The main route of the Camino follows an earlier Roman trade route called the “voie lactée,” French for “Milky Way,” because the Milky Way served to guide travelers along the route. Even today, a popular Spanish name for the Milky Way is “El Camino de Santiago.” Legend holds that the Milky Way was formed from dust raised by traveling pilgrims. The name “Compostela” even means “field of stars.” The earliest record of visits to the shrine date from the 9th century, and the earliest pilgrims from outside of Spain and Portugal are from the 11th century. By the early 12th century the pilgrimage had become a highly organized affair, due in part to the encouragement of Pope Callixtus II. He had the Codex Callixtinus published as a guide book for pilgrims. Even today, the 5th book of the Codex is considered the definitive source for modern guidebooks. The daily needs of pilgrims along the route were met by a series of hospitals, often run by Catholic orders and under royal protection. Although it was highly traveled in the Middle Ages, its popularity declined due to the Black Death, the Reformation and political unrest in the 16th century. While it never fully fell out of use, by the 1980s, only a handful of pilgrims arrived in Santiago each year.
The Camino has seen a modern revival, with hundreds of thousands traveling the route every years; many viewing it as a kind of spiritual retreat. Although pilgrims can take any route to Santiago, common routes include the Camino Primitivo, the oldest route originating in Oviedo, Spain; the Camino Francés, the most popular route beginning at St.-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port and part of the Via Regis; and the Portuguese Way, originating in Lisbon. Pilgrims traveling the Camino obtain credencials or “pilgrim’s passports” which provide access to accommodations in hostels. These hostels, also called refugios, are located along the route and are usually run by a local parish, government, private owners or pilgrims’ associations. Pilgrims are usually limited to a one night stay and are expected to leave by 8 in the morning. They receive a stamp in their credencial, which serves as a record of their journey. At the end, they present these stamps to the Pilgrim Office in Santiago as proof of their journey and can receive a “compostela.” This is a certificate of completing for pilgrims who have walked at least 100 km or cycled at least 200 km. A Pilgrim’s Mass is celebrated each day at Noon and 7:30 PM at which pilgrim’s countries of origin and starting points are announced. The Camindo de Santiago was placed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1993.