In Puente la Reina ('Queen's Bridge') last year I'd stayed at the excellent Albergue Padres Rapadores at the town's entrance. This time I thought I'd try somewhere different so I headed down the Calle Major to the Albergue Santiago Apóstol which lay at the top of a hill on the far side of town. On the way I crossed the famous bridge. This magnificent bridge had been built specially for pilgrims bound for Compostela in medieval times...
The albergue was big - and modern and clinical and not very atmospheric. But it was clean and quiet - though the strong wind which got up later that night did rattle the windows. I had an interesting conversation with Florian - a German boy and the only other occupant - then made my way back into town for a final meal with my Spanish pilgrim friends, Carlos and Javi.
The next day I visited the church of Santa María de la Vega y del Crucifijo. The origin of this church is linked with the Knights Templar (I've written before about the Knights Templar - they are closely bound up with the Camino. Indeed, the chapel of Santa María de Eunate I'd visited the day before is also associated with these crusader Knights - its design recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem). This is the 13th century church porch...
... and this the polychrome effigy of Santa María, the Virgin Mary, I found inside...
2 comments:
I love the little effigies - it is tiny touches like that which make churches so interesting. Your walk continues to be an enjoyable read.
Beautiful bridge and image of Mary and Jesus.
Just found your photo of the coquille marker on the dead tree on the Camino from October 29. I like it very much.
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