Historic Galicia
Spain has a varied and wealthy tradition as it befits this country which in the past has been overwhelmingly sacred as several pilgrimage routes cross this country. The pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela is one of the famous pilgrimage routes. This pilgrimage route is located in Galicia which is a small province of Spain. In fact the history of Galicia is noticeable by the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Santiago de Compostela is also known as the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St James.
Around, 600 years ago before the Christ, Celtic folks arrived in Galicia and started fending for their livelihood. Almost 3,000 round shaped houses and many Castro’s were built during that period. The name Galicia did come into existence during this period when the Celtic folks named this place as Galaicos or Galicia. Later, the lighthouse in A Coruña and the wall in Lugo were built by the Roman Empire. On 25th July 813 AD, a hermit Pelayo saw a brilliant star over the woodland which is now known as the “field of stars” or Campus Stellae in Latin and discovered the tomb of St James.
It is been revealed that since then, St James did perform many miracles and it is also believed that he side by side fought a decisive battles with King Ramiro I against the Moors. In the 12th and the 13th Century this place had its greatest significance when Pope Alexander III declared this place as a Holy Town similar to Jerusalem and Rome. As more and more pilgrims started coming to this palce for penance, it received the name “Way of St James”. In 990 AD, some of the Muslim invaders ruined many cities in the northern part of Spain and among them was Santiago de Compostela or the Way of St James.
Later, in the year 1075 reconstruction of a cathedral in Santiago de Compostela took place. Then in the year 1188, Master Mateo finished carving the well known “Portico de la Gloria” which is placed just behind the Baroque of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. It was in the year 1492, the first ship from newly discovered America arrived in Baiona, a latest city of Galicia that was liberated from the Muslims. After another three years in 1495, the first university of Santiago de Compostela was established and it is one of the oldest universities in Spain.
In the year 1982, Galicia attained the statute of independence and Santiago de Compostela was named the capital of Galicia. Santiago de Compostela remained as the capital of Galicia for a short period of time as A Coruña was later named the new capital of Galicia. In the year 1985, Santiago de Compostela was declared as the world’s cultural heritage of mankind by the UNESCO. From the year 1990 to 2005, the regions parliament and government, the Xunta de Galicia was elected over by the People’s Party of Spain under Manuel Fraga who was an ambassador and a former minister under the Franco administration.