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History of Spain – City Blog

History of Spain – City Blog

Category Archives: Santiago de Compostela

Festivals of Santiago de Compostela

21 Monday Nov 2022

Posted by Ashley Brooks in Santiago de Compostela

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Magustos

Known by various names in different regions Magustos (or Magostos) is the celebration in Galicia and Santiago Compostela that honors the season of Autumn. Festivities typically involve roasting chestnuts and the consumption of wine, empanadas, and sausage. The tradition came about in order to celebrate the Summer and Autumn harvest. Though the holiday is typically celebrated in the Fall, traditionally roasted chestnuts are sold from market vendors from October up until February.


St. John’s Eve

Another amazing festival to attend in Santiago de Compostela is the St. John’s Eve festival. Held on June 23rd, or midsummer, the festival celebrates Saint John the Baptist. Much like Magustos, there are bonfires and special foods eaten on the occasion. The bonfires, also called “cacharelas” are used as a way to protect oneself from witchcraft or evil spirits. Some of the foods that are present include sardines, wine, and pies.

Bonfire during St. John’s Eve.


Ascension Day

In Santiago de Compostela, the second most important festival is the Ascension Day. This holiday, celebrated in late May, honors the ascension of Jesus and typically lasts about a week. During the week, there are many activities to take part in. Some of those include a cattle market, theater, and concerts. The festival draws a lot of university students to activities and is seen as a celebration right before exams. A popular food enjoyed during festivities is pulpo á feira, a Galician style octopus dish.

Procession during Ascension Day.

Carnival

Santiago de Compostela celebrates Carnival right before Ash Wednesday and the observation of Lent. There is typically what is described as an end of winter festival to mark the celebration. While celebrating it is appropriate to see many people dressed in masks and fancy clothes. There is a lot of meat eaten including ham, chorizo, and pig head.

The Delicious Food of Santiago de Compostela

20 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by Wyatt Atkins in Santiago de Compostela

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Pulpo a la Gallega

Pulpo a la Gallega or Pulpo a la Feira is a seafood dish that for any person who loves seafood is a must try during their visit to Santiago de Compostela. The main attraction of this cuisine is its use of octopus tentacles. Traditionally the octopus is tenderized with the use of a mallet and then boiled. After the octopus has been cooked it is seasoned with olive oil, salt, and paprika. Potatoes are usually served with the seafood but other sides can also be chosen. If done correctly the octopus should be very tender. It is important that if you order this dish, it is from a respected restaurant in Santiago de Compostela because this dish is hard to get right. If the octopus is over-boiled the meat will be extremely tough leading to an unpleasant dining experience. Bodegón Os Concheiros is a recommended restaurant to go for this cuisine because they are well known for their making of this dish and it is almost guaranteed the meal will be prepared the correct way.

Pimientos de Padrón


Pimientos de Padrón is a great choice for adventurous students. Pimientos de Padróns are relatively small peppers, about the size of a habanero pepper, that are usually green in color but they can also look yellow at times. Commonly they are slightly fried and then seasoned with salt. These peppers have a fun gimmick to the because about 1 out of 10 of the peppers that you eat are extremely spicy. As you eat them you also do not know which ones are spicy or not giving the experience of eating the peppers a Russian roulette factor. They are also sweet when fried and mostly mild, so biting into a hot one is a bit of a surprise. Making the process of eating the peppers a bit of a fun game. For people that like heat and rolling the dice, these peppers are a must-try on your visit to Santiago de Compostela.

Mejillón de Galicia


A staple food of Santiago de Compostela are the mussels farmed on the shores of the Galicia providence. This treasured mollusk has the unique name of Mejillón de Galicia in its providence. The providence of Galicia has strict standards and regulations on these mussels to guarantee their freshness and quality. When the shellfish are sent to the restaurants in Santiago de Compostela they are even packed in a particular way to preserve their quality when they arrive at restaurants in the area. So, if you get mussels in notable restaurants in Santiago de Compostela it is highly probable you are eating these extremely flavorful locally caught mussels. They are distinct with their bright orange color and renowned freshness. If you love shellfish it is a must you order them on your visit. They will likely be the best mussels you’ve ever had. Eating these mussels on their own or mixed in with other entrees will be an amazing experience.

