For over a thousand years, millions of pilgrims have come to this place and celebrated completion of their journey in the old town square before attending the noon hour service at the cathedral.
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| The start of our day as we enter the Praza do Obradoiro which literally means "workers square" |
Originally not more than a chapel, the overwhelming crowds of pilgrims coming to see the tomb of St James, forced construction of a larger cathedral. Work began in 1075 and took 150 years to complete.
Arrival at this stone with the scallop shell (pictured below) in Workers Square, marks the end of a pilgrims journey to Santiago
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| The arrival of some "pilgrims" at the workers square this morning. |
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| These two young ladies celebrated the completion of their journey with a jump for joy. |
This equestrian statue found on top of city hall, depicts St. James riding in from heaven to help the Spaniards defeat the Moors.
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| The tomb of St.James is found in a crypt under the alter in the cathedral |
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| These nice people are about to attend the noon hour pilgrims mass at the cathedral |
We met Vanessa, pictured here with Lillian, as she waited to have her "passport" validated at the end of her long journey across northern Spain from France. This "passport" is not like those we use for travel abroad, but rather a "Way of St. James" travel log, which is validated at several stops along the way including the final validation showing completion of the pilgrimage in Santiago. Vanessa lives in Toronto.
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| Congratulations Vanessa ! |
We've lucked out with nothing but great weather for the first few days of our trip. Off to Oviedo tomorrow where the forecast is for mid teens temperatures and sunny skies.
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