Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the
autonomous community
eu, autonomia erkidegoa
ca, comunitat autònoma
gl, comunidade autónoma
oc, comunautat autonòma
an, comunidat autonoma
ast, comunidá autónoma
, alt_name =
, map =
, category = Autonomous administra ...
of
Galicia, in northwestern
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. The city has its origin in the shrine of
Saint James the Great
James the Great, also known as James, son of Zebedee, Saint James the Great, Saint James the Greater, Saint James the Elder, or Saint Jacob (Aramaic ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܪ ܙܒܕܝ, Arabic يعقوب, Hebrew בן זבדי , '' Yaʿăqōḇ'', Latin '' ...
, now the
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The c ...
, as the destination of the
Way of St. James
The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the Twelve Apostle ...
, a leading Catholic
pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
route since the 9th century. In 1985, the city's Old Town was designated a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
Santiago de Compostela has a very mild climate for its latitude with heavy winter rainfall courtesy of its relative proximity to the prevailing winds from
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
low-pressure system
In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...
s.
Toponym
''Santiago'' is the local Galician evolution of
Vulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin, also known as Popular or Colloquial Latin, is the range of non-formal Register (sociolinguistics), registers of Latin spoken from the Crisis of the Roman Republic, Late Roman Republic onward. Through time, Vulgar Latin would evolve ...
''Sanctus Iacobus'' "
Saint James". According to legend, ''Compostela'' derives from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
''Campus Stellae'' (i.e., "field of the star"); it seems unlikely, however, that this phrase could have yielded the modern ''Compostela'' under normal evolution from Latin to
Medieval Galician
Galician-Portuguese ( gl, galego-portugués or ', pt, galego-português or ), also known as Old Portuguese or as Medieval Galician when referring to the history of each modern language, was a West Iberian Romance language spoken in the Middle ...
.
Other etymologies derive the name from Latin ''compositum'', local Vulgar Latin ''Composita Tella'', meaning "burial ground", or simply from Latin ''compositella'', meaning "the well-composed one". Other sites in Galicia share this
toponym
Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...
, akin to ''Compostilla'' in the province of
León.
City
The
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...
borders the main plaza of the old and well-preserved city. According to medieval legend, the remains of the apostle
James
James is a common English language surname and given name:
*James (name), the typically masculine first name James
* James (surname), various people with the last name James
James or James City may also refer to:
People
* King James (disambiguat ...
were brought to Galicia for burial; in 813, the light of a bright star guided a shepherd who was watching his flock at night to the burial site in Santiago de Compostela. This site was originally called Mount Libredon and its physical topography leads prevalent sea borne winds to clear the cloud deck immediately overhead. The shepherd quickly reported his discovery to the bishop of Iria, Bishop Teodomiro.
[Stokstad, ''Santiago de Compostela'', 8.] The bishop declared that the remains were those of the apostle James and immediately notified King Alfonso II in
Oviedo
Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located ap ...
.
To honour St. James, the cathedral was built on the spot where his remains were said to have been found. The
legend
A legend is a Folklore genre, genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human valu ...
, 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.
Along the western side of the ''Praza do Obradoiro'' is the elegant 18th-century Pazo de Raxoi, now the city hall. Across the square is the Pazo de Raxoi (Raxoi's Palace), the town hall, and on the right from the cathedral steps is the
Hostal dos Reis Católicos
The Hostal dos Reis Católicos (in Galician), also called the Hostal de Los Reyes Católicos (in Spanish) or Parador de Santiago de Compostela, is a five-star Parador hotel, located in the Praza do Obradoiro of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It is ...
, founded in 1492 by the
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being bot ...
,
Isabella of Castille
Isabella I ( es, Isabel I; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also called Isabella the Catholic (Spanish: ''la Católica''), was Queen of Castile from 1474 until her death in 1504, as well as Queen consort of Aragon from 1479 until 1504 by ...
and
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II ( an, Ferrando; ca, Ferran; eu, Errando; it, Ferdinando; la, Ferdinandus; es, Fernando; 10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), also called Ferdinand the Catholic (Spanish: ''el Católico''), was King of Aragon and Sardinia from ...
, as a pilgrims' hospice (now a
Parador
A ''parador'' (), in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries was an establishment where travelers could seek lodging, and usually, food and drink, similar to an inn. In Spain since 1928, a Parador is a state-owned luxury hotel, usually located ...
). The Obradoiro façade of the cathedral, the best known, is depicted on the
Spanish euro coins
Spanish euro coins feature three different designs for each of the three series of coins. The minor series of 1, 2, and 5 cent coins were designed by Garcilaso Rollán, the middle series of 10, 20, and 50 cent coins by Begoña Castellanos, and the ...
of 1 cent, 2 cents, and 5 cents (€0.01, €0.02, and €0.05).
Santiago is the site of the
University of Santiago de Compostela
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = €228 million (2011)
, rector = Prof. Dr. Antonio López Díaz
, city = Santiago de Compostela
, state = Galicia
, country = Spain
, undergrad = 23,835
, postgrad = 1,716
, doctoral = 2,697
...