Tarta de Santiago


For a dessert after all the amazing food you’ll enjoy during your visit to Santiago de Compostela, Tarta de Santiago is a highly recommendable choice. This treat can even be enjoyed in the morning as a companion to morning coffee. Tarta de Santiago is an almond cake covered with powdered sugar. Commonly a stencil of the cross of St. James is placed on the cake then powdered sugar is then spread on the cake. When the stencil is taken off the cake it leaves the imprint of the cross on the cake. This is done to honor King James of Spain and it will give a historical feeling when enjoying your cake. It is a very sweet favorable cake that is sometimes infused with a lemon flavor.

Recommended Restaurant


As mentioned Bodegon Os Concheiros Pulperia is an excellent choice to try these delicious meals. They are known for their Pulpo a la Gallega and they even offer Pimientos de Padrón. It is a smaller restaurant that offers a feeling of familiarity. Service is also very speedy because of the restaurant’s small size. The price of the food is extremely reasonable and it is a nice place to go for those on a budget, but still want to experience some of the best traditional food Santiago de Compostela can offer.

Saint James the Great

20 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by Ashley Brooks in Santiago de Compostela

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Born during the time of the Roman Empire, Saint James and his brother, John the Apostle, became some of the first disciples of Jesus. It was believed that during his lifetime he evangelized in Spain, known as the Roman territory of Hispania at the time. Though now, modern scholars argue whether or not Saint James visited the Iberian peninsula during his life. It was also said that the disciple was a witness to some of the miracles of Jesus. One was the raising of Jarius’ daughter, in which a young girl was resurrected. Another miracle he witnessed was the transfiguration of Jesus. James the Great became a martyr in 44 AD when he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem. One theory suggests that the beheading was a result of Saint James having a temper, with him and his brother being referred to as the “Sons of Thunder”. The story of his martyrdom is said to be the only one that is recorded in the New Testament of the Bible.

After his death, his body was taken from Jerusalem to Spain, where his body was then put to rest in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia. When his remains were rediscovered during the Middle Ages, King Alfonso II had a cathedral built over the site in honor of the holy saint. This cathedral is known as the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and was first completed in 829 AD. Eventually, Saint James was declared the patron saint of Santiago de Compostela and the entirety of Spain. Ever since the discovery of Saint James’ tomb, the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela has become a site of holy and secular pilgrimage. In addition to the pilgrimage, the Saint is celebrated every July 25th on his feast day.

The Rich History of Santiago de Compostela

20 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by Ester Choi in Santiago de Compostela

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Learning about the early history of Santiago de Compostela was extremely fascinating. Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia. This beautiful city is located in northwestern Spain, which is rich in history. According to legend, in 813, the discovery of Apostle St. James’s bones. St. James was supernaturally revealed in a tomb on the land which is now Santiago de Compostela. The discovery of the tomb was extremely important to the Christian population in Spain. St. James is known to be one of the twelve Apostles that were part of Jesus’ innermost circle. A church was built over the tomb during Alfonso II of Asturias’ reign. Alfonso III built a larger structure in replace of the church. During the middle ages, the town around the structure continued to grow. After Jerusalem and Rome, this town became one of the most important Christian places of pilgrimage. In 997, everything but the tomb was destroyed by a military commander of the Moorish caliphate of Cordoba. The following century, Santiago de Compostela was completely rebuilt. 

Santiago, Spain
Santiago de Compostela

Throughout the city, you will find many buildings with three different styles, Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque. All these buildings have great significance towards the history of Santiago de Compostela. The cathedral in Santiago de Compostela is extremely important to the history of this city. The cathedral is definitely something you would want to see during your lifetime. In 1078, the construction of the cathedral started under the leadership of Alfonso VI of Leon and Castile. In 1501 to 1511, the Royal Hospital, which served to receive pilgrims, was built by Enrique de Egas. Within this city, the colegios of San Jeronimo, Fonseca, San Clemente, and the University were all founded. The city also contains the Monastery of San Martin Pinario, which is now a seminary. These buildings were founded in the early 16th century to the early 17th century. The University, although founded in 1501, was built in 1750. The Monastery was founded during the 10th century and rebuilt in the 17th century. St. Francis of Assisi was a pilgrim who came to Santiago de Compostela in 1214 and founded the Monastery of Sane Martin Pinario. 

