Great places to go in Santiago de Compostela Spain
Setting off along Calle Cardenal Paya, we reach Plaza de Mazarelos, a square that in times gone by was replete with shops selling meat. Another feature of the square is the Puerta de Mazarelos, the only surviving gate of the seven that once formed part of the town walls. Looking through the gate, we can see the Convent of the Mercedarias Descalzas (Discalced Mercedarians), which was built beyond the town walls on the orders of Archbishop Giron in the second half of the 17th century. Displaying an early Baroque style, the convent facade features a beautiful group sculpture portraying the Annunciation.
More things to do Spain
Other noteworthy elements of the square are the large building that nowadays houses the Faculty of Journalism (a mid-18th century Baroque structure commissioned by Archbishop Yermo Santiba Flez in order to serve as a Jesuit-run House of Exercises) and the memorial statue of Jose Montero RIos, the illustrious late 19thearly 20th century jurist and politician who was born here in Santiago.
Still standing in the adjacent Plaza de la Universidad is the former School of the Society of Jesus, along with the church that belonged to it. Having originally been erected in the second half of the 16th century, both were to be reconstructed in Baroque style in the 18th century and subsequently undergo Neoclassical alterations in the 19th. At present the school building houses the Faculty of History and Geography, whereas the church, which has recently been restored, is used as a venue for cultural events of a singular nature.
Next, our walk around the streets of Santiago takes us down Calle del Castro, graced by a statue of King Alfonso II (a gift from the town of Oviedo), and out into what is one of the most interesting parts of town, namely the Plaza del Mercado or Market Square, which lies between the Church of San Felix and that of San AgustIn. The origin of the Church of San Felix is to be traced back to the hermitage of Pelagius, the man who in the early 9th century saw the luminous signs revealing the location of the Apostle's tomb.
The Church of San Agustin, a mid-17th century structure, belongs to a monastery of the same name which, originally run by Augustinian friars, was later taken over by the Jesuits Architecturally speaking, the market building itself dates from the middle of the present century and was erected over a section of the old town walls. Consequently, from certain points of the market one can enjoy an interesting view from what amount to be genuine miradores or lookout posts. Among the elements encompassed by the view are:
Calle de la Virgen de la Cerca, a street running concentrically to the said wall; the 19th century Neoclassical Colegio de la Ensenanza, a school for young ladies commissioned by Archbishop Muzquiz; and, rising up in the distance, on a hillock reached by means of the narrow, steeply climbing Calle de las Trampas, the Convent of Belvis. The latter institution was founded in the early 14th century by Dona Teresa Gonzalez. Having been completely rebuilt in the 18th century, nothing remains today of its original fabric. Nevertheless, the convent has a chapel erected in honour of Our Lady of the Portal, who is greatly worshipped by the people of Santiago. Leaving Plaza del Mercado behind us, our tour takes us on around the Plazuela de San Agustin, the square lying at the feet of the church of the same name.
Next, we carry on along Rua Traviesa, where we find the late 18th century Baroque Church of Nuestra Senora del Camino, and finally come out into Rua de Casas Reales. Outstanding features of the latter are the early19th century Neoclassical Church of Las Animas, whose nine remarkable altars portray the Passion of Christ, and a series of Gothic (15th century) and Baroque houses.
Walking on up this street, we come to Plaza de Cervantes, formerly known as Bread Square owing to the fact that it once contained a number of shops selling both bread and other agricultural products. Standing on one side of the square is the Church of San Benito which, founded in the 12th century, was totally reconstructed in the course of the 18th.
Inside the church is a beautiful Gothic doorway tympanum depicting the Adoration of the Magi. Leaving Plaza de Cervantes by Calle de la Azabacheria, the street once lined with jet-craftsmen's workshops, we then turn into Calle de la Troya (second on the right), where we come across a building bearing the same name. This is Casa de la Troya, a former students' inn that provides the setting for Following the road around to the left, we come out into Calle de San Roque, a street that takes its name from the chapel and hospital founded here in the 15th century in order to invoke the protection of St Roque against epidemic diseases and to provide care for the sufferers of the latter, respectively.
Every year since then, the town of Santiago and the cathedral chapter have ceremoniously renewed their vow to the saint at the chapel, expressing their gratitude for his heavenly protection. As far as the hospital is concerned, it would appear that soon after it had come into operation thanks largely to he support of Archbishop Francisco Blanca, it became a centre dedicated to the treatment of venereal diseases, a function it served right up until the middle of this century. The hospital facade features the coat of arms of its founder and the statues of Cosme and Damian, the healing saints.