, 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.
Within the old town there are many narrow winding streets full of historic buildings. The new town all around it has less character though some of the older parts of the new town have some big flats in them.
Santiago de Compostela has a substantial nightlife. Both in the new town (''a zona nova'' in
Galician, ''la zona nueva'' in Spanish or ''ensanche'') and the old town (''a zona vella'' in Galician or ''la zona vieja'' in Spanish, trade-branded as ''zona 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''.
Santiago gives its name to one of the four military orders of Spain:
Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...
,
Calatrava,
Alcántara
Alcántara is a municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain, on the Tagus, near Portugal. The toponym is from the Arabic word ''al-Qanṭarah'' (القنطرة) meaning "the bridge".
History
Archaeological findings have atteste ...
and
Montesa.
One of the most important economic centres in Galicia, Santiago is the seat for organisations like
Association for Equal and Fair Trade Pangaea.
Climate
Under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, Santiago de Compostela has a temperate
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(''Cfb'') with mild to warm and somewhat dry summers and mild, wet winters. The prevailing winds from the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
and the surrounding mountains combine to give Santiago some of Spain's highest rainfall: about annually. The winters are mild, despite being far inland and at an altitude of 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. Temperatures above are very exceptional.
Administration
The city is governed by a
mayor–council form of government. Following the
26 May 2019 municipal elections the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of Santiago is
Xosé Sánchez Bugallo, of PSOE. Bugallo had already been mayor between 1998-2011. No party has a majority in the city council ().
2015 city council elections results
Population
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 are
Brazilians
Brazilians ( pt, Brasileiros, ) are the citizens of Brazil. A Brazilian can also be a person born abroad to a Brazilian parent or legal guardian as well as a person who acquired Brazilian citizenship. Brazil is a multiethnic society, which me ...
(11%),
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
(8%) and
Colombians
Colombians ( es, Colombianos) are people identified with the country of Colombia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Colombians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the sourc ...
(7%).
By language, according to 2008 data, 21.17% of the population always speak in
Galician, 15% always speak in Spanish, 31% mostly in
Galician and the 32.17% mostly in Spanish. According to a
Xunta de Galicia
The Xunta de Galicia (; "Regional Government of Galicia") is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President(s) and the specialized ministers (''Consell ...
2010 study the 38.5% of the city primary and secondary education students had
Galician as their
mother tongue
A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
.
History
The area of Santiago de Compostela was a Roman cemetery by the 4th century and was occupied by the
Suebi
The Suebi (or Suebians, also spelled Suevi, Suavi) were a large group of Germanic peoples originally from the Elbe river region in what is now Germany and the Czech Republic. In the early Roman era they included many peoples with their own names ...
in the early 5th century, when they settled in Galicia and Portugal during the initial
collapse of the Roman Empire
The fall of the Western Roman Empire (also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Rome) was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rule, and its vas ...
. The area was later attributed to the
bishopric
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
of
Iria Flavia
Iria Flavia or simply Iria in Galicia, northwestern Spain, is an Ancient settlement and former bishopric in the modern municipality of Padrón, which remains a Catholic titular see.
History
Located at the confluence of the Sar and Ulla rivers, ...
in the 6th century, in the partition usually known as Parochiale Suevorum, ordered by King
Theodemar. In 585, the settlement was annexed along with the rest of
Suebi Kingdom by
Leovigild
Liuvigild, Leuvigild, Leovigild, or ''Leovigildo'' (Spanish and Portuguese), ( 519 – 586) was a Visigothic King of Hispania and Septimania from 568 to 586. Known for his Codex Revisus or Code of Leovigild, a law allowing equal rights between the ...
as the sixth province of the
Visigothic Kingdom
The Visigothic Kingdom, officially the Kingdom of the Goths ( la, Regnum Gothorum), was a kingdom that occupied what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to the 8th centuries. One of the Germanic peoples, Germanic su ...
.
Possibly raided from 711 to 739 by the
Arabs
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
, the bishopric of Iria was incorporated into the
Kingdom of Asturias
The Kingdom of Asturias ( la, Asturum Regnum; ast, Reinu d'Asturies) was a kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula founded by the Visigothic nobleman Pelagius. It was the first Christian political entity established after the Umayyad conquest of V ...
c. 750. At some point between 818 and 842, during the reign of
Alfonso II of Asturias
Alfonso II of Asturias (842), nicknamed the Chaste ( es, el Casto), was the king of Asturias during two different periods: first in the year 783 and later from 791 until his death in 842. Upon his death, Nepotian, a family member of undeterm ...
,
bishop
Theodemar of Iria
Theodemir or Theodomar ( Galician and es, Teodomiro; died 847), was a bishop of Iria, in Galicia.
At some point between year 818, when Bishop Quendulf was still alive, and 842 when king Alfonso II of Asturias died, Pelagius the Hermit saw myste ...
