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74-700: Surrounded by mountains, the city straddles the course of the Sil River . It is the last major town on the French route of the Camino de Santiago before it reaches Santiago de Compostela . In 2021, it had a population of 63,747. Ponferrada comes from the Latin Pons Ferrata , Iron Bridge. The place traces its origin back to 928 gifting to the Monastery of San Pedro de Montes  [ es ] of

148-640: A villa between the Sil and the Boeza by Lupo and his wife, which possessed ferrum (iron) and was located at the feet of an abandoned castrum . The name of the city derives from the iron reinforcements added to the ancient bridge over the river Sil (Latin pons for "bridge" and ferrata for "iron"), commissioned in 1082 by Bishop Osmundo of Astorga to facilitate the crossing of the Sil to pilgrims in their way to Santiago de Compostela . From 1211 to 1312, Ponferrada

222-479: A credencial (see below). In Spain this type of accommodation is called a refugio or albergue , both of which are similar to youth hostels or hostelries in the French system of gîtes d'étape . Hostels may be run by a local parish, the local council, private owners, or pilgrims' associations. Occasionally, these refugios are located in monasteries, such as the one in the Monastery of San Xulián de Samos that

296-416: A crosspiece. The usual form of representation is with a hook, but in some the hook is absent. The pilgrim's staff is represented under different forms and is referred to using different names, e.g. a pilgrim's crutch, a crutch-staff. The crutch, perhaps, should be represented with the transverse piece on the top of the staff (like the letter "T") instead of across it. The earliest records of visits paid to

370-590: A dream to Charlemagne , urging him to liberate his tomb from the Moors and showing him the direction to follow by the route of the Milky Way. The Church employed (and employs) rituals (the sacrament of confession) that can lead to the imposition by a priest of penance , through which the sinner atones for his or her sins. Pilgrimages were deemed to be a suitable form of expiation for sin and long pilgrimages would be imposed as penance for very serious sins. As noted in

444-502: A hillside near San Fiz de Solovio, he informed the bishop of Iria Flavia, who found a grave at the site with three bodies inside, one of which, he asserted, was that of St James. Subsequently, the location was called "the field of the star" ( Campus Stellae , corrupted to "Compostela"). Another origin myth mentioned in Book IV of the Book of Saint James relates how the saint appeared in

518-416: A limited number of pilgrims daily. Most pilgrims purchase and carry a document called the credencial , which gives access to overnight accommodation along the route. Also known as the "pilgrim's passport", the credencial is stamped with the official St. James stamp of each town or refugio at which the pilgrim has stayed. It provides pilgrims with a record of where they ate or slept and serves as proof to

592-470: A pilgrimage route on which a plenary indulgence could be earned; other major pilgrimage routes include the Via Francigena to Rome and the pilgrimage to Jerusalem . Legend holds that St James 's remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried in what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela (according to Spanish legends, Saint James had spent time preaching

666-617: A practice that is still occasionally used today. For example, a tradition in Flanders persists of pardoning and releasing one prisoner every year under the condition that, accompanied by a guard, the prisoner walks to Santiago wearing a heavy backpack. During the American Revolution , John Adams (who would become the second President of the United States) was ordered by Congress to go to Paris to obtain funds for

740-407: A public language school ( Escuela Oficial de Idiomas ) which offers English , French , German , Portuguese , Italian and Galician language courses . The city also hosts a University of León campus, which offers several undergraduate degrees, and a UNED branch, which provides distance undergraduate education . Theatre productions perform regularly at the local Teatro Bergidum, and there

814-483: A religious pilgrimage, many are hikers who walk the route for travel or sport, along with an interest in exploring their own relationship with themselves, other people, nature, and what they perceive as being sacred. Also, many consider the experience a spiritual retreat from modern life. Here, only a few routes are named. For a complete list of all the routes (traditional and less so), see: Camino de Santiago (route descriptions) . The Camino Francés , or French Way ,

