Roads to Santiago
Subtitle: The Medieval Pilgrim Routes Through France and Spain to Santiago de Compostela
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group UK
Published: 2008
Language: eng
Number of pages: 256
ISBN-13: 9780711227064
Subjects: Pilgrims and pilgrimages; Santiago de compostela (spain); Spain, guidebooks
Description: Brabbs traces the four main routes within France leading to Santiago de Compostella, the third most important pilgrimage destination for medieval travelers. His photographs of the journeys are breathtaking, showing the tiny towns and grand cathedrals where the pilgrims took, and still take, shelter. In many towns of France and Spain the scallop symbol of St. James can still be found at wayside inns and hostels. Brabbs has written an informative and lively text to accompany his photos. This not only gives the background of the pilgrimage sites and the purpose behind the journey, but also describes the personal reactions of one who followed the same path as thousands over the centuries. Today there are more than religious reasons for making a pilgrimage to Compostella, but, as Brabbs shows so beautifully, anyone who follows the old roads there cannot avoid being affected by the journey.