An Introduction to History and Culture of the Way of Saint James: the Portuguese Central Route

Abstract

The Camino de Santiago is a common denominator of European culture so these itineraries, which are public spaces of convergence and harmony, must be respected and promoted. In them, any walker feels like a citizen of the world, which gives him the opportunity to perspective his convictions in a universal sense of openness and tolerance. Associated with the religious factor, the Camino de Santiago provides all participants with contact with European culture and history and, above all, unique moments of adventure, emotion and physical activity. For all these reasons UNESCO classified in 1985 and 2015 as cultural goods of universal importance. The Portuguese routes to Santiago de Compostela are the testimony of the effort of the first kings to ensure the sovereignty of the new kingdom and the conquest of new territories, with history recognizing the effort of characters who stood out in the legitimation of Portuguese ways in the context of European paths to Santiago de Compostela.