Santiago de Compostela, in the northwestern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, was third among the great pilgrimage sites of the Middle Ages, after Jerusalem and Rome. The shrine's astonishing success as a magnet for pilgrims grew from the efforts of the kings of Asturia, León, and Castile and the bishops and archbishops of Santiago itself. Art historian Alison Stones traces the origins and motives of these pilgrims, the roads they traveled, and the cultural consequences of their journeys.

Alison Stones teaches art history at the University of Pittsburgh. For an illustrated bibliography of her work, check out her website.