Santiago De Compostela

Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Santiago De Compostela shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Santiago De Compostela offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Santiago De Compostela at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Santiago De Compostela? Wrong! If the Santiago De Compostela is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Santiago De Compostela then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Santiago De Compostela? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Santiago De Compostela and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Santiago De Compostela wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Santiago De Compostela then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Santiago De Compostela site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Santiago De Compostela, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Santiago De Compostela, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{Spanish city| native_name = Santiago de Compostela| native_language = Galician| spanish_name = Santiago de Compostela| nickname =| image_skyline =| image_skyline_size =| image_skyline_caption =| image_flag =| image_flag_size =| image_coat_of_arms = Escudo_Santiago_de_Compostela.jpg| image_coat_of_arms_size = 90px| city_motto =| city_motto_means =| image_city_map = Situacion Santiago de Compostela.PNG| image_city_map_size = 280px| image_city_map_caption = Location of Santiago de Compostela| lat_long = | time_zone = Central European Time (Greenwich Mean Time +1)| time_zone_summer = Central European Summer Time (GMT +2)| founded =| postal_code = 15700| area_code =| website = santiagodecompostela.org| community = Galicia| community_link = Galicia (Spain)| province = A Coruña| province_link = A Coruña (province)| comarca = Santiago| comarca_link = Santiago (region)| divisions =| neighborhoods =| mayor = Xosé Antonio Sánchez| political_party = PSOE| political_party_link = Spanish Socialist Workers' Party| area = 223| altitude = 260| population = 92.919| date-population = 2007| population-ranking =| density = 416,68| date-density = 2007-->

Santiago de Compostela (also Saint James of Compostela) is the capital of the autonomous communities of Spain of Galicia (Spain). Located in the northwest region of Spain in the A Coruña (province), it was the "European City of Culture" for the year 2000. The city's Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is the destination of the important medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St James (in Spanish the Camino de Santiago).

The city

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela borders the main Plaza of the old and well-preserved city. Across the square is the Palacio de Raxoi (Raxoi's Palace), the town hall and seat of the Galician Xunta, and on the right from the cathedral steps is the Hostal dos Reis Católicos, founded in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon, as a pilgrim's hospice (now a parador). The Obradoiro façade of the cathedral, the best known, is depicted on the Spanish euro coins of 1 cent, 2 cents, and 5 cents (€0.01, €0.02, and €0.05).

Santiago also has a fine University of Santiago de Compostela. The main campus can be seen best from an alcove in the large municipal park in the centre of the city. The University ensures youthful night life. Within the old town there are many narrow winding streets full of historic buildings. The new town all around it has less character though some of the older parts of the new town have some big apartments in them.

Santiago gives its name to one of the four military orders of Spain: Santiago, Calatrava, Alcantara and Montesa.

The prevailing wind from the Atlantic and the surrounding mountains combine to give Santiago some of Europe's highest rainfall: about 1,900 mm (75 inches) annually.

The etymology of the name Compostela The popular etymology of the name "Compostela" holds that it comes from Latin campus stellae, i.e. "field of stars", making Santiago de Compostela "St. James in the Field of Stars". This name would come from the belief that the bones of St. James were taken from the Middle East, to Spain. These bones were then buried where a shepherd had spotted a star and a church was eventually built over the bones and later replaced with the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela.

Another etymology is Compositum, i.e. "The well founded", or Composita Tella, meaning "burial ground".

Yet another etymology derives it from "San Jacome Apostol".

History Santiago de Compostela was founded by Suebi people at the end of the 4th century or the beginning of the 5th century.

History of the way of St. James The legend that St James found his way to the Iberian peninsula, and had preached there is one of a number of early traditions concerning the missionary activities and final resting places of the apostles of Jesus. Although the 1884 Bull of Pope Leo XIII Omnipotens Deus accepted the authenticity of the relics at Compostela, the Vatican remains uncommitted as to whether the relics are those of Saint James the Great, while continuing to promote the more general benefits of pilgrimage to the site.

According to a tradition that cannot be traced before the 12th century, the relics were said to have been discovered in 835 by Theodomir, bishop of Iria Flavia in the far northwest of the principality of Asturias. Theodomir was guided to the spot by a star, the legend affirmed, drawing upon a familiar myth-element, hence "Compostela" was given an etymology as a corruption of Campus Stellae, "Plain of Stars."

The establishment of the shrine As suggested already, it is probably impossible to know whose bones were actually found, and precisely when and how. Perhaps it does not matter. What the history of the pilgrimage requires, but what the meager sources fail to reveal, is how the local Galician cult associated with the saint was transformed into an international cult drawing pilgrims from distant parts of the world.

The 1000 year old pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is known in English as the Way of St. James and in Spanish language as the Camino de Santiago. Over 100,000 pilgrims travel to the city each year from points all over Europe, and other parts of the world.

Pre-Christian legends As the lowest-lying land on that stretch of coast, the city's site took on added significance. Legends supposed of celtic mythology origin made it the place where the souls of the dead gathered to follow the Sun across the sea. Those unworthy of going to the Land of the Dead haunted Galicia as the Santa Compaña.

Demography {{Demography 6col|480px|[1900|[1950|[2004|24,120|38,270|55,553|82,404|92,298|93,458-->

Main sights

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
University of Santiago de Compostela

{{Infobox World Heritage Site| WHS = Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)| Image = | State Party = | Type = Cultural| Criteria = i, ii, vi| ID = Santiago de Compostela (Old Town), UNESCO Ref. #347| Region = List of World Heritage Sites in Europe| Year = 1985| Session = 9th| Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/347-->

Sister cities

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mashhad, Iran
Santiago do Cacém, Portugal