(d. 847) claimed to have found some remains which were attributed to
Saint James the Greater
James the Great, also known as James, son of Zebedee, Saint James the Great, Saint James the Greater, Saint James the Elder, or Saint Jacob (Aramaic ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܪ ܙܒܕܝ, Arabic يعقوب, Hebrew בן זבדי , '' Yaʿăqōḇ'', Latin '' ...
. This discovery was accepted in part because
Pope Leo III
Pope Leo III (died 12 June 816) was bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 26 December 795 to his death. Protected by Charlemagne from the supporters of his predecessor, Adrian I, Leo subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position b ...
and
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...
—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. Around the place of the discovery a new settlement and centre of pilgrimage emerged, which was known to the author
Usuard Usuard (died 23 January, 875) was a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and a Carolingian scholar.
His name appears in a list of monks of Saint-Germain-des-Prés written around 841/847 (a declaration of spiritual association wi ...
in 865 and which was called ''Compostella'' by the 10th century.
The cult of 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 cults, such as
Saint Eulalia in Oviedo and
Saint Aemilian in Castile.
After the centre of Asturian political power moved from Oviedo to León in 910, Compostela became more politically relevant, and several
kings of Galicia
Galicia is an autonomous community and historical nationality in modern-day northwestern Spain on the Iberian Peninsula, which was a major part of the Roman province known as Gallaecia prior to 409. It consists of the provinces of A Coruña, ...
and
of León were acclaimed by the Galician noblemen and crowned and anointed by the local bishop at the cathedral, among them
Ordoño IV in 958,
Bermudo II in 982, and
Alfonso VII
Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...
in 1111, by which time Compostela had become capital of the
Kingdom of Galicia
The Kingdom of Galicia ( gl, Reino de Galicia, or ''Galiza''; es, Reino de Galicia; pt, Reino da Galiza; la, Galliciense Regnum) was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire north ...
. Later, 12th-century kings were also sepulchered in the cathedral, namely
Fernando II and
Alfonso IX
Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...
, last of the Kings of León and Galicia before both kingdoms were united with the
Kingdom of Castile
The Kingdom of Castile (; es, Reino de Castilla, la, Regnum Castellae) was a large and powerful state on the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. Its name comes from the host of castles constructed in the region. It began in the 9th centu ...
.
During this same 10th century and in the first years of the 11th century
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
raiders tried to assault the town—Galicia is known in the Nordic sagas as ''Jackobsland'' or ''Gallizaland''—and bishop Sisenand II, who was killed in battle against them in 968, ordered the construction of a walled fortress to protect the sacred place. In 997 Compostela was assaulted and partially destroyed by
Ibn Abi Aamir (known as al-Mansur), Andalusian leader accompanied in his raid by Christian lords, who all received a share of the booty. However, the Andalusian commander showed no interest in the alleged relics of St James. In response to these challenges bishop
Cresconio Cresconius ( es, Cresconio) ( 1036 – 1066) was an 11th-century bishop of Iria Flavia and Santiago de Compostela in Spain who succeeded Vistruarius.
Cresconius was a supporter of King Ferdinand I of Castile and educated Ferdinand's son, García I ...
, 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, while others maintain that the cult to Saint James was before 11-12th centuries an essentially Galician affair, supported by Asturian and Leonese kings to win over faltering Galician loyalties.
Santiago would become in the course of the following century a main Catholic shrine second only to Rome and
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
. In the 12th century, under the impulse of bishop
Diego Gelmírez
Diego Gelmírez or Xelmírez ( la, Didacus Gelmirici; c. 1069 – c. 1140) was the second bishop (from 1100) and first archbishop (from 1120) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de Compost ...
, Compostela became an archbishopric, attracting a large and multinational population. Under the rule of this
prelate
A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...
, 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-independent ''Terra de Santiago'' ("land of Saint James"). The culminating moment in this confrontation was reached in the 14th century, when the new prelate, the Frenchman
Bérenger de Landore
Bérenger de Landore (also Berengar of Landorra, of Landorre; Berenguel de Landoria, Landória, or Landoira) (1262–1330) was a French Dominican, who became Master of the Order of Preachers (1312–1317), and then Archbishop of Santiago de C ...
, treacherously executed the counselors of the city in his castle of ''A Rocha Forte'' ("the strong rock, castle"), after inviting them for talks.
Santiago de Compostela was captured and sacked by the French during the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
; as a result, the remains attributed to the apostle were lost for near a century, hidden inside a
cist
A cist ( or ; also kist ;
from grc-gre, κίστη, Middle Welsh ''Kist'' or Germanic ''Kiste'') is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle East ...
in the
crypt
A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics.
Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...
s of the cathedral of the city.
The excavations conducted in the cathedral during the 19th and 20th centuries uncovered a Roman ''cella memoriae'' or
martyrium
A martyrium (Latin) or martyrion (Greek), plural ''martyria'', sometimes anglicized martyry (pl. martyries), is a church or shrine built over the tomb of a Christian martyr. It is associated with a specific architectural form, centered on a cent ...