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888-452: A rich source of alluvial gold, and was most extensively exploited during the Roman period, following the conquest of north-west Spain by Augustus in 25 BC. The upper reaches of the river possessed large placer deposits, and the region around Las Médulas yielded large amounts of gold. It was extracted using hydraulic mining , involving the building of numerous aqueducts to expose and wash

962-477: A souvenir. One myth says that after James's death, his body was transported by a ship piloted by an angel, back to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Libredón . As the ship approached land, the wedding of the daughter of Queen Lupa was taking place on shore. The young groom was on horseback, and, upon seeing the ship's approach, his horse got spooked, and horse and rider plunged into

1036-633: Is a local multiplex cinema with seven screens. The city hosts a regional museum (El Bierzo Museum), a radio museum (Museum of Radio) and the National Energy Museum, in addition to music and cinema festivals each year. The local football team, SD Ponferradina currently plays in the Spanish 2nd Division . The team had played for most of its history in the 2nd Division B of the Spanish Football League , however in

1110-637: Is a saying that goes, "The Miño has the fame, but the Sil gives it water" (in Spanish, El Miño lleva la fama y el Sil le da el agua ). The Sil river also surpasses the Miño in length by about 20 kilometres (12 mi). The Sil runs through the León districts of Babia, Laciana , El Bierzo and La Cabrera, and Ourense Valdeorras , among other locations across Villablino , Ponferrada , O Barco de Valdeorras , A Rúa , Quiroga and Ribas de Sil . The river has been

1184-666: Is also less travelled and starts in the Basque city of Irun on the border with France, or sometimes in San Sebastián . It is a less popular route because of its changes in elevation, whereas the Camino Frances is mostly flat. The route follows the coast along the Bay of Biscay until it nears Santiago. Though it does not pass through as many historic points of interest as the Camino Frances, it has cooler summer weather. The route

1258-1131: Is believed to have been first used by pilgrims to avoid traveling through the territories occupied by the Muslims in the Middle Ages. From Irun the path is 817 km (508 miles) long. The Central European Camino was revived after the Fall of the Berlin Wall . Medieval routes, Camino Baltico and the Via Regia in Poland pass through present-day Poland reach as far north as the Baltic states , taking in Vilnius , and Eastwards to present-day Ukraine and take in Lviv , Sandomierz and Kraków . In Spain, France, and Portugal, pilgrims' hostels with beds in dormitories provide overnight accommodation for pilgrims who hold

1332-451: Is commonly seen on pilgrims themselves, who are thereby identified as pilgrims. During the medieval period, the shell was more a proof of completion than a symbol worn during the pilgrimage. The pilgrim's staff is a walking stick used by some pilgrims on the way to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Generally, the stick has a hook so that something may be hung from it; it may have

1406-653: Is composed of Mercedes-Benz Citaro and Isuzu buses and Mercedes-Benz minibuses. Sil (river) The Sil is a river in León ( Castile and León ) and Galicia , Spain , a tributary of the Miño . Its total length is 225 kilometres (140 mi). The source of the Sil is in the Cantabrian Mountains in the Leonese town of Villablino . It flows through the provinces of León and Ourense . The largest city on

1480-463: Is not uncommon that the temperature exceeds 35 °C (95 °F) during heatwaves. The sky is generally clear during this period with occasional storms. Spring and autumn are mild to warm and wet. Temperatures generally vary between 14 and 25 °C (57 and 77 °F) during the day and between 4 and 10 °C (39 and 50 °F) at night. The highest temperature ever recorded in Ponferrada

1554-448: Is now based mainly on tourism, agriculture (fruit and wine ), wind power generation and slate mining, with a constant small population increase. Important factors contributing to the recent boom of the tourism industry are the increasing popularity of the Way of St. James ( Spanish : Camino de Santiago ; a pilgrimage route that goes from France to Santiago de Compostela , Galicia ),

