Santiago de Compostela has a very mild climate for its latitude with heavy winter rainfall courtesy of its relative proximity to the prevailing winds fromAtlanticlow-pressure systems.
According toRichard A. Fletcher, scholars now agree that the origin of the name Compostela comes from the Latincompositum tella, meaning a well-ordered burial ground, possibly referring to an ancient burial ground on the site of the Church of Santiago de Compostela that pre-dates the Christian building.[6]
Santiago is the local Galician evolution ofVulgar LatinSanctus Iacobus "Saint James". According to folk etymologyCompostela derives from theLatin:Campus Stellae ('field of the star').
According to a medieval legend, the remains of the apostleJames, son of Zebedee were brought to Galicia for burial, where they were lost. Eight hundred years later the light of a bright star guided a shepherd,Pelagius the Hermit, who was watching his flock at night to the burial site in Santiago de Compostela.[7] This site was originally called MountLibredon [gl] and its physical topography leads prevalent seaborne winds to clear the cloud deck immediately overhead.[8] The shepherd quickly reported his discovery to the bishop of Iria,Theodemir.[7] The bishop declared that the remains were those of the apostle James and immediately notified King Alfonso II inOviedo.[7] To honour St. James, the cathedral was built on the spot where his remains were said to have been found. Thelegend, which included numerous miraculous events, enabled the Catholic faithful to bolster support for their stronghold in northern Spain during the Christian crusades against the Moors, but also led to the growth and development of the city.[7]
Along the western side of thePraza do Obradoiro is the elegant 18th-century Pazo de Raxoi, now the city hall. On the right from the cathedral steps is theHostal dos Reis Católicos, founded in 1492 by theCatholic Monarchs,Isabella of Castille andFerdinand II of Aragon, as a pilgrims' hospice (now aParador). The Obradoiro façade of the cathedral, the best known, is depicted on theSpanish euro coins of 1 cent, 2 cents, and 5 cents (€0.01, €0.02, and €0.05).
Santiago is the site of theUniversity of Santiago de Compostela, established in the early 16th century. The main campus can be seen best from an alcove in the large municipal park in the centre of the city.
Santiago de Compostela has a substantial nightlife. Both in the new town (a zona nova inGalician,la zona nueva in Spanish orensanche) and the old town (Galician:a zona vella,Spanish:la zona vieja, trade-branded aszona monumental), a mix of middle-aged residents and younger students maintain a lively presence until the early hours of the morning. Radiating from the centre of the city, the historic cathedral is surrounded by paved granite streets, tucked away in the old town, and separated from the newer part of the city by the largest of many parks throughout the city,Parque da Alameda.
Under theKöppen climate classification, Santiago de Compostela has a temperateoceanic climate (Cfb) with mild to warm and somewhat dry summers and mild, wet winters. The prevailing winds from theAtlantic and the surrounding mountains combine to give Santiago some of Spain's highest rainfall: about 1,800 millimetres (70.9 in) annually. The winters are mild, despite being far inland and at an altitude of 370 metres (1,210 ft) frosts are only common in December, January and February, with an average of just 13 days per year. Snow is uncommon, with 2-3 snowy days per year.[9] Temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) are very exceptional.
Climate data for Santiago de Compostela (1991–2020) (Provisional Normals)
The population of the city in 2019 was 96,260 inhabitants, while the metropolitan area reaches 178,695.
In 2010 there were 4,111 foreigners living in the city, representing 4.3% of the total population. The main nationalities areBrazilians (11%),Portuguese (8%) andColombians (7%).
By language, according to 2008 data, 21.17% of the population always speak inGalician, 15% always speak in Spanish, 31% mostly inGalician and the 32.17% mostly in Spanish.[15] According to aXunta de Galicia 2010 study the 38.5% of the city primary and secondary education students hadGalician as theirmother tongue.[16]
Interior of the cathedral.Knockers in the city's old quarterThe Library and the Chapter at the cathedral, Collotype 1889Calvary of St Franciscus church.Pórtico da Gloria, old façade of theRomanesque cathedral, 12th centurySepulchre of kingFerdinand II (d. 1187), in the Royal Pantheon of thecathedral
The area of Santiago de Compostela was a Roman cemetery by the 4th century[17] and was occupied by theSuebi in the early 5th century, when they settled in Galicia and Portugal during the initialcollapse of the Roman Empire. The area was later attributed to thebishopric ofIria Flavia in the 6th century, in the partition usually known as Parochiale Suevorum, ordered by KingTheodemar. In 585, the settlement was annexed along with the rest ofSuebi Kingdom byLeovigild as the sixth province of theVisigothic Kingdom.
