In "Santiago de Compostela", what does "Compostela" mean?

Question

In "Santiago de Compostela", what does "Compostela" mean? I know that Santiago means James, but I am unsure of the last part. I am also unsure if it is Latin or Spanish, so please help me. Thank you!

Answer 1

Well, you piqued my curiosity.

The compostela is a certificate of accomplishment given to pilgrims on completing the Way.

compostela

Answer 2

Santiago de Compostela (also Saint James of Compostela) is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia. The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James (Galician: Camiño de Santiago, Spanish: Camino de Santiago). Folk etymology for the name "Compostela" is that it comes from the Latin "Campus Stellae" (i.e. Stars Field), but it is unlikely such a phonetic evolution takes account of normal evolution from Latin to Galician-Portuguese. A more probable etymology relates the word with Latin "compositum", and local Vulgar Latin "Composita Tella", meaning "burial ground" as a euphemism.

Very interesting indeed, thanks - RicardoP, Oct 16, 2009

Answer 3

Compostela is reported to mean field of stars from campo and stella. I have written about St James, the Patron Saint of Spain which the capital Santiago de Compostela is named after.

Have you? Nice to know. I'm writing from that 'field of stars' right now. - cogumela, Sep 23, 2011

Welcome to the forum! - cogumela, Sep 23, 2011

Answer 4

Asrinivasan:

Someone must enter the word "Campostela" into a "Google search to find this answer.

It might as well be you.

Good luck in your search

Moe.