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1628-674: Is run by monks, and the one in Santiago de Compostela. The final hostel on the route is the famous Hostal de los Reyes Católicos , which lies in the Plaza del Obradoiro across the Cathedral. It was originally constructed as hospice and hospital for pilgrims by Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon , the Catholic Monarchs . Today it is a luxury 5-star Parador hotel, which still provides free services to

1702-599: Is the most popular. The Via Regia is the last portion of the Camino Francés. Historically, because of the Codex Calixtinus , most pilgrims came from France: typically from Arles , Le Puy , Paris , and Vézelay ; some from Saint Gilles. Cluny , site of the celebrated medieval abbey, was another important rallying point for pilgrims and, in 2002, it was integrated into the official European pilgrimage route linking Vézelay and Le Puy. Most Spanish consider

1776-623: Is the oldest route to Santiago de Compostela, first taken in the 9th century, which begins in Oviedo . It is 320 km (199 miles) long. Camino Portugués , or Portuguese Way , is the second-most-popular route, starting at the cathedral in Lisbon (for a total of about 610 km) or at the cathedral in Porto in the north of Portugal (for a total of about 227 km), and crossing into Galicia at Valença . The Camino del Norte , or Northern Way ,

1850-702: The Catholic Encyclopedia : In the registers of the Inquisition at Carcassone ... we find the four following places noted as being the centres of the greater pilgrimages to be imposed as penances for the graver crimes: the tomb of the Apostles at Rome, the shrine of St. James at Compostella [sic], St. Thomas' body at Canterbury, and the relics of the Three Kings at Cologne. Pilgrimages could also be imposed as judicial punishment for crime,

1924-696: The Atlantic coast of Galicia , ending at Cape Finisterre . Although it is known today that Cape Finisterre, Spain's westernmost point, is not the westernmost point of Europe ( Cabo da Roca in Portugal is farther west), the fact that the Romans called it Finisterrae (literally the end of the world or Land's End in Latin ) indicates that they viewed it as such. At night, the Milky Way overhead seems to point

1998-485: The Way of St. James , is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain , where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried. As Pope Benedict XVI said, "It is a way sown with so many demonstrations of fervour, repentance, hospitality, art and culture which speak to us eloquently of

2072-717: The 10th century onwards. But it was only after the end of the Granada War in 1492 , under the reign of the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile , that Pope Alexander VI officially declared the Camino de Santiago to be one of the "three great pilgrimages of Christendom ", along with Jerusalem and the Via Francigena to Rome. In 1987, the Camino, which encompasses several routes in Spain, France , and Portugal,

2146-449: The 2006–07 season the team was promoted for the first time to the 2nd Division , quite an achievement for a medium-sized city. There are many intramural and regional leagues in football and other sports, including basketball , futsal , and athletics . The city's athletics stadium is named after former 800m world champion Colomán Trabado . Ponferrada hosted the 2014 UCI Road World Championships from 21 to 28 September 2014. The city

2220-461: The 330 kilometer long La Mirada Circular which circles the whole El Bierzo valley. Cycling is also very popular, as the valley provides opportunities to exercise in both flat and inclined terrain, on and off-road . El Morredero peak (2,135 m), 20 km from Ponferrada in the Aquilianos mountains , hosts a small ski resort. It is possible to visit many wineries in the area to try

2294-466: The 5th book of the codex is still considered the definitive source for many modern guidebooks. Four pilgrimage routes listed in the codex originate in France and converge at Puente la Reina . From there, a well-defined route crosses northern Spain, linking Burgos , Carrión de los Condes , Sahagún , León , Astorga , and Compostela. Another legend states that when a hermit saw a bright star shining over

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2368-495: The Camino, the cross is often seen with a Pilgrim's scallop to mark the way of the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela was made possible by the protection and freedom provided by the Kingdom of France , from which the majority of pilgrims originated. Enterprising French (including Gascons and other peoples not under the French crown) settled in towns along the pilgrimage routes, where their names appear in

