Early Studies in Romanesque Architecture and the Discovery of the Pilgrimage Routes to Santiago de Compostela

Early studies on Romanesque architecture revealed the historical significance of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela, particularly through the works of Émile Mâle and Arthur Kingsley Porter. A pivotal moment came with the 1878 excavation of the apostle James' mausoleum in Santiago, which revived the dormant pilgrimage tradition. Fidel Fita's 1882 publication of the Codex Calixtinus further cemented this discovery by documenting various routes. Auguste Bouillet's 1893 essay established the first transnational artistic connections between key sites like Sainte-Foy de Conques and Saint-Sernin de Toulouse, marking a turning point in art history. However, subsequent research has challenged the canonization of these routes as described in the Codex Calixtinus.

Karge, H. (2025). Early Studies in Romanesque Architecture and the Discovery of the Pilgrimage Routes to Santiago de Compostela. Ad Limina, XVI-1(16-1), 65–90. https://doi.org/10.61890/adlimina/16.1.2025/02