A Tour Of The Most Beautiful Spanish Cathedrals

There are many Spanish cities that have a cathedral. And some are really spectacular. It is difficult to choose, but these Spanish cathedrals that we are going to visit stand out from the rest for different reasons. How many have you visited?

1 Burgos

It is a true jewel of Gothic art, although its construction lasted for five centuries. The works began in the 12th century and were not completed until well into the 18th century. But if its exterior is spectacular, inside you can discover jewels such as the Chapel of the Constable or the Golden Staircase.

2. Leon

Construction began in the 13th century and is another wonderful Gothic gem. Its two towers, different from each other, and the rose window on its main façade are striking. Inside, we must mention its wonderful 125 stained glass windows and its choir of stalls, the oldest in Spain.

3. Seville

Seville is one of the most interesting Spanish cathedrals, and it is for several reasons. The one that attracts the most attention, without a doubt, is its beautiful bell tower, the Giralda, the minaret of the old mosque. But do not forget that it is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. A real gem.

4. Santiago de Compostela

Point and end of a long journey for thousands of pilgrims, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela marvels for its spectacular façade. A baroque façade that hides a much older treasure: the Pórtico de la Gloria, a masterpiece of Romanesque art.

5. Salamanca

Two cathedrals in one. The old one began to be built in the twelfth century and the new one, almost on it, in the sixteenth. The latter is the second largest cathedral in Spain and its bell tower, over 90 meters high, one of the tallest. By the way, if in the facade of the old university you have to look for the skull with the frog, in the cathedral you will have to look for an astronaut.

6. Segovia, the Lady of the Spanish Cathedrals

Its name is due to the elegance of its shapes and also its dimensions. It is one of the last Gothic cathedrals to be built, as early as the 16th century. Its vaults, which rise 30 meters, and its dome are spectacular, like its beautiful stained glass windows.

7. Jaén

The Cathedral of Jaén is a wonderful example of Renaissance architecture. Harmonic, balanced, elegant and proportionate, it served as an example for many other cathedrals in Latin America. With its facade, conceived as if it were an altar, and its beautiful interior, no one doubts that it is one of the most beautiful Spanish cathedrals.

8. Toledo

It is a grandiose cathedral, a magnificent example of the Gothic style. A temple with many treasures, from its slender tower to a fabulous interior where you can admire magnificent medieval stained glass windows and priceless goldwork. And along with these jewels, a custody of more than two meters of gold and silver that stars in Corpus Christi. 

9. Cordoba

Not only beautiful, but also unique for its location. And the fact is that the cathedral nave, with Renaissance overtones, was built inside one of the most impressive mosques in the world. Of course, the work did not please the almighty Emperor Charles V, who said a lapidary phrase: “You have destroyed what was unique in the world and you have put in its place what can be seen everywhere.”

10. Zaragoza

A step away from the Basilica del Pilar stands the Seo, the cathedral of Zaragoza. It is a beautiful temple where you can see samples of Gothic and Baroque architecture, along with Mudejar elements that make it one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Spain, although unfairly unknown.

11. Palma de Mallorca

A cathedral that looks like a fortress while remaining elegant. The one in Palma de Mallorca is one of the most unique Spanish cathedrals due to its external appearance, because it has the largest rose window of all the European cathedrals, because its central nave is one of the highest and because Gaudí himself worked there.