University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 2

Planned timetable: TBC

Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain became the most important destination for Christian pilgrimage besides Rome and Jerusalem. Beginning in the tenth century, hundreds of thousands of regular people left their towns, cities, and villages for several months to walk on the well-beaten path. Purported to have the relics of St James the Greater, the city of Santiago built ever-greater structures to house these treasures and to impress and attract pilgrims. Pilgrimage became a form of large-scale tourism, with sites along the road competing to attract visitors and their money. The most popular churches, such as Conques, grew to accommodate the throngs. Crowd control inspired new forms of architecture, which we still experience in large buildings today, such as Ikea. We will seek to understand the early medieval cult of relics, and the role that churches played in Europe during periods of weak government. We will also study this early form of tourism and its marketing ploy.

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact:

Scheduled learning hours: 37

Guided independent study hours: 264

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews:

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 0%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 100%

Personnel