Historical Camino Routes

[Juspassinthru]

I am in the process of attempting to write a memoir about my journey, both physical and spiritual, across the Camino(s). As part of my research I've read the Codex Calixtinus (English translation) and if you haven't read it, it's quite interesting, Book V especially.

What struck me is how consistent the 4 primary routes are today compared to this 900 +/- year old account. While we know that the exact routes have evolved over time, most of the significant way points are still listed in Brierley, Gronze and other guides. I've attached a PDF, I've highlighted a couple things that make me laugh. It's obvious that the term "stage" is used differently than how we use it now but if they were used the same way, we'd be doing the Camino Francés in 13 "stages". No thank you!

The Codex is often referred to but many, like me until now, have never read it. For those who have walked these routes or those hoping to, I hope you find it interesting.

BTW, the other chapters are fascinating, the comments about the rivers, cities and people offer insight into the superstitions and prejudice of the times.

 

[mspath]

For 'recent' history of the Santiago de Compostela cathedral copy of the Codex see these Forum threads reporting in 2011 the Codex stolen and, fortuitously in 2012, the Codex recovered

Enjoy your research!

 

[David Tallan]

I am in the process of attempting to write a memoir about my journey, both physical and spiritual, across the Camino(s). As part of my research I've read the Codex Calixtinus (English translation) and if you haven't read it, it's quite interesting, Book V especially.

What struck me is how consistent the 4 primary routes are today compared to this 900 +/- year old account. While we know that the exact routes have evolved over time, most of the significant way points are still listed in Brierley, Gronze and other guides. I've attached a PDF, I've highlighted a couple things that make me laugh. It's obvious that the term "stage" is used differently than how we use it now but if they were used the same way, we'd be doing the Camino Francés in 13 "stages". No thank you!

The Codex is often referred to but many, like me until now, have never read it. For those who have walked these routes or those hoping to, I hope you find it interesting.

BTW, the other chapters are fascinating, the comments about the rivers, cities and people offer insight into the superstitions and prejudice of the times.

It is not a coincidence that the current routes just happen to pass through the same towns and villages as in the Codex. When Don Elias and his colleagues were reviving the route in the latter part of the 20th century they were well versed in the Codex and intentionally followed it as much as possible.

You can certainly see that the Codex was written by a Frenchman and not a Spaniard.

 

[Kathar1na]

It is not a coincidence that the current routes just happen to pass through the same towns and villages as in the Codex. When Don Elias and his colleagues were reviving the route in the latter part of the 20th century they were well versed in the Codex and intentionally followed it as much as possible.

Yes, the Camino Francés as we know it was traced in our time on the basis of Book V of the Codex Calixtinus - not only thanks to the initiative of Elias Valiña and members of Spanish Friends of the Camino associations but also thanks to pioneer Camino walkers starting after WWII and in the 1960s and 1970s. So it is no coincidence - it's by design that the current routes pass through the same towns and villages as mentioned in the Codex Calixtinus.

Book V - known today as Pilgrim's Guide - was unknown to medieval pilgrims and later pilgrims going to Compostela. Nobody in those centuries long ago has ever referred to it as a guidebook or used it as such. Book V was first published in the original Latin version in 1882 in Spain but even then hardly anybody outside of scholarly circles took notice. This changed in 1938 when the first translation was published - in French actually and in France.

The "4 Roads" are a modern myth but it is a myth that is well established now. There is no indication that the roads that we know as the Vezelay Road and the Le Puy Road were used by more pilgrims on the way to Santiago than any other possible combination of roads in France that lead eventually to Spain. Both are actually "defined" in Book V by only three towns: Le Puy, Conques and Moissac on the one hand and Vézelay, Saint Léonard and Périgueux on the other hand.

By contrast, the road from the western Pyrenees to Santiago, i.e. the Camino Francés, is defined in Book V by numerous towns and other locations, about 60 of them iirc.

 

[Juspassinthru]

A wealth of knowledge on this Forum, thanks for the continuing education.