Possibly raided from 711 to 739 by theArabs,[18][19] the bishopric of Iria was incorporated into theKingdom of Asturiasc. 750.[20][21][22] At some point between 818 and 842,[23] during the reign ofAlfonso II of Asturias,[24][25] bishopTheodemar of Iria (d. 847) claimed to have found some remains which were attributed toSaint James the Greater. This discovery was accepted in part becausePope Leo III[26] andCharlemagne—who had died in 814—had acknowledged Asturias as a kingdom and Alfonso II as king, and had also crafted close political and ecclesiastic ties.[27] Around the place of the discovery a new settlement and centre of pilgrimage emerged, which was known to the authorUsuard in 865[28] and which was calledCompostella by the 10th century.
The devotion to Saint James of Compostela was just one of many arising throughout northern Iberia during the 10th and 11th centuries, as rulers encouraged their own region-specific devotions, such asSaint Eulalia in Oviedo andSaint Aemilian in Castile.[29] After the centre of Asturian political power moved from Oviedo to León in 910, Compostela became more politically relevant, and severalkings of Galicia andof León were acclaimed by the Galician noblemen and crowned and anointed by the local bishop at the cathedral, among themOrdoño IV in 958,[30]Bermudo II in 982, andAlfonso VII in 1111, by which time Compostela had become capital of theKingdom of Galicia. Later, 12th-century kings were also sepulchered in the cathedral, namelyFernando II andAlfonso IX, last of the Kings of León and Galicia before both kingdoms were united with theKingdom of Castile.
During this same 10th century and in the first years of the 11th centuryViking raiders tried to assault the town[31]—Galicia is known in the Nordic sagas asJackobsland orGallizaland—and bishop Sisenand II, who was killed in battle against them in 968,[32] ordered the construction of a walled fortress to protect the sacred place. In 997 Compostela was assaulted and partially destroyed byIbn Abi Aamir (known as al-Mansur), Andalusian leader accompanied in his raid by Christian lords, who all received a share of the booty.[33][34] However, the Andalusian commander showed no interest in the alleged relics of St James. In response to these challenges bishopCresconio, in the mid-11th century, fortified the entire town, building walls and defensive towers.
According to some authors, by the middle years of the 11th century the site had already become a pan-European "place of peregrination",[35] while others maintain that the devotion to Saint James was before 11-12th centuries an essentially Galician affair, supported by Asturian and Leonese kings to win over faltering Galician loyalties.[29] Santiago would become in the course of the following century a main Catholic shrine second only to Rome andJerusalem. In the 12th century, under the impulse of bishopDiego Gelmírez, Compostela became an archbishopric, attracting a large and multinational population. Under the rule of thisprelate, the townspeople rebelled, headed by the local council, beginning a secular tradition of confrontation by the people of the city—who fought for self-government—against the local bishop, the secular and jurisdictional lord of the city and of its fief, the semi-independentTerra de Santiago ("land of Saint James"). The culminating moment in this confrontation was reached in the 14th century, when the new prelate, the FrenchmanBérenger de Landore, treacherously executed the counselors of the city in his castle ofA Rocha Forte ("the strong rock, castle"), after inviting them for talks.
Santiago de Compostela was captured and sacked by the French during theNapoleonic Wars; as a result, the remains attributed to the apostle were lost for near a century, hidden inside acist in thecrypts of the cathedral of the city.
The excavations conducted in the cathedral during the 19th and 20th centuries uncovered a Romancella memoriae ormartyrium, around which grew a small cemetery in Roman andSuevi times which was later abandoned. Thismartyrium, which proves the existence of an old Christianholy place, has been sometimes attributed toPriscillian, although without further proof.[36]
Santiago's economy, although still heavily dependent on public administration (i.e. being the headquarters of the autonomous government of Galicia), cultural tourism, industry, and higher education through itsuniversity, is becoming increasingly diversified. New industries such as timber transformation (FINSA), the automotive industry (UROVESA), and telecommunications and electronics (Blusens and Televés) have been established. Banco Gallego, a banking institution owned byNovacaixagalicia, has its headquarters in downtownrúa do Hórreo.