, around which grew a small cemetery in Roman and
Suevi
The Suebi (or Suebians, also spelled Suevi, Suavi) were a large group of Germanic peoples originally from the Elbe river region in what is now Germany and the Czech Republic. In the early Roman era they included many peoples with their own names ...
times which was later abandoned. This ''martyrium'', which proves the existence of an old Christian
holy place
Sacred space, sacred ground, sacred place, sacred temple, holy ground, or holy place refers to a location which is deemed to be sacred or hallowed. The sacredness of a natural feature may accrue through tradition or be granted through a bless ...
, has been sometimes attributed to
Priscillian
Priscillian (in Latin: ''Priscillianus''; Gallaecia, - Augusta Treverorum, Gallia Belgica, ) was a wealthy nobleman of Roman Hispania who promoted a strict form of Christian asceticism. He became bishop of Ávila in 380. Certain practices of his f ...
, although without further proof.
Economy
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 its
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, is becoming increasingly diversified. New industries such as timber transformation (FINSA), the automotive industry (
UROVESA
URO, Vehículos Especiales, S.A. (UROVESA) is a Spanish heavy vehicle manufacturer based in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. It is best known for the production of the URO VAMTAC, a Humvee-like four-wheel drive motor vehicle, and URO trucks.
...
), and telecommunications and electronics (Blusens and Televés) have been established. Banco Gallego, a banking institution owned by
Novacaixagalicia
Caixa de Aforros de Galicia, Vigo, Ourense e Pontevedra (trading as Novacaixagalicia) was the name of a short-lived Spanish savings bank based in Galicia. It was created following the forced merger of the two major savings banks in the region, Ca ...
, has its headquarters in downtown ''rúa do Hórreo''.
Tourism is very important thanks to the
Way of St. James
The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the Twelve Apostle ...
, particularly in Holy Compostelan Years (when 25 July 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.
Editorial Compostela owns daily newspaper El Correo Gallego, a local TV, and a radio station. Galician language online news portal Galicia Hoxe is also based in the city.
Televisión de Galicia
Televisión de Galicia (; "Television of Galicia"; abbreviated as TVG), commonly known as A Galega ("The Galician ne), is a Spanish free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Televisión de Galicia S.A., the television subsidiary of ...
, the
public broadcaster
Public broadcasting involves radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing ...
corporation of Galicia, has its headquarters in Santiago.
Way of St. James
![Codex Calixtinus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Codex_Calixtinus.jpg)
The legend that St James found his way to the
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
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 1884
Bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
includin ...
of
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...
''Omnipotens Deus'' accepted the authenticity of the relics at Compostela, the
Vatican
Vatican may refer to:
Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum
The Holy See
* The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized ...
remains uncommitted as to whether the relics are those of
Saint James the Greater
James the Great, also known as James, son of Zebedee, Saint James the Great, Saint James the Greater, Saint James the Elder, or Saint Jacob (Aramaic ܝܥܩܘܒ ܒܪ ܙܒܕܝ, Arabic يعقوب, Hebrew בן זבדי , '' Yaʿăqōḇ'', Latin '' ...
, 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.
Legends
According to a tradition that can be traced back at least to the 12th century, when it was recorded in the ''
Codex Calixtinus
The (also ''Compostellus'') is the main witness for the 12th-century , or the Book of Saint James. It is a pseudepigraph attributed to Pope Callixtus II; its principal author or compilator is referred to as "Pseudo-Callixtus", often identified w ...
'', Saint James decided to return to the
Holy Land
The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...
after preaching in Galicia. There he was beheaded, but his disciples got his body to
Jaffa
Jaffa, in Hebrew Yafo ( he, יָפוֹ, ) and in Arabic Yafa ( ar, يَافَا) and also called Japho or Joppa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv-Yafo, is an ancient port city in Israel. Jaffa is known for its association with the b ...
, where they found a marvelous
stone ship
The stone ship or ship setting was an early burial custom in Scandinavia, Northern Germany, and the Baltic states. The grave or cremation burial was surrounded by slabs or stones in the shape of a boat or ship. The ships vary in size and were e ...
which miraculously conducted them and the apostle's body to
Iria Flavia
Iria Flavia or simply Iria in Galicia, northwestern Spain, is an Ancient settlement and former bishopric in the modern municipality of Padrón, which remains a Catholic titular see.
History
Located at the confluence of the Sar and Ulla rivers, ...
, back in Galicia. There, the disciples asked the local pagan queen ''Loba'' ('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 the ''Pico Sacro'', a local sacred mountain where a
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
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 the
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus'
Places
*Czech, ...
traveller
Jaroslav Lev of Rožmitál
Jaroslav Lev of Rožmitál (Jaroslav Lev of Rosental and Blatná) (c. 1425 – 23 October 1486) was a Bohemian nobleman from the Lords of Rosental, House of Lev of Rožmitál. This family came of an ancient and noble Buzice stock. In addition to th ...