Puerta del Camino Santiago de Compostela
Skirting the Hospital of San Roque on its right is Calle de las Ruedas, a street that takes us down to the place known as Puerta del Camino, so-called because it is the site of the town wall gate through which the most important section of the Camino or Pilgrim's Route once passed, the section that has since come to be known as the Castilian or French Route. Spreading out to our left as we stand at Puerta del Camino is a group of monumental buildings. First of all, there is the Galician Centre for Contemporary Art, recently built by Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza.
Secondly, we have the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Bonaval (whose main building and church both belong to the 18th century Baroque, even though the former preserves an east end from a 14th century Gothic church). Nowadays the monastery houses the Municipal Museum (exhibiting, amongst other things, objects from the no longer existing Hospital de los Reyes Catolicos, for instance a portrait of Charles IV by Goya), the Museum of the Galician People (an ethnographical institution with rooms devoted to activities related to the sea and other traditional trades) and, in one of the church chapels, the Pantheon of industrious Galicians (holding the tombs of Rosalia de Castro, Ramon Cavanillas, Domingo Fontan, Alfredo Branas, Castelao). Finally, there is a large park which, likewise remodeled by the architect Siza, combines the former orchard belonging to the monastery of Santo Domingo with what had been the local cemetery from 1947 until the middle of this century.
We leave the above area by taking Calle de Ramon del Valle Inclan, which leads us back to Calle de San Roque. On this occasion we turn right into this road and follow it down to the end, where we find, facing each other on opposite sides of the street, the Convent of Santa Clara and that of EI Carmen. The first of these convents, lying on our right, is run by nuns of the Order of St Clare and is believed to have been founded in the 13th century by queen Violante, the wife of Alfonso X the Wise; its present-day building, however, is 18th century Baroque.
The second belongs to a community of Discalced Carmelite nuns and was itself established in 1753 by the venerable Mother Maria Antonia de Jesus. Setting off down Avenida de Coimbra, the avenue that starts right in front of the Convent of Santa Clara, we join Avenida de Juan XXIII, which is lined on either side behind large garden areas by buildings belonging to the University, the area as a whole being referred to as the northern campus (including the Faculties of Economics and Business Studies and Modern Languages, along with the School of Nursing and the Primary School Teachers' Training College). The said landscaped area, which goes under the name of Parque de Vite or Parque del Burgo de las Naciones, is commanded by a building of large dimensions partially encircled by a small artificial lake.
More things to do Spain
Other noteworthy elements of the square are the large building that nowadays houses the Faculty of Journalism (a mid-18th century Baroque structure commissioned by Archbishop Yermo Santiba Flez in order to serve as a Jesuit-run House of Exercises) and the memorial statue of Jose Montero RIos, the illustrious late 19thearly 20th century jurist and politician who was born here in Santiago.
Still standing in the adjacent Plaza de la Universidad is the former School of the Society of Jesus, along with the church that belonged to it. Having originally been erected in the second half of the 16th century, both were to be reconstructed in Baroque style in the 18th century and subsequently undergo Neoclassical alterations in the 19th. At present the school building houses the Faculty of History and Geography, whereas the church, which has recently been restored, is used as a venue for cultural events of a singular nature.
Next, our walk around the streets of Santiago takes us down Calle del Castro, graced by a statue of King Alfonso II (a gift from the town of Oviedo), and out into what is one of the most interesting parts of town, namely the Plaza del Mercado or Market Square, which lies between the Church of San Felix and that of San AgustIn. The origin of the Church of San Felix is to be traced back to the hermitage of Pelagius, the man who in the early 9th century saw the luminous signs revealing the location of the Apostle's tomb.
The Church of San Agustin, a mid-17th century structure, belongs to a monastery of the same name which, originally run by Augustinian friars, was later taken over by the Jesuits Architecturally speaking, the market building itself dates from the middle of the present century and was erected over a section of the old town walls. Consequently, from certain points of the market one can enjoy an interesting view from what amount to be genuine miradores or lookout posts. Among the elements encompassed by the view are:
Calle de la Virgen de la Cerca, a street running concentrically to the said wall; the 19th century Neoclassical Colegio de la Ensenanza, a school for young ladies commissioned by Archbishop Muzquiz; and, rising up in the distance, on a hillock reached by means of the narrow, steeply climbing Calle de las Trampas, the Convent of Belvis. The latter institution was founded in the early 14th century by Dona Teresa Gonzalez. Having been completely rebuilt in the 18th century, nothing remains today of its original fabric. Nevertheless, the convent has a chapel erected in honour of Our Lady of the Portal, who is greatly worshipped by the people of Santiago. Leaving Plaza del Mercado behind us, our tour takes us on around the Plazuela de San Agustin, the square lying at the feet of the church of the same name.