Tourism is very important thanks to theWay of St. James, particularly in Holy Compostelan Years (when theFeast of Saint James falls on a Sunday). Following the Xunta's considerable investment and hugely successful advertising campaign for the Holy Year of 1993, the number of pilgrims completing the route has been steadily rising. More than 272,000 pilgrims made the trip during the course of the Holy Year of 2010. Following 2010, the next Holy Year will not be for another 11 years when St James feast day again falls on a Sunday. Outside of Holy Years, the city still receives a remarkable number of pilgrims. In 2013, 215,880 people completed the pilgrimage. In 2014, there were 237,983 persons. In 2015, there were 262,513 persons and in 2016, there were 277,854 persons.[37]
Editorial Compostela owns daily newspaperEl Correo Gallego, a local TV, and a radio station. Galician-language online news portalGalicia Hoxe is also based in the city.Televisión de Galicia, thepublic broadcaster corporation of Galicia, has its headquarters in Santiago.
Way of St. JamesA partial view of Santiago de Compostela, with thePico Sacro in the backgroundDepiction of Saint James in the 12th-centuryCodex Calixtinus
During medieval times, the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage emerged as one of the most significant Christian journeys in Europe, attracting thousands of pilgrims seeking spiritual redemption and fulfillment. Believed to be the final resting place of Saint James the Apostle, the pilgrimage route traversed many countries and scenic locations.[38] The pilgrimage not only fostered spiritual growth but also facilitated cultural exchange, as towns along the route thrived with the influx of visitors, leading to the construction of churches,[39] and further development of the towns. This sacred journey symbolized a profound devotion to faith, enduring trials, and the hope of divine grace. A symbol of the Pilgrimage is the scallop shell, as seen in a sculpture, depicted below, in Santo Domingo de Silos, in which Jesus is shown as a pilgrim with a satchel that is embroidered with the scallop shell. The Scallop shell comes from a legend about St. James’s arrival: he frightened a horse, scaring it into the sea, and the horse reemerged with the shell covering itself.[40]
A carving in the wall of Santo Domingo De Silos showing Jesus carrying a satchel with a scallop-shell motif
Santiago de Compostela’s pilgrimage, known as the Camino de Santiago, is one of the world's most significant and historical Christian pilgrimages.[41] This sacred journey leads to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in the Galicia region of northwest Spain, where the remains of Saint James the Apostle are believed to be buried. The pilgrimage dates back to the Middle Ages and continues to draw thousands of pilgrims annually from all corners of the globe. Participants embark on various routes, the most popular being the Camino Francés,[42] traversing hundreds of kilometers on foot, by bicycle, or even on horseback. The journey is not just a physical challenge but also a profound spiritual and introspective experience, offering a sense of community, personal reflection, and fulfillment. Along the way, pilgrims pass through diverse landscapes and historic towns and encounter symbols of faith and support.[43]
The legend that St. James found his way to theIberian Peninsula and had preached there is one of a number of early traditions concerning the missionary activities and final resting places of the apostles of Jesus. Although the 1884Bull ofPope Leo XIIIOmnipotens Deus accepted the authenticity of the relics at Compostela, theVatican remains uncommitted as to whether the relics are those ofSaint James the Greater, while continuing to promote the more general benefits of pilgrimage to the site. Pope Benedict XVI undertook a ceremonial pilgrimage to the site on his visit to Spain in 2010.[44]
The Scallop Shell, emblem ofSt James, worn by pilgrims
The 1,000-year-old pilgrimage to the shrine of St. James in theSantiago de Compostela Cathedral is known in English as theWay of St. James and in Spanish as theCamino de Santiago. Over 200,000 pilgrims travel to the city each year from points all over Europe and other parts of the world. The pilgrimage has been the subject of many books, television programmes, and films, notablyBrian Sewell'sThe Naked Pilgrim produced for the British television channelChannel 5 and theMartin Sheen/Emilio Estevez collaborationThe Way.