, in the 15th century.
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
Theodemir or Theodomar ( Galician and es, Teodomiro; died 847), was a bishop of Iria, in Galicia.
At some point between year 818, when Bishop Quendulf was still alive, and 842 when king Alfonso II of Asturias died, Pelagius the Hermit saw myste ...
, 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 an
etymology
Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...
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: 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.
Establishment of the shrine
![Spain Leon - Santiago Shell](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Spain_Leon_-_Santiago_Shell.jpg)
The 1,000-year-old pilgrimage to the shrine of
St. James in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is known in English as the
Way of St. James
The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the Twelve Apostle ...
and in Spanish as the ''Camino 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, notably
Brian Sewell
Brian Alfred Christopher Bushell Sewell (; 15 July 1931 – 19 September 2015) was an English art critic. He wrote for the ''Evening Standard'' and had an acerbic view of conceptual art and the Turner Prize. ''The Guardian'' described him as " ...
's ''
The Naked Pilgrim'' produced for the British television channel
Channel 5 and the
Martin Sheen
Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. He first became known for his roles in the films ''The Subject Was Roses'' (1968) and ''Badlands'' (1973), and later achieved wid ...
/
Emilio Estevez
Emilio Estevez (; born May 12, 1962) is an American actor and filmmaker.
He is the son of actor Martin Sheen and the older brother of Charlie Sheen. Emilio Estevez started his career as an actor and is known for being a member of the acting Bra ...
collaboration ''
The Way''.
Pre-Christian legends
As the lowest-lying land on that stretch of coast, the city's site took on added significance. Legends supposed of
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
* Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Fo ...
origin made it the place where the
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
s 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
The Santa Compaña ("Holy Company") is a deep-rooted mythical belief in rural northwest of Iberia: Galicia, Asturias (Spain) and Northern Portugal. It is the Iberian version of the pan-European mythical motif known as the Wild Hunt.
It is also ...
'' or ''Estadea''.
In popular culture
Santiago de Compostela is featured prominently in the 1988 historical fiction novel ''
Sharpe's Rifles'', by
Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell (born 23 February 1944) is an English-American author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo Campaign. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also written ''The Saxon ...
, which takes place during the French Invasion of Galicia, January 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars.
The music video for ''
Una Cerveza'', by
Ráfaga
Ráfaga is a band in the Argentina, Argentine cumbia. Formed in 1994, they started playing in Argentine cumbia clubs and quickly gained popularity.
The band is characterised by Middle Ages, medieval outfits and jewelry, sometimes becoming close t ...
, is set in the historic part of Santiago de Compostela.
A pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela provides the narrative framework of the
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés (; 22 February 1900 – 29 July 1983) was a Spanish-Mexican filmmaker who worked in France, Mexico, and Spain. He has been widely considered by many film critics, historians, and directors to be one of the greatest and m ...
film
La Voie lactée (The Milky Way).
A mystic pilgrimage was portrayed in the autobiography and romance
The Pilgrimage
''The Pilgrimage'' ( pt, O Diário de Um Mago, "Diary of a Magus") is a 1987 novel by Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho. It is a recollection of Paulo's experiences as he made his way across northern Spain on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostel ...
("O Diário de um Mago") of Brazilian writer
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho de Souza (, ; born 24 August 1947) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002. His novel ''The Alchemist'' became an international best-seller and he has published 28 more books ...
, published in 1987.
Main sights
*
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The c ...
*
Pazo de Raxoi
Pazo de Raxoi ('Palace of Raxoi '; es, Palacio de Rajoy) is a neoclassical palace in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. Completed in 1766, it is located on the Praza do Obradoiro
The Praza do Obradoiro ( Galician for "Square of the Works ...
– city hall and office of the
President of the Xunta of Galicia
The president of the Regional Government of Galicia ( gl, Presidente da Xunta de Galicia, es, Presidente de la Xunta de Galicia), is the head of government of Galicia. The president leads the executive branch of the regional government.
The cu ...
* 12th century
Colexiata de Santa María do Sar
* 16th century
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
Abbey of San Martín Pinario
*
University of Santiago de Compostela
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = €228 million (2011)
, rector = Prof. Dr. Antonio López Díaz
, city = Santiago de Compostela
, state = Galicia
, country = Spain
, undergrad = 23,835
, postgrad = 1,716
, doctoral = 2,697
...
* Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (Galician Center for Contemporary Art), designed by
Alvaro Siza Vieira
* Parque de San Domingos de Bonaval, redesigned by
Eduardo Chillida
Eduardo Chillida Juantegui, or Eduardo Txillida Juantegi in Basque (10 January 1924 – 19 August 2002), was a Spanish Basque sculptor notable for his monumental abstract works.
