![]() ![]() An exceptional place to stay during your time in the city and to sit at a table well-stocked with the region's delicacies. It currently houses the city's Parador, on the banks of the river Bernesga. One of the earliest expressions of the Spanish plateresque style was a pilgrims' hospital and shelter and the seat of the Order of Santiago. Pilgirm's Route to Santiago de CompostelaĪnd also linked to the Pilgrim's Route to Santiago de Compostela, which has World Heritage status, is the Hostal de San Marcos. Meanwhile, a church which recalls the splendour of the Pilgrim's Route to Santiago de Compostela as it passed through Léon is the Virgen del Camino, a highly venerated figure in the city. In San Marcelo there is a reredos created in part by Gregorio Fernández, one of the most significant sculptors of the Spanish baroque style. Walking around the city, you can discover churches of all ages and styles. ![]() Its prestigious collection of medieval art is enriched by the San Isidro Chest, the Ivory Chest or the Chalice of Doña Urruca. The museum is housed in its cloisters and conserves an archive of codices, incunabula and a Visigothic Bible, among other works. The sculptures on the main fronts are a true Bible in images. But the exceptional condition and quality of the paintings mustn't distract us from viewing the architectural features. We can find scenes from the Old and New Testament, floral motifs and a calendar of agricultural tasks. It is a series of frescoes from the 12 th century which decorate the underground crypt of the Royal Pantheon and which still preserve their original colour. Its thick walls jealously guard what is known as the "Sistine Chapel" of the Spanish Romenesque style. One of the most significant sites in the whole of Europe is the Basilica de San Isidoro. A visit to the Cathedral Museum, one of the most complete of its kind, takes us to see the cloister and a plateresque stairway, as well as major paintings and sculptures. Once inside, stopping by at the choir, the Romanesque tombs in the transept and the chapels of the ambulatory is a must. But perhaps what most captures the visitor's attention are the 1,800 square metres of stained-glass windows. Approaching it face on offers us, on its main front, a view of one of the most significant series of Gothic sculptures, a richly-coloured rose window and two towers, curiously free-standing from the main façade. The “Pulcra Leonina”, one of the most striking Gothic temples in Spain, stands on the site of an old Roman baths and a Romanesque church. León has more examples of this artistic trend in the square of Santo Domingo.įrom here, we can enter the area surrounded by the Roman walls, with the city's two jewels located at either end: the Cathedral and Basilica of San Isidro. The Casa de los Botines, meanwhile, is the work of the architect Antonio Gaudí, who launched the modernist style in the city. The main façade of the palace, site of the County Council, dates back to the 16 th century and featuring prominently on the building are the lattice balconies and the lateral façade. We can continue our route on to the Palace of los Guzmanes and the Casa de los Botines. Also worth a visit is the church of San Salvador de Palat del Rey, dating from the 10 th century and the oldest in the city.ĭotted around these streets are bars and restaurants where we can sample the best of the region's gastronomy and which have made it worthy of the nickname El Húmedo. The palace has a 14 th-century Gothic façade with Arab influences and a large dressed tower. The institution which once supplied meat to the city is a 17 th-century building which today houses an exhibition hall. In this area, there are small palaces and large houses such as the Casa de las Carnicerías and the Palace of Count Luna. Next to the City Hall is the neighbourhood of San Martín, built around the square and the church of the same name. Among this baroque collection of buildings stands the City Hall, popularly known as the "Balcony of the City", since from its galleries the nobles observed the town's activities taking place. ![]() The Plaza Mayor forms the centre of this city, crossed by the river Bernesga. ![]() What was the Roman Legio VII Gemina Pia Felix preserves an interesting Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance legacy, the result of its splendour during the Middle Ages. ![]()
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