Art along the Camino

[KristinaMaria]

Not sure if this is the best place for this posting...I was wondering what types of artworks / galleries / etc. are along the camino or off the beaten path (excluding beautiful nature + towns of course).

Or maybe which of the bigger towns might have art spaces / churches / that are worth looking for.

thanks!

 

[William Marques]

Apart from the Cathedral in Santiago perhaps the Basilica of San Isidoro in Leon is the most important place on the Camino from an artistic view.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_San_Isidoro

The church of San Martin at Fromista is another Romanesque gem. Leon and Burgos cathedrals should not be missed.

Personally of all the sights on the Camino Frances the cathedral at Astorga together with the weird Bishop's Palace by Gaudi next to it was the most memorable.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

you need to consult "The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook," by David Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson. isbn 0-312-25415-4. It is the encyclopedic volume on all the hundreds of artistic treasures to be seen along the Camino Frances, more than you ever wanted to know... and the camino offers much much more art than appears in that ten-year-old volume!

Reb.

 

[William Marques]

The Road to Santiago by Michael Jacobs is another book worth reading about the architecture.

 

[Tia Valeria]

There is the cave art on the Norte. Near Santillana the cave paintings are reproduced in the museum at Altamira. At Ribadesella you can take time out and actually go into the cave of Tito Bustillo, but you would have to book ahead.
Also in Ribadesella the church of Santa Maria Magdalena has a wonderful painted ceiling. The photo doesn't do it justice.

 

[pat.holland]

Plus if you are doing the Camino in two week stretches, then the resulting change of airports each time allows for a different big town/city to explore each time. Bilbao for the Guggenheim, Vitoria for churches and the old town, etc. Plus if you are coming a long way, dont forget Madrid's galleries, seeing Guernica by Picasso was a huge highlight for me on our last trip out.

 

[jl]

.... and you can see a mosaic replica of Picasso's "Gernika" in Gernika itself! Janet

 

[Bridget and Peter]

and a wonderful Henry Moore in Gernika. Bilbao has a museum of fine art which I preferred to what was in the Guggenheim, although its an amazing building.
Santillana has a wonderful church and musuem of Jose Otero sculpture (the albergue is in it's grounds)

yup - there's loads of wonderful art on the Norte!!

 

[KristinaMaria]

thanks for all the suggestions...i really want to visit Bilbao...but i am on the Camino Frances