Sergio Rojo Arquitecto

Pilgrim Hostel, Way of St. James . Logroño

photos: © José Manuel Cutillas . + domus

During the last years of the XIX century, this building hosted the Liceo Artísitico Literario, a cultural society which needed urgently a stage while the main theater was being built.

Coinciding with the inauguration of the Teatro Bretón de los Herreros, towards the first years of the 20th century, the decadence of the Liceo started. It seems that its different inhabitants (like the soup kitchen or the Pastrana funeral home, among others) didn’t appreciate enough the strength of its outstanding architectonic qualities, and therefore didn’t take care of it. That is why the Liceo fell into oblivion for decades till our years. Fortunately, the power of the Way of Saint James has saved it from ruin, given that the new owners have found in it the perfect place for exploiting a pilgrim hostel.
Moreover, the restoration of this place has permitted to reinforce the urban links that existed among other jacobean milestones at Ruavieja street, as the stone bridge over the Ebro, the San Gregorio's chapel or the imperial church Santa María de Palacio, first pilgrim hospice known in Logroño.
The recovering of the main façade, and above all, the original roof, elevated on five centenary wooden trusses, whose typology is a rare example at this part of the country are the principal aspects that the refurbishment has consisted of.
So the pilgrims have the opportunity of sleeping under five old gambrel trusses, in this building whose architect could be the Basque Jacinto Arregui.