2442-563: The Compostela route. Romanesque architecture , a new genre of ecclesiastical architecture, was designed with massive archways to cope with huge crowds of the devout. There was also the sale of the now-familiar paraphernalia of tourism , such as badges and souvenirs. Pilgrims often prayed to Saint Roch whose numerous depictions with the Cross of St James can still be seen along the Way. On

2516-522: The French border in the Pyrenees the natural starting point. By far the most common, modern starting point on the Camino Francés is Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port , on the French side of the Pyrenees, with Roncesvalles on the Spanish side also being popular. The distance from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela through León is about 800 km (500 mi). The Camino Primitivo , or Original Way ,

2590-672: The Hermitage of Santo Tomás de las Ollas (10th century) and the Romanesque Church of Santa María de Vizbayo are also nearby. The highest view from the city, is the Torre de la Rosaleda , in the Roseleda district, the tallest building in Ponferrada. The city and its surroundings offer many opportunities for outdoor activities. There are many easily accessible hiking and cycling routes nearby, both on and off-road , including

2664-801: The Middle Ages, few modern pilgrimages antedate the 1957 publication of Irish Hispanist and traveller Walter Starkie 's The Road to Santiago . The revival of the pilgrimage was supported by the Spanish government of Francisco Franco , much inclined to promote Spain's Catholic history. "It has been only recently (1990s) that the pilgrimage to Santiago regained the popularity it had in the Middle Ages." Since then, hundreds of thousands (over 300,000 in 2017) of Christian pilgrims and many others set out each year from their homes, or from popular starting points across Europe, to make their way to Santiago de Compostela. Most travel by foot, some by bicycle , and some even travel as their medieval counterparts did, on horseback or by donkey . In addition to those undertaking

2738-540: The Northern routes in Spain were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List , followed by the routes in France in 1998, because of their historical significance for Christianity as a major pilgrimage route and their testimony to the exchange of ideas and cultures across the routes. The Way of St. James was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during the later Middle Ages , and

2812-481: The Pilgrim's Office in Santiago that the journey was accomplished according to an official route and thus that the pilgrim qualifies to receive a compostela (certificate of completion of the pilgrimage). The compostela is a certificate of accomplishment given to pilgrims on completing the Way. To earn the compostela one needs to walk a minimum of 100 km or cycle at least 200 km. In practice, for walkers,

2886-561: The Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. The compostela has been indulgenced since the Early Middle Ages and remains so to this day, during Holy Years . The English translation reads: The CHAPTER of this holy apostolic and metropolitan Church of Compostela, guardian of the seal of the Altar of the blessed Apostle James, in order that it may provide authentic certificates of visitation to all the faithful and to pilgrims from all over

2960-564: The Sil is Ponferrada (León). The Sil flows into the Miño upstream from Ourense . The river joins the Miño river in Os Peares, in the province of Ourense . Generally, the hierarchy between rivers is performed by taking into account which junction has more volume and length. In this case, as with the Esla and Pisuerga with the Duero, the Sil has flows larger than the Miño at the junction. There

3034-882: The Spot where the Shepherd saw the Light. In the time of the Moors, the People made a Vow, that if the Moors should be driven from this Country, they would give a certain portion of the Income of their Lands to Saint James. The Moors were defeated and expelled and it was reported and believed, that Saint James was in the Battle and fought with a drawn Sword at the head of the Spanish Troops, on Horseback. The People, believing that they owed

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3108-628: The Templars were only able to enjoy the use of their fortress for about twenty years before the order was disbanded and its properties confiscated in 1311. Several noble houses fought over the assets until Alfonso XI allotted them to the Count of Lemos in 1340. Finally, the Catholic Monarchs incorporated Ponferrada and its castle into the Crown in 1486. As with many other historical sites in Europe, many of

