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Monastery of Santa María la Real de Nájera
Founded in 1032 by King García el de Nájera as Marian temple, convent and royal pantheon, the Monastery of Santa María la Real was declared National Monument in 1889. It was originally built in the Romanesque style, but in the 1st quarter of the 15th century it was restored in the Gothic and Renaissance styles. The irregular structure is the result of the different phases of construction, being the most outstanding elements the church and the cloister.
 

Monasteries in San Millán de la Cogolla
In the municipality of San Millán de la Cogolla, on San Millán Valley can be found two magnificent and historic Monasteries, Suso and Yuso. In 1997, both were declared Heritage of Mankind, not only for its historic, artistic and religious values, but also for literary and linguistic reasons. The Castilian language was born between its walls. These "emilianenses" Monasteries are part of the cultural route that was developed around Santiago´s Route, which is the most important vehicle of communication of ideas in all European history.
 

El Salvador Cathedral (Santo Domingo de la Calzada, La Rioja)
El Salvador Cathedral stands on the ruins of a former church. It was built in 1105 and consecrated the following year. Later on it became a Collegiate Church , and a Cathedral in 1232 and the see of the Bishop of Calahorra-La Calzada. It is one of the best examples of Pro-Gothic architecture. The Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles are represented.

 

The Old Hospital for Pilgrims - Parador of Santo Domingo de la Calzada
The old Hospital for Pilgrims was built by Santo Domingo with the aim of relieving the sufferings of pilgrims on their way to Santiago. To this end the saint also built a section of road in Nájera, a stone bridge of great importance spanning the Oja river and a hospice run by himself. Santo Domingo de la Calzada owes much to this hospital.

 

Burgos Cathedral
Burgos Cathedral is one of the most important monuments in Spain, and one of the most beautiful in the world. It was declared "Heritage of Mankind" by the UNESCO on 31 October, 1984, the only Cathedral to receive this distinction in the Iberian Peninsula. In this harmonious architectural work of art every corner has its importance and contribute to the beauty of the whole. It stands over a Romanesque temple built in 1077.

 

Convent of Las Huelgas (Burgos)
The Convent of Las Huelgas is one of the most famous and important convents in Spain. Since its establisment it became a social centre of great influence that lasted until the second half of the 19 C. The abbesses were all-powerful until then. The Convent was built in the 12 C commissioned by King Alfonso VIII and his Queen Leonor. They wanted a place that could house a Royal Pantheon and a retreat for women from the aristocracy and royalty.

 

Miraflores Carthusian Monastery
Miraflores Carthusian Monastery is among the most important monuments in Burgos. It was first built in 1401, when Enrique III, King of Burgos commissioned the construction of a palace that would serve as a hunting residence. In 1441 his son, Juan II, entrusted the building to the Carthusian monks, with a view to converting it into a Royal Pantheon. In 1452 a fire burned the building to the ground. Its reconstruction, commissioned to Juan and Simón de Colonia, began in 1454 and was not completed until 1484.

 

The Arch-Building of Santa María
The Arch-Building of Santa María is among the most emblematic monuments of Burgos. It is mentioned in the Epic Poem of El Mío Cid. At the time of the great Castilian hero, it was the most famous of the twelve doorways to the town. Through it passed Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar when he left Burgos to fight the Moors and when he came home to rest from the bloody battle. Its present appearance dates back to the second third of the 16 C.

 

The Palace of the Constables of Castile
The Palace of the Constables of Castile or House of the Cord is considered one of the best examples of civil architecture in Burgos. Commissioned by the Constables of Castile, the palace was built between the years 1482 and 1492 by Simón de Colonia. The popular name given to the palace comes from the motif -representing the cord that Franciscan monks wear around their habits- shown on the façade. The ornament forms a tympanum that frames the coats of arms of the Constables.

 

Church of San Martín of Frómista (Palencia)
The church of San Martín of Frómista is considered the purest Romanesque architectural work in Castile. It marks a climax in this particular style, on account of its perfect ordinance and the balance between the construction itself and the sculptural ornamentation. Dating back to the 11 C, this small church has a floor plan consisting of three naves, the central being wider and higher, a transept with a cupola on the centre, and three semicircular apses, the central being the largest.