Early life and career
Born in San Sebastián (Donostia) to Ped ...
and
Alvaro Siza Vieira
*
City of Culture of Galicia, designed by
Peter Eisenman
Peter Eisenman (born August 11, 1932) is an American architect. Considered one of the New York Five, Eisenman is known for his writing and speaking about architecture as well as his designs, which have been called high modernist or deconstructiv ...
* Parque da Alameda (Alameda Park)
* Parque de Carlomagno (Carlomagno Park)
* 17th century Convent and Church of San Francisco
Transport
![Stazione ferroviaria di Santiago di Compostela](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Stazione_ferroviaria_di_Santiago_di_Compostela.JPG)
Santiago de Compostela is served by
Santiago de Compostela Airport
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...
and a
Renfe rail service.
Airport
Santiago de Compostela Airport
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...
is the
2nd busiest airport in
northern Spain
Spain is a country located in southwestern Europe occupying most (about 82 percent) of the Iberian Peninsula. It also includes a small exclave inside France called Llívia, as well as the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Isla ...
after
Bilbao Airport
Bilbao Airport is a minor international airport located north of Bilbao, in the municipality of Loiu, in Biscay. It is the largest airport in the Basque Country and northern Spain, with 5,469,453 passengers in 2018. It is famous for its new m ...
. The airport is located in the parish of Lavacolla, 12 km from the city center and handled 2,903,427 passengers in 2019.
Railway
Santiago de Compostela railway station
Santiago de Compostela railway station is the railway station of the Galician capital Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shr ...
is linked to the
Spanish High Speed Railway Network.
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
is reached in 3 hours.
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
can also be reached in less than 5 hours changing to the
Celta train
The Celta train is a train connection from the Portuguese railway operator Comboios de Portugal and the Spanish railway operator Renfe Operadora between Campanhã railway station in Porto (Portugal) and Vigo-Guixar railway station in Vigo (Spai ...
in
Vigo
Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest of the Iberian Penins ...
.
On 24 July 2013 there was a
serious 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.
Sports teams
*
SD Compostela
Sociedad Deportiva Compostela is a List of football clubs in Spain, Spanish football team based in Santiago de Compostela, in the autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia. They play home matches at ''Estadio Multiusos de San Lázaro'', and ...
(
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
) -
*
Obradoiro CAB
Obradoiro Clube de Amigos do Baloncesto (lit, Obradoiro Friends of Basketball Club), also known as Monbus Obradoiro for sponsorship reasons, is a professional basketball team based in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. They currently compete in t ...
(
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
) -
*
Santiago Futsal
Santiago Futsal, formerly known as Autos Lobelle de Santiago Fútbol Sala, is a professional futsal club based in Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The cit ...
(
futsal Futsal is a football-based game played on a hardcourt, hard court smaller than a football pitch, and mainly indoors. It has similarities to five-a-side football and Indoor soccer, indoor football.
Futsal is played between two teams of five players ...
) -
*
Santiago Black Ravens (
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
) -
*
Arteal Tenis de Mesa (
table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...
) -
*
Escudería Compostela (
motorsport
Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...
) -
*
Santiago Rugby Club (
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
)
*
Estrela Vermelha FG Estrela, Portuguese for "star", may refer to:
Animals
*Estrela Mountain Dog, a breed of working dog native to the range
* Phyllonorycter estrela, a moth of the family Gracillariidae
Geography Portugal
* Serra da Estrela Subregion, a NUTS3 statist ...
(
Gaelic football
Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...
)
Notable people
![Ana Romero Masiá Culleredo 2012 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Ana_Romero_Masi%C3%A1_Culleredo_2012_2.JPG)
*
Bernal de Bonaval
Bernal(do) de Bonaval(le), also known as Bernardo (de) Bonaval, was a 13th-century troubadour in the Kingdom of Galicia (in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in parts of modern Portugal and Spain) who wrote in the Galician-Portuguese langua ...
, 13th-century
troubadour
A troubadour (, ; oc, trobador ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a ''trobairit ...
in the
Kingdom of Galicia
The Kingdom of Galicia ( gl, Reino de Galicia, or ''Galiza''; es, Reino de Galicia; pt, Reino da Galiza; la, Galliciense Regnum) was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire north ...
who wrote in the
Galician-Portuguese
Galician-Portuguese ( gl, galego-portugués or ', pt, galego-português or ), also known as Old Portuguese or as Medieval Galician when referring to the history of each modern language, was a West Iberian languages, West Iberian Romance languag ...
language
*
Sancho de Andrade de Figueroa
Sancho de Andrade de Figueroa (1632–1702) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Quito (1688–1702) and Bishop of Ayacucho o Huamanga (1679–1688). ''(in Latin)''[Bishop of Quito
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Quito is the Catholic archdiocese in the capital city of Ecuador, Quito. It was established as the Diocese of Quito on 8 January 1545, before being elevated to archdiocese level in 1849 by Pope Pius ...]