Next, we carry on along Rua Traviesa, where we find the late 18th century Baroque Church of Nuestra Senora del Camino, and finally come out into Rua de Casas Reales. Outstanding features of the latter are the early19th century Neoclassical Church of Las Animas, whose nine remarkable altars portray the Passion of Christ, and a series of Gothic (15th century) and Baroque houses.
Walking on up this street, we come to Plaza de Cervantes, formerly known as Bread Square owing to the fact that it once contained a number of shops selling both bread and other agricultural products. Standing on one side of the square is the Church of San Benito which, founded in the 12th century, was totally reconstructed in the course of the 18th.
Inside the church is a beautiful Gothic doorway tympanum depicting the Adoration of the Magi. Leaving Plaza de Cervantes by Calle de la Azabacheria, the street once lined with jet-craftsmen's workshops, we then turn into Calle de la Troya (second on the right), where we come across a building bearing the same name. This is Casa de la Troya, a former students' inn that provides the setting for Following the road around to the left, we come out into Calle de San Roque, a street that takes its name from the chapel and hospital founded here in the 15th century in order to invoke the protection of St Roque against epidemic diseases and to provide care for the sufferers of the latter, respectively.
Every year since then, the town of Santiago and the cathedral chapter have ceremoniously renewed their vow to the saint at the chapel, expressing their gratitude for his heavenly protection. As far as the hospital is concerned, it would appear that soon after it had come into operation thanks largely to he support of Archbishop Francisco Blanca, it became a centre dedicated to the treatment of venereal diseases, a function it served right up until the middle of this century. The hospital facade features the coat of arms of its founder and the statues of Cosme and Damian, the healing saints.
Puerta del Camino Santiago de Compostela
Skirting the Hospital of San Roque on its right is Calle de las Ruedas, a street that takes us down to the place known as Puerta del Camino, so-called because it is the site of the town wall gate through which the most important section of the Camino or Pilgrim's Route once passed, the section that has since come to be known as the Castilian or French Route. Spreading out to our left as we stand at Puerta del Camino is a group of monumental buildings. First of all, there is the Galician Centre for Contemporary Art, recently built by Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza.
Secondly, we have the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Bonaval (whose main building and church both belong to the 18th century Baroque, even though the former preserves an east end from a 14th century Gothic church). Nowadays the monastery houses the Municipal Museum (exhibiting, amongst other things, objects from the no longer existing Hospital de los Reyes Catolicos, for instance a portrait of Charles IV by Goya), the Museum of the Galician People (an ethnographical institution with rooms devoted to activities related to the sea and other traditional trades) and, in one of the church chapels, the Pantheon of industrious Galicians (holding the tombs of Rosalia de Castro, Ramon Cavanillas, Domingo Fontan, Alfredo Branas, Castelao). Finally, there is a large park which, likewise remodeled by the architect Siza, combines the former orchard belonging to the monastery of Santo Domingo with what had been the local cemetery from 1947 until the middle of this century.
We leave the above area by taking Calle de Ramon del Valle Inclan, which leads us back to Calle de San Roque. On this occasion we turn right into this road and follow it down to the end, where we find, facing each other on opposite sides of the street, the Convent of Santa Clara and that of EI Carmen. The first of these convents, lying on our right, is run by nuns of the Order of St Clare and is believed to have been founded in the 13th century by queen Violante, the wife of Alfonso X the Wise; its present-day building, however, is 18th century Baroque.
The second belongs to a community of Discalced Carmelite nuns and was itself established in 1753 by the venerable Mother Maria Antonia de Jesus. Setting off down Avenida de Coimbra, the avenue that starts right in front of the Convent of Santa Clara, we join Avenida de Juan XXIII, which is lined on either side behind large garden areas by buildings belonging to the University, the area as a whole being referred to as the northern campus (including the Faculties of Economics and Business Studies and Modern Languages, along with the School of Nursing and the Primary School Teachers' Training College). The said landscaped area, which goes under the name of Parque de Vite or Parque del Burgo de las Naciones, is commanded by a building of large dimensions partially encircled by a small artificial lake.
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