According to a tradition that can be traced back at least to the 12th century, when it was recorded in theCodex Calixtinus, Saint James decided to return to theHoly Land after preaching in Galicia. There he was beheaded, but his disciples got his body toJaffa, where they found a marvelousstone ship which miraculously conducted them and the apostle's body toIria Flavia, back in Galicia. There, the disciples asked the local pagan queenLoba ('She-wolf') for permission to bury the body; she, annoyed, decided to deceive them, sending them to pick a pair of oxen she allegedly had by thePico Sacro, a local sacred mountain where adragon dwelt, hoping that the dragon would kill the Christians, but as soon as the beast attacked the disciples, at the sight of the cross, the dragon exploded. Then the disciples marched to collect the oxen, which were actually wild bulls which the queen used to punish her enemies; but again, at the sight of the Christian's cross, the bulls calmed down, and after being subjected to a yoke they carried the apostle's body to the place where now Compostela is. The legend was again referred with minor changes by theCzech travellerJaroslav Lev of Rožmitál, in the 15th century.[45]
The relics were said to have been later rediscovered in the 9th century by a hermit named Pelagius, who after observing strange lights in a local forest went for help after the local bishop,Theodemar of Iria, in the west of Galicia. The legend affirms that Theodemar was then guided to the spot by a star, drawing upon a familiar myth-element, hence "Compostela" was given anetymology as a corruption of Campus Stellae, "Field of Stars."
In the 15th century, the red banner which guided the Galician armies to battle, was still preserved in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in the centre Saint James riding a white horse and wearing a white cloak, sword in hand:[46] The legend of the miraculous armed intervention of Saint James, disguised as a white knight to help the Christians when battling the Muslims, was a recurrent myth during the High Middle Ages.
As the lowest-lying land on that stretch of coast, the city's site took on added significance. Legends supposed ofCeltic origin made it the place where thesouls of the dead gathered to follow the sun across the sea. Those unworthy of going to the Land of the Dead haunted Galicia as theSanta Compaña orEstadea.
Santiago de Compostela is featured prominently in the 1988 historical fiction novelSharpe's Rifles, byBernard Cornwell, which takes place during the French Invasion of Galicia, January 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars.
The music video forUna Cerveza, byRáfaga, is set in the historic part of Santiago de Compostela.
A mystic pilgrimage was portrayed in the autobiography and romanceThe Pilgrimage ("O Diário de um Mago") of Brazilian writerPaulo Coelho, published in 1987.
On 24 July 2013 there was aserious rail accident near the city in which 79 people died and at least 130 were injured when a train derailed on a bend as it approached Compostela station.[48]
^Lopez Alsina, Fernando (2013).La ciudad de Santiago de Compostela en la Alta Edad Media (2. corr ed.). Santiago de Compostela: Consorcio de Santiago.ISBN9788415876694.
^abcdStokstad, Marilyn (1978).Santiago de Compostela in the age of the great pilgrimages. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 6−8.ISBN978-0806114545.
^Almanach de Gotha [Almanac of Gotha] (in French). Gotha, Germany: Justus Perthes. 1828. pp. 28–29.OCLC600124268. From the collections of the Getty Research Institute. (Published annually from 1764 to 1944)
^Melczer, William; Melczer, William (1993).The pilgrim's guide to Santiago de Compostela: first English translation, with introduction, commentaries, and notes. New York: Italica Press.ISBN978-0-934977-25-8.
^Rudolph, Conrad (2004).Pilgrimage to the end of the world: the road to Santiago de Compostela. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.ISBN978-0-226-73125-4.
^"French Way",Wikipedia, 28 October 2024, retrieved6 November 2024
^Garrido Bugarín, Gustavo A. (1994).Aventureiros e curiosos : relatos de viaxeiros estranxeiros por Galicia, séculos XV – XX. Vigo: Ed. Galaxia. pp. 35–37.ISBN84-7154-909-3.
^Garrido Bugarín, Gustavo A. (1994).Aventureiros e curiosos : relatos de viaxeiros estranxeiros por Galicia, séculos XV – XX. Vigo: Ed. Galaxia. p. 40.ISBN84-7154-909-3.
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