I knew very little about the history of the Camino de Santiago when I made the decision to walk it. I was aware that a friend had traveled 800 kilometers on a medieval pilgrimage path across Spain, but I didn’t know much more. I still knew very little about what was going to happen when I took my first steps. However, the history of this trail is too amazing to ignore. As you move closer to Santiago, layer after layer becomes visible.
You soon discover that you are walking in the footsteps of others who came before you, including Charlemagne, the Roman legions, the ancient Celts, prehistoric travelers, and some of the oldest human settlements discovered in Europe and possibly the entire planet. The Camino de Santiago has a much longer history than I could have ever dreamed. My quest to understand as much as I could began when I learned about those ancient roots. And continue reading if, like me, you enjoy stories about far-off places and timeless adventures. I’ll give you a little brief history to get you started.
The Trail’s Pre-Christian History
Saints, kings, and even Hollywood movie stars have walked the Camino de Santiago. However, the routes across northern Spain were used by far older peoples long before they were adopted as Christian pilgrimage routes. Roman cobblestones and Roman bridges, remnants of bustling trade routes that once teemed with travelers and merchants more than two millennia ago, can be encountered when strolling from Puente La Reina to Estella, shortly after Cirauqui. Even though it’s somewhat uncomfortable to walk these days, most pilgrims gladly descend onto the more comfortable, contemporary trail that runs parallel to it!
A significant portion of the Camino Portuguese is spent walking along the former Roman R19 road, particularly on the paths close to Pontevedra. You can also stop by one of Galicia’s best-preserved Celtic Castros (hillforts) if you’re traveling to A Guarda! History is actually strewn at your feet when you walk the Via de la Plata. Roman landmarks are left in fields, carelessly plowed by farmers. Collections of Neolithic and Roman relics abound at the museums of Salamanca and Cáceres, serving as a potent reminder of the area’s past inhabitants.
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