Day 1 for the new Pilgrims Office!

[ivar]

Dear all,

The new pilgrims office that has been so much talked about is now open. Today was their first day.

Since it is still "winter season" they have opened a smaller office in the lower part of the complex. The larger office (with 13-14 staff writing compostelas at once) will open later, most likely around Easter.

The entrance to this "winter office" is around the corner and in the car entrance that goes right into the garden.


This is inside the new smaller "winter office":

This is the garden:

(Yes, those are grape wines)

The steps up to the main building (and the summer pilgrims office):

I was given a tour of the whole installation, but was asked not to publish photos until they had it all ready. It was spectacular.

Buen Camino!
Ivar

 

[wayfarer]

Great news, it looks lovely, thank you Ivar.

 

[miguel_gp]

Thanks for the info and for posting the photos Ivar. I look forward to visiting it next June.

 

[The Abbey]

Congratulations to everyone that was and is involved in making the new pilgrim office a reality! Catherine and I wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas and look forward to directing pilgrims your way…

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Congratulations to the Pilgrims Office on this wonderful development thanks to a grant to the Cathedral of 1.5 million euros from the regional government. The facilities are excellent for pilgrims, staff and volunteers alike. Millions of pilgrims will benefit in the future. Enhorabuena!

 

[zakosdad]

Dear all,

The new pilgrims office that has been so much talked about is now open. Today was their first day.

Since it is still "winter season" they have opened a smaller office in the lower part of the complex. The larger office (with 13-14 staff writing compostelas at once) will open later, most likely around Easter.

The entrance to this "winter office" is around the corner and in the car entrance that goes right into the garden.
View attachment 22846

This is inside the new smaller "winter office":

This is the garden:

(Yes, those are grape wines)

The steps up to the main building (and the summer pilgrims office):

I was given a tour of the whole installation, but was asked not to publish photos until they had it all ready. It was spectacular.

Buen Camino!
Ivar

Thanks for the post Ivar - hopefully we will see it in fall of 2016. Merry Christmas to you and your crew

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Dear all,

The new pilgrims office that has been so much talked about is now open. Today was their first day.

Since it is still "winter season" they have opened a smaller office in the lower part of the complex. The larger office (with 13-14 staff writing compostelas at once) will open later, most likely around Easter.

The entrance to this "winter office" is around the corner and in the car entrance that goes right into the garden.
View attachment 22846

This is inside the new smaller "winter office":

This is the garden:

(Yes, those are grape wines)

The steps up to the main building (and the summer pilgrims office):

I was given a tour of the whole installation, but was asked not to publish photos until they had it all ready. It was spectacular.

Buen Camino!
Ivar

Ivar , thank you for sharing these pictures. It looks great.
Wish you well and happy Christmas, Peter.

 

[Pete Hohmann]

Does this mean shorter lines for the compostelas? That would be great.

 

[ivar]

Does this mean shorter lines for the compostelas? That would be great.

I would think so...

 

[trevorcc]

See you folks in your new home in Oct. 2016 have a Merry Christmas and may Peace and Happiness bless you all thanks .

 

[Anniesantiago]

Dear all,

The new pilgrims office that has been so much talked about is now open. Today was their first day.

Since it is still "winter season" they have opened a smaller office in the lower part of the complex. The larger office (with 13-14 staff writing compostelas at once) will open later, most likely around Easter.

Ivar

Hey Ivar, will you put up a map to the regular pilgrim office that will be open in May?

 

[Saint Mike II]

Congratulations to the Pilgrims Office on this wonderful development thanks to a grant to the Cathedral of 1.5 million euros from the regional government. The facilities are excellent for pilgrims, staff and volunteers alike. Millions of pilgrims will benefit in the future. Enhorabuena!

They (those pilgrims) will just have practice their navigation skills and walk a further 1km to the new office. But I agree with comments above the new office really does impress. Not really sure about the shorter cues though!!

 

[movinmaggie]

They did a beautiful job both interior and exterior. Thanks for posting them Ivar.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Never mind shorter lines. Just give us tickets in order of arrival and let us sit and not queue standing up on legs that are about to collapse under us. Never understood why crossing the border was the same nonsense, but worse as we all burn gas waiting in queues for no reason.

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Good news Ivar, looking forwards to be there in October.

 

[peregrina2000]

They (those pilgrims) will just have practice their navigation skills and walk a further 1km to the new office. But I agree with comments above the new office really does impress. Not really sure about the shorter cues though!!