3182-411: The Victory to the Saint, very cheerfully fulfilled their Vows by paying the Tribute. ... Upon the Supposition that this is the place of the Sepulchre of Saint James, there are great numbers of Pilgrims, who visit it, every Year, from France, Spain, Italy and other parts of Europe, many of them on foot. Although it is commonly believed that the pilgrimage to Santiago has continued without interruption since

3256-633: The alluvial formations. According to Pokorny and to E. Bascuas , "Sil" would belong to the old European hydronymy , derived from the Indoeuropean root *sei- 'drip, run, humid'. This article about a location in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in Spain is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Camino de Santiago The Camino de Santiago ( Latin : Peregrinatio Compostellana , lit.   ' Pilgrimage of Compostela ' ; Galician : O Camiño de Santiago ), or in English

3330-404: The archives. The pilgrims were tended by people like Domingo de la Calzada , who was later recognized as a saint. Pilgrims walked the Way of St. James, often for months and occasionally years at a time, to arrive at the great church in the main square of Compostela and pay homage to St James. Many arrived with very little due to illness or robbery or both. Traditionally pilgrims lay their hands on

3404-405: The badge of a pilgrim. The earliest recorded pilgrims from beyond the Pyrenees visited the shrine in the middle of the 11th century, but it seems that it was not until a century later that large numbers of pilgrims from abroad were regularly journeying there. The earliest records of pilgrims that arrived from England belong to the period between 1092 and 1105. However, by the early 12th century

3478-475: The blocks that at one point formed the walls of the castle were removed and used in local construction projects. The Basilica de la Encina is a church built in the Renaissance style in 1573. Its baroque tower dates from 1614. The El Bierzo Museum ( Spanish : Museo de El Bierzo ) offers a tour of the history of the region and hosts several important archeological pieces, while the Museum of Radio ( Spanish : Museo de la Radio ) offers an interesting tour of

3552-430: The cause. His ship started leaking and he disembarked with his two sons at Finisterre in 1779. From there, he proceeded to follow the Way of St. James in the reverse direction of the pilgrims' route, in order to get to Paris overland. He did not stop to visit Santiago, which he later regretted. In his autobiography, Adams described the customs and lodgings afforded to St James's pilgrims in the 18th century and he recounted

3626-410: The city, that are offered by RENFE . Passenger trains link the city with major population centers in Spain , including Madrid or Barcelona . Ponferrada also has an urban bus network called SMT (Servicio Municipal de Transporte). It is made up of eight lines on the weekdays and six lines on the festive days that connect all the neighbourhoods with the city centre or Bierzo's Hospital. The bus fleet

3700-441: The city. Ponferrada is also noted for its Castillo de los Templarios , a Templar castle which covers approximately 16,000 square meters (170,000 square feet). In 1178, Ferdinand II of León donated the city to the Templar order for protecting the pilgrims on the Way of St. James who passed through El Bierzo in their road to Santiago de Compostela . The castle hosted the Knights Templar's Grand Master of Castille. However,

3774-418: The closest convenient point to start is Sarria , as it has good bus and rail connections to other places in Spain. Pilgrims arriving in Santiago de Compostela who have walked at least the last 100 km (62 mi), or cycled 200 km (120 mi) to get there (as indicated on their credencial ), and who state that their motivation was at least partially religious, are eligible for the compostela from

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3848-430: The collapse of the mining industry Ponferrada was in a crisis for a while. However, in the late 1990s, the city underwent a major transformation with the establishment of several industrial and service firms, the reintroduction of commercial wine production, the opening of a local branch of the University of León offering several undergraduate degrees, and in general, an improvement of the town's infrastructure. The economy

3922-414: The day and 7 °C (45 °F) at night. During the coldest month, January, the average temperature is 9 °C (48 °F) during the day and 1 °C (34 °F) at night. In the warmest month, July, the average temperature is 29 °C (84 °F) during the day and 14 °C (57 °F) at night. During the winter, temperatures generally vary between 5 and 15 °C (41 and 59 °F) during

