What all the fuss was about

Day One in Santiago.





Having spent over a year to get here I thought we would have a week of mooching around this wondrous city. One of the things I like about it is that it has a lot of geography. I remember once when first here looking down of what was effectively clouds rolling around the nearby valleys. Well, it is day one so we must enter the cathedral.


My first impression of the cathedral, way back in 1995, was the lichen encrusted nature of the place. Galaica is damp. In 1075 the city became an eposcopal see in 1075 was fast tracked to archiepiscopal status in 1100 by Urban II. Construction of the cathedral began in 1075 but the builders seemed to knock off on a regular basis and the last stone of the first phase wasn’t laid till 1122. In 1168 Master Meteo was commissioned to complete it. In 1211 the Basilica - with Alfonso IX watching on.




The La Gloria portico is the main entrance, and was created by Master Mateo in 1188. It features 200 figures referring to the Apocalypse, and the figure of Saint James the apostle appearing to welcome the pilgrims, supported on a column rising from the mullion. The Obradoiro Facade is set on the Western front. It is off the ‘well, an extra statue and twiddly bit won’t hurt’ type of architecture. In 1738 Fernado de Casas demolished the ancient facade and got to work.

The three naves of the cathedral's main body are separated by lines of Romanesque arches. Towards the east end of the building rises the massively elaborate, Churrigueresque Altar Mayor which is . From the right side of the ambulatory (walkway) running round behind the Altar Mayor, a small staircase leads up to a statue of Santiago that has watched over the cathedral since its consecration in 1211. The faithful - or just inquisitive - queue up here to kiss or embrace the statue. This was blamed for spread Spanish flu in 1918. From the statue you emerge on the left side, then descend some steps into the Cripta Apostólica, where we are assured Santiago's remains lie, inside a large 19th-century silver casket. Behind the Altar Mayor is the Puerta Santa, which opens onto Praza da Quintana and is open only in holy years – years when Santiago's feast day, July 25, falls on a Sunday, and plenary indulgence is granted to pilgrims – bringing even bigger numbers of people than usual flooding in Santiago. This happens next in 2027.

A pilgrims' Mass is usually celebrated at the Altar Mayor at noon, and other Masses at least once daily. Check to see if the cathedral's rooftop tours The Botafumeiro is a giant incense thurible dating back to the mid-19th century. Itswings impressively across the Main Altar on special dates and occasions and is typically used in pilgrim masses.



As keen enthusiasts for this thought of thing you will be keen to know the Relic’s Chapel is also huge. Amongst the relics are pieces from the Virgin Mary’s clothing, bones of eight of the eleven thousand virgins, the throats of saints, a tooth of St. Theresa’s, and an endless list of others. The most interesting is perhaps the reliquary bust with the skull of St. James the lesser, which you will notice because it is a main feature of the altar. The royal sarcophagi date from the Middle Ages. On the right is the best- preserved recumbent figure, that of King Ferdinand II of Leon, who fought numerous battles against the Saracens and who commissioned Master Mateo to finish the Cathedral. On the left of the door is Queen Berenguela Berenguer, who was the wife of Emperor Alfonso VII. A Catalan chronicle of the time stated: “She was beautiful, chaste, a lover of truth and fearful of God”. She was undoubtedly abrave and courageous woman who accompanied her husband to war. Doña Juana de Castro, the wife of King Peter the First, - you know, the binary cruel or lawful, we met him earlier. Well, she’s here.

That’s it for today. Tomorrow we find lunch.


Local Pic: St Oswald's church.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Much a do about something

Image
  In North Lincolnshire there is an OS square which is all but empty,  In a single corner stretches a few metres of power cables to spoil the virgin whiteness.  Today’s walk is not so blessed with flat calm.  We will see trees.  We will see ups.  Views are compulsory.  Houses aren’t.  Let's talk about Asturias in the years from 718 to 757. In 711 the full force of the Islamic tide swept from North Africa into Visigothic Spain. At the Battle of Guadalete King Roderic and much of the nobility were killed and the Iberian Peninsula collapsed before the all conquering crescent.  The thing is, Asturias is a long way from the main body of Spain. It is a bit wet and more to the point lacking the plunder which was the way of paying the Army of the Conquest.  The Caliphate’s hold on Asturias was tenuous to say the least.  Enter  Pelagius. Pelagius has many myths swirling around him and a very butch Victorian statue in Gijon.  Accord...
Read more

In which a Roman Bridge and a Funeral Parlour are reviewed.

Image
  We are rising again. We are rising 20 of your earth metres today. We will be 818m above the level sea. We are about at the highest point in the Cheviot Hills. We cross the Rio Porma and into Villarente and Puente Villarente. Both these twin settlements, lurking along the roadside, have generally grown in size since 2000.   https://www.turismocastillayleon.com/en/art-culture-heritage/great-routes/way-saint-james/puente-villarente First we must cross the Roman Bridge. Coyotuco is back with a five star review: A beautiful BRIDGE with a lot of history but it is not PEDESTRIAN. For pedestrians they have made a PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY right next to it. We are passing by the Artesanias Luyma so let us gaze at their ceramic goodness. Let us wonder  https://www.artesaniasluyma.com/categorias/pereruela/ While we are here and we are passing the Tanatorio Camino de Santiago let us visit this 39 reviewed funeral home. It gets an average of 4.9 stars.  https://www.antamontalvo.es/esq...
Read more

Mini Pieces of Supposed tuna

Image
  Pina de Ebro has something for everyone who enjoys the architecture of Spanish pueblos.  It has the tiny lanes, on which houses have been rebuilt for generations without a care for the needs of the modern motorist.  We have the pathways which have been tiled over but once were dirt tracks.  We have the modern suburban developments of low rise houses and 80s hopefully aspiring shacks.  First all, however, we have a park. One thing we noticed, especially with a small boy in tow, was the number of parks with interesting play equipment.  This is because, in Spain, people seem to like children.  This does make them a semi-public property and people feel free to indulge them with sweetmeats and pass comments. ‘I think sucking thumbs makes children look ugly’ said one elderly woman.’ My Spanish for ‘well desiccated prune face, no one asked you’ deserted me.  The play equipment is in the Plaza Pilarin Artigas.  Honestly I’ve looked and was giving u...
Read more