Santiago de Compostela — Historic City on the Camino de Santiago
William D. Jones, MD, is a respected occupational health physician in the Oklahoma City, OK community. Passionate about travel, William D. Jones, MD, will have the opportunity to fly from OK to northern Spain this summer to traverse the historic Camino de Santiago.
Starting in Southern France east of the Pyrenees, the 500-mile Catholic pilgrimage route has brought people from across Western Europe to the Galician city of Santiago de Compostela beginning in the early Middle Ages.
The terminus point of the Way of St. James was completely rebuilt in the 10th century, following its destruction by Islamic occupiers, and now has a population of 100,000. The old town is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site that brings together a melange of Neoclassicist, Renaissance, Baroque, Gothic, and Romanesque architectural styles, and is considered one of the most intact historical urban areas in all Europe.
At the heart of the old town is the Santiago Cathedral, which combines Romanesque architecture with an elaborate Baroque western facade that overlooks the public square of Obradoiro. Attending mass at the Cathedral is a moving experience for many, often because of the knowledge of the sheer number of pilgrims from all walks of life who have traversed the arduous Camino de Santiago and found themselves in shared communion.
