A Pathfinder for the Pilgrimage to
Santiago de Compostela
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A Pathfinder for the Pilgrimage toSantiago de Compostela
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Introduction: Santiago de Compostela, located in the northwestern tip of Spain, has been famous since the middle Ages as a destination for millions of pilgrims traveling to the holy grave of Saint James. In the cathedral of Santiago, the destination of the pilgrimage, supposedly are the remains of St. James the Great, a cousin and disciple of Christ. Santiago de Compostela was the third largest Christian pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages behind Jerusalem and Rome. Its height of popularity was between the 11th and 13th centuries, but has been going on since the 10th century when St. James’s remains were reportedly found. People went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela out of love, out of punishment, duty, fear, or out of simple blind faith. Today, it is the most popular long distance trail in Europe and people make the journey by foot, bicycle, car, or bus. There is a network of nine routes that originate in different cities in France and Spain that are lined with statues and symbols to see along the way. The route is over varied landscape and provides viewing of extraordinary art and architecture. The types of things to see come in the form of historical sites, rustic Spanish villages, churches and cathedrals, and religious art. Scope: This pathfinder is designed to introduce someone to the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. It is appropriate for someone interested in learning more about the history of the pilgrimage or in taking his or her own pilgrimage. The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela is for art lovers, historians, adventurers, pilgrims, or hikers.
Frequently Mentioned Texts: The Codex Calixtinus. Manuscripts containing the long version of the ‘Pilgrim’s Guide’ section can be found in a few places one of which is listed below: Santiago de Compostela, Archivo de la Catedral, no shelf
number, compiled and copied c. 1138 and c.1173? at Santiago, Spain. The Codex Calixtinus was written in five books. The first three dealt with sermons and hymns, miracles and legends connected to St. James. The fourth was an epic song about Charlemagne’s campaigns in Spain. The fifth, the ‘Pilgrim’s Guide,’ has been called the first tourist guide ever written and describes the countryside and people, the rivers and routes, the shrines and relics to be found on the Way to the shrine of St. James. This work popularized the pilgrimage and was probably written and edited by a monk.
Browsing Areas: The materials in this pathfinder can be found in libraries located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The specific locations where information can be found are in the Davis Library stacks and the Sloane Art Library stacks. The call numbers listed below direct you to useful areas for browsing. BX2321.S3- third floor of Davis, second floor of Sloane DP285- fourth floor of Davis
This page was last updated on 12/10/01. Created by April Dawn Wells, December 11, 2001 for INLS 111-01 For Questions or Comments contact me at: adwells@email.unc.edu
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