ABSTRACT
The 16th to 19th centuries were a complex period for pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. The criticism voiced by qualified authors on pilgrimages in general; the closing of the borders by the western monarchies; and the epidemics, wars, and hungers were the most important factors. The period also witnessed the emergence of pilgrimage sites that were more accessible and driven by powerful religious and civil institutions. This chapter analyzes this process and delineates the underlying data.