I think the new office is no more than 400 m from the old office, and even less than that from the Praza Obradoiro in front of the cathedral, which is where you arrive when walking. It's just in a different direction, a few steps down from the parador, turn right, and there you are. This new location will open up a new section of Old Santiago to the pilgrim traffic, and I'll bet there are a lot of winners and losers in the fallout.

 

[C clearly]

This new location will open up a new section of Old Santiago to the pilgrim traffic

And it is slightly closer to the forum meeting point cafe, Tertulia.

 

[VNwalking]

Santiago, here we come!
Thanks for this brilliant Christmas present of this post, Ivar, and heartfelt thanks to all who made the upgrade and move possible--a huge amount of work!

 

[purplesage]

Thank you, Ivar. I was told the new office will also have a chapel where one can pray (or get married if you want to !!!!). I thought its a good idea. Can't wait to see it in 2 days time. Buen Camino and Merry Christmas. May the Prince of Peace live in your homes and your hearts

 

[ivar]

Hey Ivar, will you put up a map to the regular pilgrim office that will be open in May?

They way you enter the "summer" pilgrims office is the same as indicated on the map above... you just need to go up the stairs (see picture) to get to the larger office. The exit is the door that leads out to the street above.

 

[Zelda Wilson]

Hello Ivar
Thank you for this update. I am the Webmaster for the Confraternity of St James South Africa, and we'd like to add the new address of the Pilgrim's office to our website. Do you have the full physical address details. I would be most grateful.
Kind Regards

Zelda Wilson

 

[ivar]

Hello Ivar
Thank you for this update. I am the Webmaster for the Confraternity of St James South Africa, and we'd like to add the new address of the Pilgrim's office to our website. Do you have the full physical address details. I would be most grateful.
Kind Regards

Zelda Wilson

It is in "Rúa das Carretas", I think it is number 33 (but I am not 100% sure). The street is about 200 meters long, so with the street name you will find it.

 

[t2andreo]

Does this mean shorter lines for the compostelas? That would be great.

The waiting time for a Compostela or other item offered at the Pilgrim's Office is directly related to the number of folks waiting and the number of staff (including volunteers) available to process the requests. It is a simple, linear relationship. The presence of lines or the physical plant only indirectly affects this relationship. That said, the appearance of people picnicking, or lounging about casually as if in at a park is vastly better than standing in queues for upwards of an hour on a narrow street.

However, the space available DOES make a difference, at least perceptually. I assess that the lines will be a thing of the past, depending on the new procedures, as hundreds of waiting pilgrims can be accommodated on the enclosed grounds. I recall from last summer that there is one car-sized gate in and one car-sized gate out. I hope they use these gates to good effect and only allow pilgrims with credentials onto the grounds. This will vastly improve security. Hopefully, they can stop all the non-pilgrims from casually walking through the property.

I look forward to my next volunteer stint there in 2016. While the date(s) are to be determined, my heart is there. I would also like to be part of determining the new procedures they will use.

 

[SYates]

All going well I will be visiting it end of March/beginning of April. Looking forward to it. Buen Camino, SY

 

[tpmchugh]

Oh no, not more steps to climb after all that walking. Hope to be there end of September next year

 

[peregrina2000]

And it is slightly closer to the forum meeting point cafe, Tertulia.

Great point, C. Here is a map that shows you how to get there, it's a 6 minute walk now!

 

[AlwynWellington]

Ivar, thank you for sharing these photos.

And thanks to those involved.

I've just done a Google street view. The images are dated 2009, so a lot may have changed at street level.

I note from your posts the entrance to both Winter and Summer rooms is the same, that is around the corner in Rua de Domingo Garcia-Sabell and the exit is onto Rua des Carretas.

If that is so would it cause less confusion if the address of the entrance is published, rather than the exit. Alternatively "on the corner of ... and ..."

And if the garden can be part of the waiting process, what could be better.

 

[norelle]

When I was in Santiago in July, Rua das Carretas was a construction zone! I guess they were preparing the footpaths for the many pilgrims who will walk that way.
I look forward to visiting the office in October - and Cafe Tertulia again!

buen camino

 

[Saint Mike II]

I think the new office is no more than 400 m from the old office, and even less than that from the Praza Obradoiro in front of the cathedral, which is where you arrive when walking. It's just in a different direction, a few steps down from the parador, turn right, and there you are. This new location will open up a new section of Old Santiago to the pilgrim traffic, and I'll bet there are a lot of winners and losers in the fallout.

