A Pathfinder for the Pilgrimage to

Santiago de Compostela

Guides and Handbooks 

Histories

Gazetteers

Essays

Biographies

Logs and Diaries

Abstracts and Indexes

Web Sources

Guides and Handbooks:  These will be most helpful for someone interested in taking a pilgrimage or in looking at and reading about what you can see on this pilgrimage.  These books go into some detail about the sites and attractions of the pilgrimage as well as giving directions for how to go while on the pilgrimage.  Some provide practical information and recommendations for pilgrims.

Gitlitz, David and Linda Kay Davidson.  The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: the Complete Cultural Handbook.  New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2000.

[Davis, Sloane – DP285.G58 2000]

This handbook includes information about art, architecture, geology, history, folklore, saint’s lives, and flora and fauna related to the pilgrimage.  This book is difficult to read without looking first at the guide for how to read it because it uses a lot of symbols to communicate what an entry is, such as a car to indicate sites that a pilgrim traveling by car might want to see.  The chapters give historical information about towns along the route, their relationship to the pilgrimage, and monuments worth seeing there.  The chapters are arranged in geographical order starting in the east and going west so someone can follow along with the book as they travel.  There are a few maps of the area discussed in a section included.  The second part of this book is helpful in giving background information for things that a pilgrim would run into over and over again on a pilgrimage such as definitions and illustrations of art styles, saints and religious iconography, and a time line of rulers and events of the area.

Lozano, Millan Bravo.  A Practical Guide for Pilgrims: the Road to Santiago.  Leon:Editorial Everest, 1993. 

[Davis – BX2321.S3 B78 1993]

This guide is full of color pictures, and detailed and general maps of the area.  For each stage along the journey, it describes the route, gives information about history, art, and legends, and provides a brief historical pilgrim’s account.  The route for each stage is broken up for people walking, driving, and cycling as well.  Also at the beginning of each stage in the left hand margin is a list of pilgrims’ refuges, accommodations, campsites, restaurants, and petrol stations that can be found during that stage.  At the beginning of the book, there is practical advice for pilgrims journeying by foot, car, and bicycle that is useful.  Some of the advice included pertains to first aid kits for pilgrims, what documents to carry, and what to eat, for example.  There are only a few pages devoted to each stage so the information given is brief and to the point.       

Melczer, William.  The Pilgrim’s Guide to Santiago de Compostela.  New York: Ithaca Press, 1993.

[Sloane – BX2321.S3 M45 1993]

This includes a translation of the ‘Pilgrim’s Guide’ to Santiago de Compostela.  Melczer also comments on topics surrounding the pilgrimage in his introduction to the translation.  He talks about relics, St. James’ cult, myths, and iconography.  He also mentions two other texts related to the Codex Calixtinus, the Iter Sancti Jacobi and the Liber Sancti Jacobi.  At the beginning of the book there are some photographs of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and at the end there is a hagiographical register and a brief gazetteer.  This book also has an extensive bibliography to point the reader to additional sources to look for information.