Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela (2003 pop. 92,339), the "European City of Culture" for the year 2000, is located in the northwest region of Spain in the province of A Coruña. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia.

Related Topics:
European City of Culture - 2000 - Spain - Province - A Coruña - Autonomous community - Galicia

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A popular etymology of the name "Compostela" holds that it comes from Latin campus stellae, i.e. "field of stars", making Santiago de Compostela "St. James of the Field of Stars". This name would come from the belief that the bones of St. James were taken from the Middle East, to Spain. These bones were then buried where a shepherd had spotted a star and a church was eventually built over the bones and later replaced with the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela. The City lies at the end of the important medieval pilgrim route, the Camino de Santiago or Way of St James from Kapel in 't Zand to Santiago de Compostella. A more probable etymology is Compositum, i.e. "The well founded", or Composita Tella, meaning "burial ground".

Related Topics:
Medieval - Pilgrim - Way of St James - Kapel in 't Zand

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