La Rioja

Then we will see over French route via La Rioja.

 

We walked into La Rioja, the qualified region - orchard. Vineyards and olive trees mark the route. It is the valley of the Ebro, and its waters reflected the capital, LOGROÑO.
Here he joined the road from Aragon and Catalonia, which pilgrims came from Mediterranean countries.
You enter the city by the Stone Bridge, almost two hundred meters long, replacing the medieval San Juan de Ortega.
From the eleventh century, Logroño comes alive on the Camino de Santiago. It is a linear city, from east to west, as the Way.
The route runs parallel to the River Ebro, near the church of Santa Maria's Palace, built on the palace donated by Alfonso VII. The needle of Santa Maria de Palacio, eight-sided, is one of the most characteristic images of Logroño.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria la Redonda, three Gothic naves, and two towers - the Twins - in its main facade, is a good example of baroque Rioja.
The city has a church dedicated to the Apostle church of Santiago el Real, with image of Santiago Matamoros.
Logroño is exited by the Puerta del Camino or Carlos V.

Very near Logroño is CLAVIJO, where tradition says the battle was fought army against Ramiro I of Abderrahman II with the decisive intervention of St. James.
Retains the castle walls. From the village overlooking a breathtaking panorama.

NÁJERA is the birthplace of the oldest Spanish jurisdictions and courts of kings of Navarre, besides ancient episcopal see.
City since 1454, the title was granted by Henry IV of Castile.
The two parts of the city are connected by the bridge whose construction is attributed to San Juan de Ortega.
The Monastery of Santa María la Real was founded by King Don Garcia, Najera called for his love of this city, when found in a cave an image of the Virgin with a child in her arms. The grotto is open in the rock under the altar.
In the monastery include the door of Charles I, Dome, Faculty of Knights, tomb of Dona Blanca, Pantheon of the Kings, and choir.
In this cloister is represented annually plateresco Najerense Chronicle, with scenes relating to the medieval pilgrimage.
From here, the pilgrims were diverted to San Millan de la Cogolla, where the remains of the saint, patron and protector of Castile. By Berceo, cradle of the Spanish language, went to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA was  city in 1134, by granting Alfonso IX.Conserva medieval remains of its walls. The pilgrims stop at the Compostela was called Rioja was required.
Santo Domingo was a saint by his eagerness builder of bridges on the road, like his disciple Juan de Ortega.
Under the direction of Santo Domingo was rectified the old Roman road that went north. He cleared the forest, built the bridge, up church and hospital (today a Parador) and pilgrims attended.
His remains rest in the Cathedral (Gothic, Romanesque on floor). This temple was added in the eighteenth century a tower - bell tower which is known as the best girl of the Rioja.
Inside the cathedral there is a chicken coop with a rooster and a hen alive to remember a great miracle.
Tradition says that in the fourteenth century, a young man goes on a pilgrimage to Santiago with his parents. A landlady, wanting revenge on the boy who has not served his provocations, hidden in his luggage a silver vase. After denouncing him, he is condemned to the gallows. His parents, check the next day that still lives on the gallows because - as manifested - a noble man has sustained by his feet. They go to Corregidor had at that time on the grill a cock and a hen, and said that the young would definitely alive as those animals.
And suddenly, they, jumped off the plate, walked on the table, and sang ... Since then, a rooster and a hen cage whites have in this cathedral.

In SAN JUAN DE ORTEGA's own monastery and hospital founded Ghost in the twelfth century. The Jeronimos monastery church has three apses of the XII-XIII, XV finished in.
The Romanesque tomb of St. John is kept in the church of her title.
Tradition states that when Queen Isabel of Castile wanted to move the tomb of the Holy traveler, arose from the grave white bees swarming symbolizing each soul of an unborn child. And since then the local women come to pray to the saint and ask a son.