Sent: 17 Jan 2017
Arrived: 13 Feb 2017
Tower of Hercules
UNESCO site
Date of Inscription: 2009
The Tower of Hercules is the only fully preserved Roman
lighthouse that is still used for maritime signaling, hence it is testimony to
the elaborate system of navigation in antiquity and it provides an
understanding of the Atlantic sea route in Western Europe. The Tower of
Hercules was restored in the 18th century in an exemplary manner, which has
protected the central core of the original Roman monument while restoring its
technical functions.
Criterion (iii): The Tower of Hercules is testimony to the
use of lighthouses in antiquity. The Tower is also proof of the continuity of
the Atlantic route from when it was first organised by the Romans, during a
large part of the Middle Ages, and through to its considerable development in
the modern and contemporary eras.
Sent: 17 Jan 2017
Arrived: 13 Feb 2017
Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)
UNESCO site
Date of Inscription: 1985
Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) is located in Galicia,
situated in the far north-west of Spain.
In the beginning of the 9th century, a hermit called
Pelagius saw a mysterious light shining over a Roman tomb forgotten in the
middle of a forest. Very soon, the incredible news spread all over the
Christian world: the tomb of St. James the Greater, the beloved apostle of
Jesus Christ, had been discovered in a far site near the finis terrae, the end
of the known Earth, in the northwest of Iberian Peninsula. A few years later,
this site became a famous pilgrimage town, one of the most important of
Christianity. Pilgrims came from all over Europe following the Camino de
Santiago to reach the city born around the Holy Tomb, exercising a great
influence on the surrounding area. This is evidenced in the small towns,
churches, hospitals, and monasteries that were built near the Camino to attend
to the thousands of pilgrims who came to visit the tomb. This influence in the
local architecture and art was especially strong and long-lasting in the
north-west of Spain, but the fame and the reputation of the sanctuary of
Santiago de Compostela went well beyond; Galicia was even known in the Nordic
sagas as Jakobsland.
This famous pilgrimage site also became a symbol in the
Spanish Christians' struggle against Islam. Destroyed by the Muslims at the end
of the 10th century, it was completely rebuilt in the following century.
The Old Town of Santiago de Compostela, together with the
outlying Santa Maria de Conxo Monastery, constitutes an extraordinary ensemble
of distinguished monuments. The squares and narrow streets of the Old Town
contain Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassicist buildings.
This town is not only a harmonious and very well preserved historical city, but
also a place deeply imbued with faith. The cathedral, considered as a
masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, keeps the remarkable Pórtico de la
Gloria, a jewel of the medieval sculpture. However, the authentic symbol of the
city is the Baroque western façade of the cathedral, which forms one of the
sides of the square of Obradoiro, one of the world´s most beautiful urban areas.
The phenomenon of pilgrimage is not only a relevant
historical fact, but also a continuous movement thanks to the celebration of
the Holy Years.
Criterion (i): Around its cathedral, which is a world
renowned masterpiece of Romanesque art, Santiago de Compostela conserves a
valuable historic centre, known as one of Christianity´s greatest holy cities.
All European cultural and artistic currents, from the Middle Ages to the
present day, left extraordinary works of art in Santiago de Compostela.
Criterion (ii): During both the Romanesque and Baroque
periods, the sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela exerted a decisive influence
on the development of architecture and art, not only in Galicia, but also in
the north of the Iberian Peninsula.
Criterion (vi): Santiago de Compostela is associated with
one of the major themes of medieval history. From the shores of the North and
Baltic Seas, thousands of pilgrims carrying the symbol of the scallop and the
pilgrim's staff walked, for centuries, to the Galician sanctuary along the
paths of Santiago de Compostela, veritable roads of the Faith.
Integrity
The property encompasses 108 ha, with a 217 ha buffer zone.
Santiago de Compostela shows a remarkable state of conservation, largely due to
conservation policies that have preserved the integrity of monuments and
buildings that form the civil and religious architectural ensemble. Elements
from the Middle Ages are integrated with those from the Renaissance, as well as
the constructions from the 17th and 18th centuries into a high-quality urban
fabric. The Old Town is a liveable and lively place where inhabitants and
business coexist with tourism. The urban development has respected natural
spaces where the green Galician fields join the historical city. In this
respect, the property integrates the urban ensemble, historical oakwoods and
open green spaces.
Thank you Belén!
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