Field of Spanish stars

COMPOSTELA — field of stars. And certainly few sites can boast the star-studded architectural feast that greet the pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela: here in one minuscule Galician town are showcased medieval homes with Gothic gargoyles, a cathedral that combines the best of the Romanesque and the Baroque, a hotel and a university that behind grand and bold facades hide silent, monastic cloisters.
Santiago de Compostela celebrates 1993 as Holy Year, and thousands of pilgrims from all over the world are expected to make their way to the legendary burial place of St James that has proved one of the most popular Catholic pilgrimage destinations.
For once, popularity is welldeserved: not only is Santiago splendidly situated among green hills and near enough to the sea to ensure a daily supply of fresh fish and fruits de mer; not only does it boast a plethora of architectural delights and, in the Hotel de los Reyes Catolicos, one of the grandest hotels in all of Spain; but also this is one pilgrimage site that has eschewed the kitsch of plastic mementoes and holy knick-knacks.
The main square in Compostela is dominated by the great cathedral that was completed in circa 1100. Here you will find soaring arches, sculpture-covered walls, and a breath-taking depiction of the Last Judgement, the masterpiece sculpted by Master Mateo that adorns the Portico de la Gloria.
Also on the square is the Hotel de los Reyes Catolicos. Though luxury and excellent service should probably be the last things on the pilgrims' agenda, it has to be said that a stay in this former palace is wellworth organising.
The hotel encloses a number of courtyards each bordered by cloisters. with a fountain centre stage. Its immense suites could compete, for both beauty and comfort, with any of the grand hotels in continental capitals.
Pilgrims to Santiago will find both spiritual and aesthetic solace