3996-429: The day and between −2 and 5 °C (28 and 41 °F) at night. Nights below freezing are very common during this period. Snowfall occurs almost every year with an average of 4-5 snow days every winter, although heavy snowfalls are uncommon in the city. During the summer, temperatures generally vary between 25 and 32 °C (77 and 90 °F) during the day and between 12 and 17 °C (54 and 63 °F) at night. It

4070-478: The designation in 1997 of Las Médulas as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the development of rural tourism lodging and wineries in the area. The Energy City Foundation Spanish : Fundación Ciudad de la Energía was established in Ponferrada in 2006 and is currently overseeing the construction of the National Energy Museum ( Spanish : Museo Nacional de la Energía ) in the city, as well as sponsoring several other initiatives that should further boost tourism and

4144-401: The earth who come with devout affection or for the sake of a vow to the shrine of our Apostle St. James, the patron and protector of Spain, hereby makes known to each and all who shall inspect this present document that [Name] has visited this most sacred temple for the sake of pious devotion. As a faithful witness of these things I confer upon him [or her] the present document, authenticated by

4218-405: The economy of the city and its region. The climate in Ponferrada is warm-summer Mediterranean (Csb) under the Köppen classification and subtropical with dry summer (Mediterranean) with warm summer and cool winter (Csbk) under the Trewartha classification . The winters are cool and wet, the summers are warm and dry. The average annual temperature in Ponferrada is 19 °C (66 °F) during

4292-411: The gospel in Spain, but returned to Judaea upon seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary on the bank of the Ebro River ). Pilgrims on the Way can take one of dozens of pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. Traditionally, as with most pilgrimages, the Way of Saint James begins at one's home and ends at the pilgrimage site. However, a few of the routes are considered main ones. During the Middle Ages ,

4366-410: The history of the radio in Spain. The National Energy Museum ( Spanish : Museo Nacional de la Energía ) is sponsored by the Energy City Foundation ( Spanish : Fundación Ciudad de la Energía ). It includes the restored building and equipment of Compostilla I , Spain's first coal-fueled power plant opened in 1949 in Ponferrada. The church of Santiago de Peñalba (an example of Mozarabic art ),

4440-430: The legend as it was told to him: I have always regretted that We could not find time to make a Pilgrimage to Saintiago de Compostella. We were informed ... that the Original of this Shrine and Temple of St. Iago was this. A certain Shepherd saw a bright Light there in the night. Afterwards it was revealed to an Archbishop that St. James was buried there. This laid the Foundation of a Church, and they have built an Altar on

4514-438: The local wines and food, or simply visit the vineyards. Ponferrada hosts its annual festival (Fiestas de La Encina) during the first week of September with many concerts and activities for adults and especially children, and in July, it organises a Templar Night in its Templar Castle (participants dress up and recreate town life during the 14th century). Ponferrada has several primary and secondary education centers, as well as

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4588-411: The name, such as Hospital de Órbigo . The hospitals were often staffed by Catholic orders and under royal protection. Donations were encouraged but many poorer pilgrims had few clothes and poor health often barely getting to the next hospital. Due to this, María Ramírez de Medrano founded one of the earliest hospitals of San Juan de Acre in Navarrete and a commandery for the protection of pilgrims on

4662-415: The pilgrimage had become a highly organized affair. One of the great proponents of the pilgrimage in the 12th century was Pope Callixtus II , who started the Compostelan Holy Years. The daily needs of pilgrims on their way to and from Compostela were met by a series of hospitals . Indeed, these institutions contributed to the development of the modern concept of 'hospital'. Some Spanish towns still bear

