Pilgrims on the Way

In the basement of the Museo de los Caminos – which I prefer to think of as the crypt – are a number of medieval sarcophagi originally from the Cathedral next door. I believe that the dearly departed were placed in new carved tombs during the Renaissance, probably because of damage to their original resting places. On the side of […]

As a home, the Astorga Episcopal Palace that Gaudí designed makes a great museum. Just walking through, you can see why the Bishop decided not to live here. It’s grand, but not in a comfortable way. As a museum dedicated to the Camino, however, it’s perfect. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Astorga (Castilla y León, Spain)

The first thing one sees in the Museo de los Caminos is unsurprisingly a statue of Santiago himself, in his guise as a medieval pilgrim. He seemingly guards the entrance to the galleries beyond. I can’t decide if this statue is from the Gothic era or is a medieval statue gussied up with a Gothic paint job. Date: 20 April […]

We plunked down our money to enter the Museo de los Caminos, housed in Gaudí’s Episcopal Palace. In the garden outside the entrance we ran into a trio of angels carrying various items for the Bishop. Oddly, they do not seem to be wearing vimpae. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Astorga (Castilla y León, Spain)

Astorga’s Episcopal Palace was designed by Antoni Gaudí as a complement to the nearby Gothic Cathedral. It’s ostensibly built in the Gothic style, but with a twist. When it was finally finished, the Bishop thought it was much too grand for a house, and it became a museum instead. Our albergue is basically down the street. Date: 20 April 2016 […]

We joke that every village plaza contains three things: the church, the bar/café, and town hall. In the larger towns, such as Astorga, with its many plazas, you’ll have to hunt around for the third of these. This is Astorga’s beautiful town hall (Ayuntamiento de Astorga) on Plaza Mayor. They started building it in 1683, but as you walk around […]

I think this is the place where we grabbed a quick, late lunch in Astorga, but I’m not entirely sure. More of an afternoon nosh, actually, since this photo was taken about 3:30 p.m. In any case, this plaza is typical of the urban plazas we found in northern Spain. I really love the way these old towns are laid […]

As seen in the streets of Astorga in 2016. Can anybody identify this flag? During our Caminos, we have seen any number of regional or local flags, but this one has me stumped. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Astorga (Castilla y León, Spain)

This 19th Century chapel may be tiny, but I’m pretty sure it’s loud, which I think makes up for its small footprint. It’s the home of the Cofradía de la Vera Cruz, a confraternity that participates in various processions during Lent and Holy Week. In addition to this chapel, there are two churches and a Roman museum on this plaza. […]

The first plaza in Astorga contains a church, the very grand and modern albergue that we stayed at in 2013, and this statue of a weary traveller, suitcase slung over his back. I’ve never seen a pilgrim walking with a suitcase or a trenchcoat – the peregrina in the background is much more usual. Date: 20 April 2016 Place: Astorga […]