This Galician city in northwestern Spain was founded by the Romans between the 4th and 5th centuries. Its original name was Campus Stellae and was shortened to present-day Compostela.

Santiago de Compostela has been famous for the Camino de Santiago since the Middle Ages and the city has become one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Europe. It all began when the hermit Pelagius discovered the tomb of St. James, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, who was executed in Jerusalem but buried in Galicia. After Pelagius' discovery, a cathedral was built on the site of Santiago's tomb. From that day on, a beautiful city began to grow around the church.

Santiago de Compostela also became a symbol of the Christian struggle against Islam. The Muslims sacked the city in the 10th century, but the Spaniards rebuilt it completely. Today, this ensemble of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.