Laurie - yes I know where the new office is, in fact I actually went exploring in that region of the city thinking that the office had actually moved. I based my estimate of a kilometre on the time it took me to walk there (from the cathedral). I was there in late September and there was a lot of road works and street repairs being undertaken. With the roads repaid it will be an easy walk from the cathedral and I agree will open up that part of the city to pilgrim exploration.

 

[annakappa]

And it is slightly closer to the forum meeting point cafe, Tertulia.

And just round the corner from our favorite snall hotel(pension) Das Hortas, shown on Ivar's map as a restaurant, but in fact it's a small hotel.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

I will miss the view, at Hotel Rua Villar, of the pilgrims lining up, after I have already exercised the queue. But then again, I'm not staying there next year anyways (though highly recommended.)

Its tough when viewing the map at such a zoomed in scale, would it be fair to say to proceed as if you were heading to Finnesterre and it will be on your left?

Damien

 

[Alan Pearce]

I will miss the view, at Hotel Rua Villar, of the pilgrims lining up, after I have already exercised the queue. But then again, I'm not staying there next year anyways (though highly recommended.)

Its tough when viewing the map at such a zoomed in scale, would it be fair to say to proceed as if you were heading to Finnesterre and it will be on your left?

Damien

On your right Damo.

Alan

Be brave. life is joyous.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Here are some more pics of the new office:

 

[wayfarer]

Beautiful Chapel.

 

[Teresa Santamaria]

Dear all,

The new pilgrims office that has been so much talked about is now open. Today was their first day.

Since it is still "winter season" they have opened a smaller office in the lower part of the complex. The larger office (with 13-14 staff writing compostelas at once) will open later, most likely around Easter.

The entrance to this "winter office" is around the corner and in the car entrance that goes right into the garden.
View attachment 22846

This is inside the new smaller "winter office":

This is the garden:

(Yes, those are grape wines)

The steps up to the main building (and the summer pilgrims office):

I was given a tour of the whole installation, but was asked not to publish photos until they had it all ready. It was spectacular.

Buen Camino!
Ivar

Congratulations Ivar! I am sure the new office spaces will care for the Pilgrim Caretakers well! Feliz Navidad!

 

[Pelegrin]

Today the first Compostelas have been issued in the new office.

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notici...cogida-peregrinos/00031450454542910907330.htm

25 more photos on the news. One photo shows the president of Xunta (right), the Mayor of Santiago (left) and the Archbishop .

 

[Theo]

Hi,

An aerial view HERE

Théo

 

[t2andreo]

WOW! Now, I REALLY cannot wait to get back...where I belong!

 

[gagseymt]

Dear all,

The new pilgrims office that has been so much talked about is now open. Today was their first day.

Since it is still "winter season" they have opened a smaller office in the lower part of the complex. The larger office (with 13-14 staff writing compostelas at once) will open later, most likely around Easter.

The entrance to this "winter office" is around the corner and in the car entrance that goes right into the garden.
View attachment 22846

This is inside the new smaller "winter office":

This is the garden:

(Yes, those are grape wines)

The steps up to the main building (and the summer pilgrims office):

I was given a tour of the whole installation, but was asked not to publish photos until they had it all ready. It was spectacular.

Buen Camino!
Ivar

Thank you Ivar, hopefully I will arrive there on 6th of July 2016 from SJPdP.

 

[zakosdad]

Oh no, not more steps to climb after all that walking. Hope to be there end of September next year

Same time line for us

 

[Robert V J Varman ofs]

Thanks for the maps, there is no substitute for a good labelled map.

 

[DurhamParish]

Oh no, it's such a far way to walk.

Just a joke, folks. HAHA

The new offices look beautiful. But I do have to agree with Damien, I'll miss seeing the pilgrims lined up on Rue Villar.

 

[Maryimelda]

Will we still be able to book with Alsa and Renfe at the new Pilgrim's Ofice?

 

[ivar]

Will we still be able to book with Alsa and Renfe at the new Pilgrim's Ofice?

Yes I was told that both ALSA and RENFE will have a desk there. Most likely in high season only.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Are those confy green armchairs for pilgrims to use while thie number is called to receive their compostela instead of having to stand for over an hour on come cobble stone?

 

[Maryimelda]

Thanks Ivar, good to know.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Dutch]

Ivar, didnt you (or was is someone else...) that said they might have a cafe in the new pilgrim office? Very curious, do they? That would be a great meeting point