1. Saint James is the patron saint of Spain
The reason is straightforward: he was the one who carried word of Christ's resurrection to the Iberian Peninsula. Tradition also holds that he handpicked seven men to keep the preaching alive, and each of them eventually rose to become a bishop.
2. Saint James took up arms against Islam
In the year 844, King Ramiro I defeated the Muslim forces at the Battle of Clavijo. The campaign is said to have succeeded because Saint James himself rode into the fray alongside the king's troops. That is why he is so often shown as a mounted warrior with his sword raised, an image that earned him the name Santiago Matamoros (Saint James the Moor-slayer).
Why not experience it with a local guide?
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See the free tours →3. He is said to have fought in the Americas as well
The chronicles of writers such as Bernal Diaz del Castillo recount that during one of the battles Hernan Cortes waged against the peoples of what is now Mexico, the apostle appeared on the field and helped swing the outcome the Spaniards' way.
4. Madrid has a church devoted to Saint James
It is the Iglesia de Santiago y San Juan Bautista, set right in the heart of the Madrid de los Austrias, the old Habsburg quarter you can wander on a walking tour. The original building was pulled down during the French occupation, yet the church that rose in its place remains an important place of worship to this day.
5. You can begin the Camino de Santiago from Madrid
That same church makes an ideal starting point for the route. If setting out on the Camino has ever crossed your mind, take this as your sign: here you can collect your pilgrim's credential and start gathering a stamp at every stage of the journey. Now that Saint James feels less like a name everyone repeats and more like someone you actually know, there is no finer way to meet the city that keeps his memory alive than on foot, tracing the streets of old Madrid at an unhurried pace, perhaps on a free tour that brings its history and legends to life.
