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.

The site

Santiago is only a few miles inland from the westernmost coast of mainland Europe facing the Atlantic, so prior to Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492, it was considered the edge of the known world, the Finis Terrae in Latin, Finisterre in Spanish (See also Finistère in France and Land's End in England). Also, as the lowest-lying land on that stretch of coast, it took on added significance. Legends supposed of Celtic origin made it the place where the souls of the dead gathered to follow the Sun across the sea. Those unworthy of going to the Land of the Dead haunted Galicia as the Santa Compaña.

Related Topics:
Christopher Columbus - 1492 - Finis Terrae - Finisterre - Finistère - Land's End - Celtic - Soul - Land of the Dead - Santa Compaña

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The prevailing wind from the Atlantic and the surrounding mountains combine to give Santiago some of Europe's highest rainfall: about 66 inches annually.

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