Way of St. James

The Way of St James, or St James' Way, (Spanish: El Camino de Santiago) is one of any number of pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in north-westernmost Spain. It has been one of the most important Christian pilgrimages since medieval times, the others being to Rome and Jerusalem. It has been in existence for about 1000 years. It has attracted a growing number of modern pilgrims from around the globe.

Related Topics:
Spanish - Pilgrimage - Santiago de Compostela - Galicia - Spain - Christian - Medieval - Rome - Jerusalem

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Today, thousands of Christian pilgrims and non-Christian pilgrims each year still set out on foot from their homes, or from popular starting points from all across Europe, especially St. Albain, to walk for weeks or months to visit the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela where the apostle Saint James the Great is said to be laid to rest. The legend is that St. James' remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where they were discovered at Compostela. Some pilgrims also come on horseback or by donkey; they also sometimes come by bicycle. In addition to people on a religious pilgrimage there are many travellers and hikers who walk the route for non-religious reasons.

Related Topics:
Christian - Pilgrim - Santiago de Compostela - Apostle - Saint James the Great - Bicycle

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The most popular of the routes is the Camino Francés which runs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees through to Santiago de Compostela. Three pilgrimage routes across France met at Saint-Jean or its nearby predecessor. They had points of origin in Paris, Vézelay and Le Puy. Across France and then across Spain the pilgrimage route led from shrine to shrine, as a caravan route leads from oasis to oasis.

Related Topics:
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - Pyrenees - Santiago de Compostela - Paris - Vézelay - Le Puy - Shrine

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The route was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe in October 1987 and inscribed as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in 1993.

Related Topics:
European Cultural Route - Council of Europe - UNESCO

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