4736-409: The pillar just inside the doorway of the cathedral, and so many now have done this it has visibly worn away the stone. The popular Spanish name for the astronomical Milky Way is El Camino de Santiago . According to a common medieval legend, the Milky Way was formed from the dust raised by travelling pilgrims. The official guide in those times was the Codex Calixtinus . Published around 1140,

4810-523: The route was highly travelled. However, the Black Death , the Protestant Reformation , and political unrest in 16th century Europe led to its decline. Whenever St James's Day (25 July) falls on a Sunday , the cathedral declares a Holy or Jubilee Year. Depending on leap years, Holy Years occur in 5-, 6-, and 11-year intervals. The most recent were 1993, 1999, 2004, 2010 and 2021. The next will be 2027, and 2032. The main pilgrimage route to Santiago follows an earlier Roman trade route, which continues to

4884-412: The sea. Through miraculous intervention, the horse and rider emerged from the water alive, covered in seashells. From its connection to the Camino, the scallop shell came to represent pilgrimage, both to a specific shrine as well as to heaven, recalling Hebrews 11:13, identifying that Christians "are pilgrims and strangers on the earth". The scallop shell symbol is used as a waymarker on the Camino, and

4958-415: The shrine at Santiago de Compostela date from the 9th century, in the time of the Kingdom of Asturias and Galicia . The pilgrimage to the shrine became the most renowned medieval pilgrimage, and it became customary for those who returned from Compostela to carry back with them a Galician scallop shell as proof of their completion of the journey. This practice gradually led to the scallop shell becoming

5032-415: The spiritual roots of the Old Continent." Many still follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. It is also popular with hikers, cyclists, and organized tour groups. Created and established after the discovery of the relics of Saint James the Great at the beginning of the 9th century, the Way of St. James became a major pilgrimage route of medieval Christianity from

5106-399: The way, so the route acquired the nickname "Voie lactée" – the Milky Way in French. The scallop shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on a variety of meanings, metaphorical, practical, and mythical, even if its relevance may have actually derived from the desire of pilgrims to take home

5180-412: Was 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) on July 17, 2022, and the lowest −10.4 °C (13.3 °F) on January 4, 1971. Ponferrada lies in the Way of St. James , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and every year many pilgrims pass through the city in their way to Santiago de Compostela . Las Médulas , ancient Roman gold mines also included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site List, are only a few kilometres away from

5254-469: Was a holding of the Order of the Temple . The railroad arrived in Ponferrada in 1881, and during World War I local tungsten deposits were exploited to supply the arms industry . In 1918, the Ponferrada Mining, Iron and Steel Company ( Spanish : Minero Siderúrgica de Ponferrada (MSP) ) was founded to exploit coal deposits in the region, and it grew to become Spain's largest coal mining corporation. The Spanish National Energy Corporation ( Endesa )

5328-516: Was appointed to organize it, on 21 September 2011. Ponferrada is easily accessible by highway ( Autovía A-6 ) and intercity public transportation is readily available, as several daily ALSA bus services. León Airport is the closest, while airports in Santiago , A Coruña , Asturias , Valladolid and Madrid Barajas provide alternative options for national and international air travel . Ponferrada railway station provides rail services to

5402-495: Was declared the first Cultural Route of the Council of Europe . Since 2013, the Camino has attracted more than 200,000 pilgrims each year, with an annual growth rate of more than 10 percent. Pilgrims come mainly on foot and often from nearby cities, requiring several days of walking to reach Santiago. The French Way gathers two-thirds of the walkers, but other minor routes are experiencing a growth in popularity. The French Way and

5476-473: Was founded in 1944, and in 1949, it opened Spain's first coal-fueled power plant in Ponferrada, Compostilla I . In 1960, the Bárcena Dam ( Spanish : Pantano de Bárcena ) opened and by the second half of the 20th century the economy of the city was mainly based on mining and electricity generation , both hydroelectric and coal-fueled . Starting in the late 1980s, most mines were closed, and after

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