Discover Santiago in Spain

Travel to Spain and discover the mystery of the city of Santiago.

Female: This is the mountain of joy and the joy that pilgrims feel and more felt because today they have to come up here to see the towers of the cathedral and in the Middle Ages when they arrived to the hill over there, they saw the towers of the cathedral from this long team from there and they cry. And they were happy and joyful because they saw the cathedrals. They saw the cathedral finally. Before they arrive to this mountain, they’re separated because the first one in coming here to this mountain was crowned, the king of the pilgrimage. So it’s almost a struggle to be the first one to arrive to the mountain and those coming walking they took off their shoes and they continue on their feet to the cathedral. Those coming on a horseback they went off their horse and they continue walking. It was a symbolic. It was and is and all this a symbolic place is the cathedral. Male: In downtown Santiago de Compostela, the atmosphere is one of excitement. After 30 days walking over 460 miles from the French border pilgrims are ready to appreciate and of course reflect on their journey as where they walk it happens in many ways. This group is from Westcott in northeastern Spain celebrating with a traditional hookah, a personal message delivered in song and made up for the moment. There is a ghost and stream of pilgrims arriving at the cathedral trail marker to celebrate and bask in rejoice of making a successful trip. Within Santiago’s magnificent cathedral is the object of the journey the Crepe of the Apostle Saint James. On the north side of the cathedral the office of the Compostela where pilgrims receive an official certificate for completion of their journey. Female: Where are you from? Female: From Germany. Female: Germany! And how long have you been traveling? Female: 22 days, 600 kilometers. Male: So how does it feel? Female: I can't describe. I cried when I arrived to Santiago and see the cathedral. Male: Surrounding the cathedral is the old town, a thriving area of commerce. There are host of restaurants catering through every taste. In the next block silver smiths pound out and shape replicas of anything identifiable with the pilgrimage. This is one of the oldest silver smithing companies in Santiago spanning four generations of craftsman. Across the narrow street, a jet carver, jet is a fine grade of gold that is soft for sculpting but also brittle so it requires great skill and practice to transform a lump of gold into a treasured souvenir. This sculpture has been making small statuary here for over 30 years. Downtown, a traditional bakery where you can still find slow raisin bread in 20 different varieties and 18 different kinds of cookies. Each of these artisans is preserving a skill and craft that has all but disappeared in many areas. The Benedictine Sisters of San Pelagio de Ante Antares are also bakers, famous for their almond based cakes but at this moment attending to more important work, evening vespers. For some the last stop on their pilgrimage is not the cathedral Saint James but Finnistere where the story began. Legend has it that the Roman legion arrived here at one evening just as the sun disappeared into the sea convincing them the end of the world had come. Obviously, they were mistaken but this is the end of this chapter and the discoveries Spain series.