The Cathedral
Los secretos del Hospital Real de Santiago de Compostela
The Royal Hospital

Ever since the discovery of St. James, pilgrimage into this beautiful city has increased. During the 12th century, pilgrimage was at an all time high. Santiago de Compostela became one of the greatest destinations for pilgrimage. Pilgrims from all over Europe came to Santiago de Compostela. Due to the significance of St. James’ tomb, located in Santiago de Compostela, the amount of pilgrimage into the city was on a constant incline. However, St. James’ relics went missing in the 16th century which caused pilgrimage to decline. In 1879, the rediscovery of the Apostile’s relics took place. It became known that the relics of St. James was hidden to prevent the English privateers from being stolen. The Pope of Leon XIII was able to confirm the authenticity of the relics. The rediscovery of the relics were able to increase the pilgrimage again. In the 20th century, even though transportation had advanced, people preferred to travel on foot, horseback or bicycle. Pope John Paul II encouraged people to travel by visiting. To this day people still travel to see the historical architecture. In 1985, 1245 pilgrims increased to 272703 pilgrims who traveled to Santiago de Compostela. The city continues to be a large pilgrimage site today. Overall, the pilgrimage to this city built Santiago de Compostela and brought it to its beauty. 

Santiago de Compostela was known to be a cultural center, throughout the twentieth century. In the late 80’s, Santiago de Compostela was the host of the Xunta de Galicia, the Galician Government. The city was able to be converted into the political and administrative capital of the region. This amazing city holds so much history where you can see and learn about so much.

Attractions In Santiago de Compostela

20 Sunday Nov 2022

Posted by Rachel Demnicki in Santiago de Compostela

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In the city of Santiago de Compostela there are so many exciting sights to see. The most notable attraction is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Construction of the present cathedral began in 1075 during the rule of Alfonso VI and it is even said that it contains the remains of the Apostle James. But the original church was built on the site of Saint James’ tomb in 829. His remains were hidden for many years and were found in 1879. Since the discovery of his remains, there have been 3 myths surrounding Saint James. One of the myths is the eschatological myth that is centered on Saint James’ travels and supposed entombment in Iberia, which later led to the popularity of the Camino de Santiago. The tomb of Saint James is one of the many popular attractions within the church. The Cathedral is also one of the greatest Romanesque churches in Spain. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the last stop of the Camino de Santiago, which is the route Saint James took through Europe. Many Christian pilgrims travel to Spain so that they can travel on the same route. There is so much rich history within this cathedral and its connection to such a notable historical figure makes it worth seeing.

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

Anyone who enjoys art and architecture would love visiting the cathedral because it contains several works of art like the Platerías façade, Pórtico of Glory, and Chapel of Our Lady of the Pilar. The Platerías façade was constructed in the 12th century and it is the only Romanesque façade that has survived all these years. Another work of architecture is the Pórtico of Glory or the Door of Glory. This door was also made in the 12th century. It was made out of granite and painted portico that has a combination of Spanish, Italian, and French influences. Scenes of the Apocalypse and the Final Judgement are depicted on this door as well, which appeals to any worshippers. Lastly the cathedral contains the Chapel of Our Lady of the Pilar which is made of jasper and marble. It attracts many visitors due to its beautiful decorations including the altarpiece.

The Platerías façade
Pórtico of Glory
Chapel of Our Lady of the Pilar

The Plaza del Obradoiro is another great attraction if you want to see multiple popular landmarks in the city at once. The plaza is the town square that was considered the heart of the Casco Antiguo or the Old town. The original purpose of the plaza was for stone masons to have a place to work while the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was being built. The Plaza del Obradoiro contains 700 years worth of architectural history which includes, Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance, and neoclassic architectural styles. The Plaza de Obradoiro is a great place to visit if you want an easy way to see other historical sites in a short amount of time. The historical buildings that surround the plaza include the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Hostel de los Reyes Católicos, Pazo de Raxoi, and Colegio de San Jerónimo.

The Plaza del Obradoiro

If art and architecture doesn’t interest you, then another attraction to visit in Santiago de Compostela is the Parque de la Alameda. This park has plenty of greenery and provides a great view of the Cathedral. The park contains 3 gardens and popular monuments. These monuments include Iglesia de El Pilar and Porta dos Leóns. Locals also recommend tourists visit the As Marías Monument. The As Marías Monument is dedicated to two sisters who were well-known in the city. The history behind the sculpture is that these sisters were alive during the Spanish Civil War and were very liberal. Some of their family was able to leave Spain but the sisters and some other family members were left behind. The sisters were constantly harassed by the authorities due to their beliefs. The sisters were always seen at the park at the same time everyday and they were known to wear very colorful clothing. This sculpture was created to acknowledge the light the sisters brought during a dark time for the city. So, anyone who loves nature and exploring would love the Parque de la Alameda.

Parque de la Alameda
As Marías Sculpture

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