The Other Religious Heritage of the Camino

Pilgrims will come across many abandoned or disused buildings on their path, like the San Salvador de Soutomerille which, despite its current state, upholds the beauty of Galician churches. Author Carlos Casares describes it as having "a botanical character which humanizes something that would otherwise be nothing more than a fragile collection of arranged stones without a soul."

Ever since the Council of Europe recognized the European Cemeteries Route as a cultural route in 2010, there has been a growing boom in tourism at the graveyards. Cemeteries are an integral part of Galician culture and closely linked to death. Paying your respects at these locations and admiring the art that adorns them is yet another way of experiencing the Camino.

"O simeterio da Adina (Adina Cemetery) is undoubtedly charming, with its dark olive trees brimming with old memories."

This is how Rosalía de Castro described this cemetery, which was the location of her first grave, and it was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Property of Cultural Interest) in 1975. Nobel laureate Camilo José Cela is also buried here. It actually houses graves from the 6th century, and is an authentic necropolis.

Bells exist in all civilizations. They have consistently been used in Christianity to remind people about faith meetings, at least since the 5th century. And throughout the 8th century, small towers began to be constructed in churches for latching one or more bells.

Another sound that symbolizes the spirituality and liturgy in churches is the sound of the organ. Galicia now has at least around a hundred organs of different sizes, styles, shapes, and states of conservation. In many cases, the rich decoration of these instruments is spectacular.

In Galicia, some organs have been recovered with sounds that are some of the purest and most unique across the whole Iberian Peninsular and Europe. Many more can be found on the Caminos, like this magnificent organ in Tui Cathedral.

Many churches on the Camino, due to the huge affluence and exchange of wealth, property, and artistic elements, have museums, archives, libraries, etc. of great historical significance. These help preserve and spread elements of religious culture, furthering their educational goal.

These religious spaces in Galicia were not the only ones that were cult locations. The monastic libraries were unifiers of knowledge and key elements for reading culture during the Middle Ages. This one in Samos contains 25,000 volumes, including various incunabula and other documents of great historical value.

As well as crosses, Galicia has an abundance of small altars along its streets, like this one in Mondoñedo. The altar is a structure devoted to religious worship, on which small offerings are made. Religious devotion springs up everywhere as places of rest, prayer, and contemplation.

Chapels and small churches are scattered around Galicia. Some of these buildings are in remote and beautiful locations, such as this example built over three decades ago which keeps the spirit of hospitality alive, which at one time was embodied by the now defunct Montouto Hospital, on the Camino Primitivo.

Or the magical and spiritual site of Santiagüiño do Monte near Padron, one of the most important Jacobean heritage locations in Galicia. This is an archeological remnant from the Iron Age, and legend states that it is one of the holy places where the Apostle once preached.