Who created the Silver Route?

The Silver Route was not originally created as a pilgrimage route, but as a Roman road built during the Roman Empire. Its main purpose was to connect the cities of Emerita Augusta (present-day Mérida) and Asturica Augusta (present-day Astorga), facilitating trade, military transport and communications throughout the Iberian Peninsula.

Over time, this route became a strategic route for trade, warfare and the pilgrims from southern Spain who used it to reach Santiago de Compostela.

Silver’ has nothing to do with the transport of this material. The name of this route comes from the pronunciation of the Arabic term ‘balath’, which means ‘paved road’, in relation to the Roman road.