The role of architecture in shaping the pilgrimage experience
Abstract
The role of architecture in shaping the pilgrimage experience
Incoming article date: 11.10.2025This article explores the mutual influence between the phenomenon of pilgrimage and the architecture of sacred structures on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela, a route that gained paramount importance for European Christians after the Holy Land sites became inaccessible in the Middle Ages. The primary objective is to analyze how the architectural design of churches actively shaped the psychological and spiritual experience of pilgrims. The study employs Richard Sennett's concept of "Mind-Sight" (Умо-Зрение) as its theoretical framework, which posits that spatial perception is formed through movement, tactile sensations, and interaction with the environment, rather than through visual contemplation alone. The research is grounded in the examination of specific case studies along the route, including the churches of Le Puy-en-Velay, Rocamadour, Cahors, Burgos, Oviedo, and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The authors demonstrate that these churches functioned as multi-level shelters—providing physical protection, ecclesiastical sanctuary, and divine refuge—which directly determined their architectural appearance. Through massive walls, stone vaults, elevated locations, or integration into caves, the architecture evoked feelings of security, reverence, and humility. The study concludes that these structures were not passive backdrops but active participants in the pilgrim's journey, transforming the pilgrimage into a continuous architectural and psychological experience that prepared the traveler for the final encounter with the sacred.
Keywords: the Way of St. James, pilgrimage churches, medieval architecture, Gothic architecture, Romanesque architecture