(1688–1702) and
Bishop of Ayacucho o Huamanga (1679–1688)
*
Juan Antonio García de Bouzas (c.1680–1755), Baroque painter, his principal works are in the churches at Santiago
*
Eugenio Montero Ríos
Eugenio Montero Ríos (13 November 1832, in Santiago de Compostela – 12 May 1914, in Madrid) was a leading member of the Spanish Liberal Party before being part of a 1903 schism that divided it. He also served briefly as Prime Minister of Spa ...
(1832–1914), politician, served briefly as
Prime Minister of Spain
The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government ( es, link=no, Presidente del Gobierno), is the head of government of Spain. The office was established in its current form by the Constitution of 1978 and it was first regula ...
in
1905
As the second year of the massive Russo-Japanese War begins, more than 100,000 die in the largest world battles of that era, and the war chaos leads to the 1905 Russian Revolution against Nicholas II of Russia (Shostakovich's 11th Symphony i ...
*
Rosalía de Castro
María Rosalía Rita de Castro (; 23 February 1837 – 15 July 1885), was a Galician poet and novelist, considered one of the most important figures of the 19th-century Spanish literature and modern lyricism. Widely regarded as the greatest Galic ...
(1837–1885), romanticist writer and poet
* Antonio Machado Álvarez (1848–1893) known as
Demófilo
Antonio Machado Álvarez, better known by his pseudonym Demófilo (Santiago de Compostela, 1848 – Seville, 4 February 1893), was a writer, anthropologist, and Spanish folklorist. He was the son of the noted Spanish folklorist, Cipriana Álvar ...
, writer, anthropologist and Spanish folklorist
*
Narcisa Pérez Reoyo
Narcisa Pérez Reoyo (May 4, 1849 - June 19, 1876) was a 19th Spanish writer of Galicia. Her works included, ''Cantos de la infancia'' (1865), ''Devocionario infantil'' (1867), and ''Horas perdidas'' (1874)
Biography
Narcisa Pérez Reoyo was bor ...
(1849-1876), writer
*
Modesto Brocos
Modesto Brocos y Gómez (9 February 1852 – 28 November 1936) was a Spanish painter and engraver, who became a naturalized Brazilian citizen.
His work covers a wide variety of styles and subjects, and he was the author of several books on ...
(1852–1936), Brazilian painter, designer and engraver
*
Carmen Babiano Méndez-Núñez (1852–1914), painter and a pioneer in feminine art
*
Manuel Maria Puga y Parga
Manuel may refer to:
People
* Manuel (name)
* Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''
* Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
* Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire
* Manu ...
aka "Picadillo" (1874–1918), culinary writer and gastronome, popularized traditional Galician cooking
*
José Robles
José Robles Pazos (Santiago de Compostela, 1897–1937) was a Spanish writer, academic and independent left-wing activist. Born to an aristocratic family, Robles embraced left-wing views which forced him to leave Spain and go into exile in th ...
(1897–1937), academic, left-wing activist, born to an aristocratic family, went into exile in the USA
*
Juan Sáenz-Díez García
Juan Sáenz-Díez García (1904–1990) was a Spanish entrepreneur and Carlist politician. In business he is known among key managers of the Simeón García family conglomerate. In politics he counted among architects of cautiously collaborative c ...
(1904–1990), entrepreneur and
Carlist
Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalism (Spain), Traditionalist and Legitimists (disambiguation), Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the House of Bourbon, Bourbon dynasty ...
politician
*
Xerardo Fernández Albor (1917–2018), physician and politician,
president of Galicia
The president of the Regional Government of Galicia ( gl, Presidente da Xunta de Galicia, es, Presidente de la Xunta de Galicia), is the head of government of Galicia. The president leads the executive branch of the regional government.
The c ...
from 1981 to 1987
*
Isaac Díaz Pardo
Isaac Díaz Pardo (22 August 1920 – 5 January 2012) was a Galicia (Spain), Galician intellectual strongly attached to both Sargadelos and Cerámica do Castro.
He was an intellectual Galicianism (Galicia), galicianist, painter, ceramist, desig ...
(1920–2012), intellectual, painter, ceramist, and businessman
*
Xohana Torres (1931–2017), writer, poet, playwright, and member of the
Royal Galician Academy
The Royal Galician Academy ( gl, Real Academia Galega, RAG) is an institution dedicated to the study of Galician culture and especially the Galician language; it promulgates norms of grammar, spelling, and vocabulary and works to promote the la ...
*
Adela Akers (born 1933), textile and fiber artist, raised in Peru and Cuba, now lives in
Guerneville, California
Guerneville ( , ) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California, United States. The town is historically known for the logging community, formed in the late 1800s. Guerneville ...
*
Xosé Manuel Beiras
Xosé Manuel Hixinio Beiras Torrado (born 7 April 1936) is a Galician politician, economist, writer and intellectual. He is professor of Structural Economy at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Santiago de Compostela. He is ...
