THE CASTILE-ARAGONESSE PATH TO SANTIAGO

In the 9th century a hermit called Pelayo found in a Romanesque necropolis close to the episcopal see of Iria Flavia a tomb with the remains of Santiago el Mayor, the first disciple of Jesus who was martyred because of his faith.

Santiago, his tomb and relics, were became the emblem of support from God to the Reconquest that hoisted Astur's monarchy. The nascent royal authority need to base its legitimacy as heritage of the Christian-Visigoth kingdom, leading the recovery of the lost territories against Muslims. To do it, they had e support of the papacy and Teodomiro, head of the episcopal see.

This is how starts the chronicle of one of the most important cultural ways of the European history and, today, in the 21st century, it is recognized as European Cultural Route from 1987 and UNESCO's Cultural Heritage from 1993.

All roads lead to Santiago, also to Rome and Jerusalem, the three spiritual centers and christian pilgrimage places most important in the Middle Ages.

The french Camino de Santiago and those recently declared Rutas del Norte de España. They have been built in the European routes of highest recognition; but the cultural necessity of pilgrimage of the Christian devotees from their place of origin to Compostela, Campus Stellae, it contributes to weave a net of paths along Europe and the Iberian Peninsula.

The historical and traditional paths of La Plata, Portugués, de Bayona, del Sur, Mozárabe, de Madrid, Manchego… bring pilgrims close from their villages and cities to the apostle's tomb. Two of the routes that the pilgrims chose from the Mediterranean Sea to join the french Camino de Santiago were ognized as Ruta del Ebro and Ruta de la Lana. They pass across Cataluña, Aragón, Levante and Castilla.

The Castile – Aragonesse path link both routes bringing pilgrims close from Gallur (Zaragoza) to Silos (Burgos). It pass through the province of Soria from east to west by historical paths as Via RomanaXXVII of Itinerario de Antonino or the traditional used by carters or carriers.

A succession of villages, towns and cities watched the circulation of the pilgrims along this path which has started to be recovered by public institutions and cultural institutions. Those are places where the History has left testimonies that today we have decided to protect, attributing them the qualify of Asset of Cultural Interest. Some of them take part in this project which has as objective show to travelers the Cultural Heritage of Castile and Aragon, specialy those which was born in the Medieval route.