Burgos

Burgos is the capital of the province of Burgos and has a population of around 178,000 with another 15,000 or so in it’s suburbs. It sits at 884 metres above sea level, and it does get quite cold in the winter months.

As you come into the city via the Puente de Santa María you’ll come to the Arco de Santa María, an impressive gateway carved with statues of different local dignitaries.

Pass through the gateway into the Plaza Del Rey San Fernando, home of Spain’s finest Gothic Cathedral which completely dominates the centre of the old town.

Work begun on the cathedral in 1221, and construction took only 22 years, but it was added to over the following couple of centuries. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984. The west front is flanked by towers terminating in octagonal spires covered with open stonework traceries. The middle section, which serves for an entrance, has three alabaster pilasters, the intercolumnar spaces bearing panel-pictures representing the martyrdom of saints.

Inside there is a huge amount of sculptures and art work. The Capilla de Santa Tecla is home to Burgos’ famous 15th century clock, the Papamoscas.

The main bridge into the city is the Puente de San Pablo, where you’ll find a statue which commemorates the city’s hero, El Cid.

Other sites worth a visit are the Monasterio de Las Huelgas on the outskirts of the city, which was founded in 1180 by King Alfonso VIII, and was begun in a pre-Gothic style, although almost every style has been introduced over the years.

To the East of the city you’ll find the Cartuja de Miraflores, a Carthusian monastery founded in the 15th century. The church includes the mausoleum of Juan II and of his wife Isabel de Portugal. The multicoloured altarpiece is by Gil de Siloé, and is supposedly gilded with the first ever gold brought back from the New World.

There’s also the Iglesia de San Lorenzo, with it’s impressive Baroque ceiling, the Iglesia de San Esteban with it’s museum of altarpieces and the Iglesia de Santa Áqueda where El Cid made Algonso VI swear that he had nothing to do with the murder of his brother Sancho II.

The Museo de Burgos is found across the river in the Casa

History

Founded in 884, Burgos has played a significant political and military role in the history of Spain. It was the capital of Castilla y León from 1073 until it lost the honour to Valladolid in 1492.

Until well into the 17th century Burgos’ wealth came from it’s wool exports. It used this wealth to finance most of the architecture seen in the city today.

Franco made Burgos his headquarters during the civil war and the industrial development he helped bring about in the 1950s and 1960s brought wealth to the city.

Layout

The center of the old town of Burgos is dominated by the Gothic cathedral and sits between the Río Arlanzón and the hill behind where you can still see what remains of the towns old castle.

Across the Puente de Santa María into the new town along Calle Madrid you’ll find the bus station on the right and take a left along the Calle de la Merced then left onto Avenida Conde de Guadalhorce to the train station.

You’ll find some budget accommodation on this side of the bridge.

If it’s a hot day and you fancy an ice cream I recommend the ice cream shop on the left-hand side of Calle de La Paloma which runs from Plaza del Rey Fernando down the side of the Cathedral.

Back To The Top