The Thumbnail Way

Maquetas del Camino de Santiago

The collection "The Way in Miniature"brings together models of churches and monuments mostly linked to the Camino de Santiago, made entirely by hand in paper and cardboard with maché paper techniques and detailed painting work.
The pieces represent buildings that form part of the physical and spiritual landscape of the Way, many of them known to pilgrims who cross these lands. The model is understood here not only as an object, but also as a way to observe architecture carefully, stop the passage and look again.
Each model seeks to convey the monumental and architectural character of the original building, offering visitors to the Albergue Mesón del Camino a miniature look at the historical heritage of the Way.
The use of humble materials —Cardboard, sour paper and pulp— responds to a conscious choice: to explore its structural and expressive possibilities to recreate volume, proportion and architectural character. Each model is a unique piece, the result of a slow manual process, where time and attention to detail are essential.

Process and technique

The construction process combines structural cardboard with successive layers of paper and cellulose pulp. The work is fully manual, starting from an architectural reading of the real building and gradually moving towards detail.

The final finish is achieved by means of very diluted velations of acrylic paint to the water, applied in successive layers. This treatment seeks to unify the whole and strengthen the petreous character of the architecture, always respecting the original texture of the paper and the cardboard, without concealing the material of the support.

Collection of models

Most of the models shown below represent churches located along the Santiago Road. Romanesque and gothic buildings that have for centuries accompanied the transit of pilgrims and that today continue to mark the pace of the road.

The models are physically exposed in the Albergue The Hall of the Way, being part of the space and the host experience.

The model is not intended to replace the direct experience of the real building, but to offer a paused reading of its architecture. At a reduced scale, volume, proportion and constructive elements become more visible, inviting you to observe what often goes unnoticed along the way.

These models are born of the same spirit that encourages the Way of Santiago: slow progress, pay attention and value the journey. They remain exposed to Albergue as part of the shared space, open to the look and conversation of those who pass by

The author

My name is Salva Carles and with my partner, I manage the Albergue Camino Hall, in the middle of Santiago.

The construction of these models is born of interest in architecture and the Way of Santiago. Work on a scale, with paper and cardboard, allows to observe the buildings carefully and to understand their shape and character. Each piece is the result of a slow manual process, linked to the landscape and the spirit of the Way