Estella - Iglesia de San Pedro de la Rúa

Estella was founded in 1090 by King Sancho Ramírez to encourage frankish merchants, to settle here and so support the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostella. Recent excavations have proven, that early immigrants came from Le Puy ("Via Podensis") and Tour ("Via Turonensis").

The name "Estella" (= star) seems to be choosen by very experienced marketing specialists to start the business, as this refers to the Magi and as well to Charlemagne as he "saw in the heaven a pathway of stars" leading to Galicia (Pseudo Turpin).

Aymeric Picaud, author the Codex Calixtinus, praises the food here and even mentions the "healthy water". Estella thrived, in 1354 there were six hospitals of pilgrims here.

The "Iglesia de San Pedro de la Rúa" was mentioned already in 1174, in 1256 this was the largest church in Estella. Here is the portal, a twin of the portal of the "Iglesia de San Román" in Cirauqui (14kms east) and a close nephew of the portal of the "Iglesia de Santiago" on Puente la Reina (20kms east).