Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos

Architecture

The main features of the cathedral are the “Puerta del Perdón” (gate of mercy), the starred rose-window and a gallery with statues portraying the past kings of Castile. Some of the many steeples of the church are as high as 84m (92yd) and beautifully complemented by splendid and down-welling steeple-tops from the 15th century. Inside the cathedral one gets to admire precious historical artworks such as retables, choir stalls, paintings, tombs, and sculptures.

The cathedral of Burgos is one of the most impressive examples for Gothic architecture in Spain. It was built in the period between 1221 and 1765 at the initiative of king San Fernando and bishop Maurizio. Due to the long construction period, the cathedral shows several building styles. Famous for its majestic appearance, it became a listed UNESCO world cultural heritage site in 1984. A further interesting aspect is the cathedral appearing on the Spanish 2 € commemorative coins, being one of the landmarks of Spanish history.

By car

After crossing the Spanish border stay on the AP-8 and take exit 69 leading onto E-5/ E-80/ AP-1 in the direction of Bergara/ Vitoria/ Gasteiz/ Burgos. Then follow the signs to Burgos. Once there, take the exit 236 leading towards BU-11/ Burgos Centro Ciudad, the city centre of Burgos. The cathedral is signposted.