(born 1936), politician, economist, writer and intellectual
*
Roberto Vidal Bolaño (1950–2002), playwright and actor, celebrated by
Galician Literature Day
Galician Literature Day ( gl, Día das Letras Galegas) is a public holiday observed in Galicia, Spain. It is a celebration of the Galician language and its literature which was inaugurated by the Royal Galician Academy (''Real Academia Galega' ...
in 2013
*
Ana Romero Masiá (born 1952), historian, archaeologist and academic
*
Mariano Rajoy
Mariano Rajoy Brey (; born 27 March 1955) is a Spanish politician who served as Prime Minister of Spain from 2011 to 2018, when a vote of no confidence ousted his government. On 5 June 2018, he announced his resignation as People's Party lead ...
(born 1955), politician,
Prime Minister of Spain
The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government ( es, link=no, Presidente del Gobierno), is the head of government of Spain. The office was established in its current form by the Constitution of 1978 and it was first regula ...
from 2011 to 2018
*
Suso de Toro
Xesús Miguel "Suso" de Toro Santos (born 10 January 1956) is a Spanish writer. A modern and contemporary arts graduate, he has published more than twenty novels and plays in Galician. He is a television scriptwriter and regular contributor ...
(born 1956), writer of more than twenty novels and plays in Galician
*
Carlos Ferrás Sexto
Carlos Ferrás Sexto (Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, 1965) is a Galician geographer and academic.
Carlos Ferrás is a senior lecturer at the Department of Geography of the University of Santiago de Compostela. He is also the director of thSoci ...
(born 1965), geographer and academic
*
Octavio Vázquez (born 1972), composer of classical music
*
Yolanda Castaño (born 1977), painter, literary critic and poet
*
Roi Méndez
Roi Méndez Martínez (born 30 September 1993) is a Spanish singer and guitarist.
Biography
Roi Méndez was born in Santiago de Compostela on 30 September 1993. He got a bachelor's degree in audio technology. He was a member of the Orquesta Ol ...
(born 1993), singer and guitarist
Sport
![Vero Boquete Euro 2013b](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Vero_Boquete_Euro_2013b.jpg)
* Andrés Domínguez Candal (1918–1978) aka
Pierita, footballer
*
José Luis Veloso (1937–2019), footballer, 278 pro appearances
*
Tomás Reñones
Pedro Tomás Reñones Crego (born 9 August 1960), known as Tomás as a player, is a Spanish former footballer who played as a right back.
He was best known for his spell at Atlético Madrid, for which he played 12 professional seasons, also be ...
(born 1960) known as Tomás, footballer, nearly 500 pro appearances
*
Moncho Fernández (born 1969), basketball manager and coach
*
Emilio José Viqueira (born 1974), footballer who made 454 pro appearances
*
Manuel Castiñeiras (born 1979), footballer, over 300 pro appearances
*
Rubén González Rocha (born 1982), known as Rubén, football central defender
*
Borja Golan Borja may refer to: People
* Borja (name)
Places
* Borja, Aragon, Aragon, Spain
** Campo de Borja, comarca containing that municipality as capital
* Borja, Peru, Loreto Region, Peru
* Borja (mountain), in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Borja District
...
(born 1983), professional squash player who represents Spain
*
Iván Carril
Iván Carril Regueiro (; born 13 February 1985 in Rebordaos, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.
Football career
After a brief spell with FC Barcelona, Carril completed his football ...
(born 1985), footballer
*
Verónica Boquete
Verónica Boquete Giadans (born 9 April 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward or midfielder for Italian Serie A club Fiorentina. As well as in her native Spain, she has played professionally for clubs in the United S ...
(born 1987), footballer
*
José Ángel Antelo (born 1987), basketball player
*
Alberto Manuel Domínguez Rivas (born 1988) known as Alberto, football goalkeeper
International relations
Twin towns/Sister cities
Santiago de Compostela is
twinned with:
See also
*
Auditorio Monte do Gozo
*
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica (Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The c ...
*''
Música en Compostela
''Música en Compostela'' (Music in Compostela) is an annual summer course in music performance and composition held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It was founded by the Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia and the diplomat José Miguel Ruiz Morale ...
''
*
Order of Santiago
The Order of Santiago (; es, Orden de Santiago ), is a religious and military order founded in the 12th century. It owes its name to the Patron Saint of Spain, "Santiago" ( St. James the Greater). Its initial objective was to protect the pilgr ...
*
Santiago de Compostela derailment
The Santiago de Compostela derailment occurred on 24 July 2013, when an Alvia high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Ferrol, in the north-west of Spain, derailed at high speed on a bend about outside of the railway station at Santiago de ...
*
As Orfas
*
Klaus SchäferVarious routes to Santiago de Compostela
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
* Meakin, Annette M. B. (1909)
''Galicia. The Switzerland of Spain'' London: Methuen & Co.
External links
City Council of Santiago de CompostelaSantiago Tourism
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santiago De Compostela
Apostolic sees
Catholic pilgrimage sites
Holy cities
Municipalities in the Province of A Coruña
Camino de Santiago
World Heritage Sites in Spain