Refugio de Santiago - Lunahuana - The Santiago's Road

Guided by the stars, people coming from all the corners of the world continue crossing paths up to the present time on the wonderful way to Santiago, travelling along the old footpath that has been trod by so many old feet. By the stars at night and guided along the route by the sun during the day, all made certain of the direction of their march; their faith pushes them along, the promise of which renders culture, but also the curiosity, the challenge, the desire to know new towns and landscapes, to participate in "what has become fashionable" at the beginning of 21st century. Some make it on horseback, others by bicycle; many, now like then, advance slowly, putting one foot in front of the other, with peace in their soul and much joy in their heart. They sleep in inns, shelters, boardinghouses, eat what they find in inns and the like, and just like the medieval trovadores they never despise a good wine glass.

Refuge of Santiago - Lunahuana - Travellers A HISTORY INMORTAL
A thousand years ago, at the end of 9th century, the troops of the caudillo Al-Mansur Moor arrived at Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The population had fled hiding in the forests, prey of the just terrors of the millenium end, in the heat of middle ages. The city was completely empty when Al-Mansur entered the cathedral giving a drink to his horse at the blessed water battery. Then in the crypt, the most sacred place of the temple, where apparently miraculous events happened, there to be found an old monk before a sarcophagus of white marble. Affected by the faith and the anger of that old man, he grants him his life, also respecting the tomb. He destroys nevertheless the temple and the whole city as was the custom.

Al-Mansur, in his Eastern and peculiar generosity, had respected without knowing it the only important thing that existed in the city: that memorial coffer conserved the resting place of Santiago the Apostle. With the death of the caudillo Moor, in 1002, during the battle of Calatañazor, and then of his son, in 1008, a wind of hope began to blow on the harassed Christian kingdoms of the north of the Iberian Peninsula. While the Omeya dynasty became pieces in Muslim Cordova, it reconquers the Spanish advances, and returns to influence economic and cultural exchange. There blooms a new artistic style, the Romanesque style, caused by the Order of Cluny. Compostela resurges from its ashes, there begins the works of the splendid románica cathedral. Also numerous convents, churches and hospitals are built give shelter to the those travelling, now that those returning begin to arrive again in their thousands from all the borders of Europe.

Refuge of Santiago - Lunahuana - Way of Santiago The pilgrims met in the parish of their towns and villages where they received the pertinent blessing of the priest and certificates of their new condition. Usually they go in groups to help themselves and to protect themselves in the terrible adventure. They leave when the good weather begins, the beginnings of the spring, to return if God wants, after vendimia, with the first chills of winter. They meet in the great French sanctuaries, later enter the peninsula by crossing the Pyrenees. They are convinced of the idea, whatever the cost, salvation must be sought; although the gentlemen go by horse, the ordinary pilgrims are usually on foot.

For the poor pilgrim the dangers of the trip are many. The political situation of the diverse kingdoms makes the transit of certain regions difficult. The pilgrims while they enter the Spain of the 11th century, doubt if to go by way of the interior, where the threat of the Moors weighs heavily, or to take the Cantabrian route over the peaks and troughs of the mountains that run adjacent to the edge of the sea. To the possible attacks of the Muslims in the borders of the Christian kingdoms, of the Vikings on the coasts, the presence of brigands in the mountainous regions, is added the desolation, and the embaucadores and thieves in the great cities. Rain, hail, the inconvenience of the rivers makes the march a difficult one. Then there are diseases, wounds, waters both good and bad to drink, the strange meals and customs: To all it were necessary to add the possible attack of animals and that of fierce savages.

The confidence in El Salvador and its Apostle, the desire to redeem faults, with the robust and beautiful faith of the medieval pilgrim, these attributes enabled the pilgrim to face without fear whatever dangers arose. And if the situation got to be really alarming, it will be intoned, deep in the throat, the inspiring verses of the song of the Ultreia: ".... E ultreia, e su eia; Deus, aia nos" (onward, above, God helps us).

HORSEMEN OF THE ORDER OF SANTIAGO
The military religious order of the Horsemen of Santiago was created in 1167 to defend the pilgrims and to say to all the Christian church that they were half monks and half soldiers. A cross that is simultaneously a sword, was the emblem of the Horsemen of the Order of Santiago.

Refuge of Santiago - Lunahuana - back Part During the middle ages Christian Europe has an air of faith and hope. The one that knows Latin can arrive at any part. By the ways of Santiago they go, in one or other direction, the sculptors, the architects, the minstrels, the horsemen, the pilgrims...... The world is consumed by the unquestionable yearning for beauty, and the road is like a gigantic medieval friese of a believing humanity, to which El Salvador has opened the doors of the sky.

Aymeric Picaud wrote in 12th century the first "Guide of the pilgrim", precursor of our more modern guides. This guide was written with a functional criterion; the enumeration of the routes, days, towns and cities has become so that the pilgrims that marched to Compostela can consider with this information the necessary expenses for their trips. It prevents the dangers that can beset the traveller: abusive boatmen who transport more people than the due one, corrupt customs, mesoneros thieves, countrymen of little fiar. Also the guide has the gastronomical section, mentioning the quality of wines and warning the traveller on the quality of some meals, as well as of good and bad waters.

SANTIAGO: PATRONO OF TOURISM - PATRONO OF LUNAHUANA
The Santiago patron arrived at Lunahuana to protect the tourists, the trotamundos, the explorers and the lovers of adventure. He constructed the first church of these kingdoms in its name, to borders of the river in Paullo, five hundred years since then and there are hundreds of tourists that the Santiago patron has protected under his mantle. Today as before, walk leisurely through property and fruit trees, listening to the murmur of the water, the song of the birds and the sound of the nature.

Refuge of Santiago - Lunahuana - Warehouse of Pisco At the moment the innkeepers, the mesoneros, the hotel keepers, the guides and all that are Horsemen of the Order of Santiago that tourist service offers to the travellers. The ways of Santiago de Lunahuana are more than forty kilometers of rural footpaths throughout the valley, following the hidden passage of Hispanic drains, servitudes and steps that furrow hills, broken and rivers.
From always he has known himself that the spirit of Santiago dwells in the grapevine flower, the best drinks come from his fields and like before, the travellers do not despise a good glass of pisco.

Paullo, 26 of Julio of the 2002