago in 1214, where he received a vision of the Apostle St. James asking
him to build a monastery. Looking for the right spot to build the monastery,
St. Francis came across a piece of land in an area known as Val de Dios (Valley
of God), which belonged to the existing Benedictine monastery of San Martiño
Pinario.
According to legend, St. Francis,
when he had arrived in Santiago, was welcomed by the Compostelana family of a
coalman named Cotolay. He entrusted Cotolay to build the monastery (convento) and church of San Francisco,
and when the man replied that he had no resources, he showed him a treasure
near the hermitage of San Paio do Monte (San Payo del Monte) that would allow
his to carry out the work.
Little remains of the original 13th-century
church. The original convent collapsed in the early 18th century. All that
remains of the original building are five Gothic arches in the cloister and the
tomb of Cotolay. The present Baroque church was built between 1742 and 1749;
later on, a neoclassical alteration modified the façade. In the porch is the
Monument to St. Francis, conceived as a giant stone cross.
8:22 PM – Santiago: Convento de San Francisco
– sculpture with St. Francis before cross with crucified Christ on porch in
front of church.
8:22 PM – Santiago: Convento de San Francisco
– façade of church.
8:18 PM – Santiago: Convento de San Francisco
– view from rear of nave to main altar.
8:18 PM – Santiago: Convento de San Francisco
– main altar (MT seated in pew at left).
After
mass, we went back to the Praza de
Obradoiro and were there at sunset.
MT 8:30 PM – Santiago Cathedral: main (west) façade;
cloister to the right and the Archbishop’s palace to the left.
8:28 PM – Santiago: Pazo do Raxoi – façade at
sunset.
8:28 PM – Santiago: Pazo do Raxoi – Santiago
Matamoros and frieze of Battle of Clavijo atop façade (telephoto, 112 mm).
8:29 PM – Santiago: Pazo do Raxoi - frieze
atop façade, showing Santiago on his white horse leading Spanish troops against
Moors in the Battle of Clavijo (telephoto, 220 mm).
8:29 PM – Santiago: Pazo do Raxoi – Santiago
Matamoros above façade (telephoto, 220 mm).
2:50 PM – Santiago: Pazo do Raxoi – Santiago
Matamoros atop façade (more telephoto, 307 mm).
MT 8:35 PM – Santiago: Praza do Obradoiro –
NW corner; Pazo do Raxoi on left, Parador on right.
MT 8:28 PM – Santiago: Praza do Obradoiro –
NW corner; Pazo do Raxoi on left, steps downhill to Igrexa de San Fructuoso, Parador
on right.
Down
the steps, on the lower back side of the Pazo de Raxoi, are public restrooms.
Farther down the hill behind Pazo do Raxoi is the 18th-century Igrexa de San Fructuoso.
The 18th-century church known as
Las Angustias de Abajo, La Real Angustia or simply Igrexa de San Fructuoso is in the churrigueresque style (Spanish
Baroque with elaborate sculptural architectural ornamentation). The façade is
designed to be contemplated from above, either from Plaza del Obradoiro or the
terrace of the Hostal de los Reyes Católicos. In a niche above the front is an
image of Our Lady of the Sorrows “Las Angustias.” On top of the upper cornice
are images of the four cardinal virtues: Prudence, Justice, Strength, and
Temperance. (The locals call them the four “jacks” of Spanish playing cards.) A
belfry crowns the building.
MT 8:30 PM – Santiago: Igrexa de San Fructuoso.
MT 8:29 PM – Santiago: sunset from Plaza de
Obradoiro.
Online shopping for Home & Kitchen from a great selection of Bedsheets, Blankets & Quilts, Bedding Sets, Bed Pillows & Pillow Covers,Bed Cushions,portico bed sheets king size, etc at the affordable price for further details of the products or about our services Visit our online store to find the best recommendations by us.
ReplyDeleteThank you ... wonderful pictures and brings back memories of my own Camino... prayers...
ReplyDelete