The Spanish Language Route or Route of the Castilian Language (El Camino de la Lengua Castellana) is a cultural itinerary that explores the key locations in the origin and expansion of the Castilian (Spanish) language during the Middle Ages. The route begins in San Millán de la Cogolla (La Rioja), ventures into Castile and León through Valpuesta, Santo Domingo de Silos, Valladolid, Salamanca, and Ávila, and culminates in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid).
This project was born in 1998 by initiative of the Government of La Rioja and was consolidated with the creation of the Fundación Camino de la Lengua Castellana, whose purpose is to promote and showcase this outstanding tourist and heritage wealth.
A Coruña. The glass city
Highlights of the Route:
- San Millán de la Cogolla (La Rioja)
The Monastery of San Millán de Yuso safeguards the Glosas Emilianenses (Glosses of Saint Emilianus), which are small handwritten notes written in the margins of a Latin codex. These notes were drafted in several languages: Latin, Basque (Euskera), and a Hispanic Romance tongue. - Valpuesta (Burgos)
Endorsed by the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), an exhaustive paleographic study carried out by the Instituto Castellano y Leonés de la Lengua points to the Cartulary of Valpuesta as the oldest written expression of Castilian (9th century). This collection of documents, consisting of 187 Latin texts written by 34 scribes from the Monastery of Santa María de Valpuesta, confirms that the earliest records of the Romance language spoken in Castile are found here, positioning the region as the true birthplace of the language. - Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos)
The golden age of this stop arrived in the 11th century, thanks to the intense activity of its Scriptorium. The famous Glosas Silenses (Glosses of Silos) date back to this period and stand as one of the founding documents of Castilian (the originals are preserved today in the British Museum in London). Furthermore, its monastery is a masterpiece of religious architecture that houses a library with over 60,000 volumes, including valuable incunabula, manuscripts, and codex. - Valladolid
History has given Valladolid the popular reputation of being the place where the best Castilian is spoken—a prestige that dates back to the 15th-century Court, when enlightened figures and scholars drove an exemplary and refined language. Great authors of Spanish literature, who found their source of inspiration in the city, also contributed to this splendor. Travelers can experience this literary atmosphere through the names of its streets and during essential visits to the House-Museums of José Zorrilla, Christopher Columbus, and Miguel de Cervantes. - Salamanca
Salamanca is the birthplace of the Castilian Grammar (Gramática de la Lengua Castellana) by Elio Antonio de Nebrija. Published in 1492, it was the first grammar of a modern European language and laid the foundations for modern Spanish. Its famous University, founded by Alfonso IX in 1218, is the oldest active university in Spain and the third oldest in Europe. With over 800 years of history, the institution witnessed the rapid expansion of the language during the 14th and 15th centuries. In the city, alongside the historic University building, the Miguel de Unamuno House-Museum is a highly recommended stop. - Ávila
As it passes through Ávila, the route becomes steeped in spirituality centered around two figures: Saint Teresa of Ávila (de Jesús) and Saint John of the Cross. Together, they shaped Christian mysticism, one of the most important literary movements of the 16th century. They turned to the written word to convey spiritual emotions with a moving realism, and expanded the boundaries of the language. Centuries later, authors such as Unamuno, Baroja, and Azorín took up the literary mantle to capture the essence of Ávila in their works. The tour of the city includes its imposing medieval walls, the Monastery of the Incarnation, and the convents of Saint Teresa and Saint Joseph. - Alcalá de Henares (Madrid)
The Route of the Language concludes in the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes. Alcalá de Henares pays tribute to the author of Don Quixote through his Birthplace Museum, the Plaza de Cervantes, and its historic University. Every April 23rd, the university’s main auditorium (paraninfo) hosts the presentation of the prestigious Cervantes Prize, the highest accolade in Hispanic literature.
