burgos

Burgos, not only the birthplace of El Cid

Burgos not only enjoys the honour of being the birthplace of El Cid but has a Gothic cathedral of exceptional quality and beauty that is one of the finest in Spain. Its Old Quarter also preserves beautiful medieval and Renaissance churches and palaces

Things to see in Burgos

Burgos served as one of the capitals of Castile (Castilla), the historic heart of Spain and was the birthplace of the Spanish 11th Century hero El Cid Campeador.

The city's remarkable Gothic cathedral is a building of exceptional beauty, and one of the country's largest. It is here the the tomb of 'El Cid' lays.

The Old Quarter preserves Renaissance churches and palaces. The San Millan Suso and Yuso monasteries are also worth a visit while in Burgos.

15km east of Burgos there is a totally different attraction- the Atapuerta archeological site. It contains prehistoric tools and bones of the earliest humans in Europe, living some 800,000 years ago.

The northern and eastern portion of the diocese is mountainous, thickly wooded, and traversed by rivers, among which is the Ebro, which rises in the mountains and serves as the eastern boundary for Miranda. The Arlanza which crosses the diocese from east to west flows by Salas de los Infantes, near the famous Monastery of Silos, and through the centre of the well-known town of Lerma. The mountainous region is unproductive of cereals, but fruits grow in abundance, and fine pasture-lands sustain great herds of cows and sheep, which furnish excellent meat and milk. Delicate cheeses which take their name from the city and are famous throughout Spain, are made in this section. Minerals are abundant, especially sulphate of soda, common salt, iron, and hard coal. The southern part of the diocese, especially the valley and plains, is fertile and produces abundantly vegetables, cereals, and quite a quantity of wind. The climate, cold but healthy, is damp towards the north. Although this section has few industries, the transportation of its fruit and minerals is greatly facilitated by the numerous highways and by the railroad between Madrid and France which crosses the eastern side of the diocese from south to north. There are also some secondary railway lines for the operation of the mines.

Burgos possesses more religious monuments than any other Spanish diocese. The cathedral, which its chapel of the Condestable, the monastery of Las Huelgas, and the Carthusian monastery of Miraflores, are museums of really permanent value.

The Cathedral of Burgos

As an architectural monument this structure displays the best features of the art of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries. It was commenced by Bishop Mauritius in 1221, in the reign of Ferdinand III and Beatrice of Swabia, and is Gothic in style. the principal façade, Santa Maria la Mayor, faces west, and on either side rise two towers about 262 feet in height, terminating in octagonal spires covered with open stonework traceries. The façade is composed of three stories, or sections. The first, or ground story has three ogival entrances with rectangular openings; the second has a gallery enclosed by a pinnacled balustrade and a rose window as delicately carved as a piece of lace, which admits some light into the church. In the upper-most story there are two double-arched windows of ogival style, with eight intercolumnar spaces, in each of which there is a statue on a pedestal. The whole is finished with a balustrade of letters carved in stone and forming the inscription: Pulchra es et decora (Thou art beautiful and graceful), in the centre of which is a statue of the Blessed Virgin. In the lateral sections (the towers) the windows are enclosed by stone balustrades, and the top is surmounted by balconies of stone surrounded by balustrades formed of Gothic letters in various inscriptions; needle-pointed pinnacles finish the four corners. The spires, as already said, are octagonal in shape; a gallery runs around the eight sides near the top, upon which rest the graceful points of the conical finial.

Monastery of Las Huelgas

Next to the cathedral in magnificence is the famous Monasterio de las Huelgas on the outskirts of the city. It dates from the year 1180, and architecturally belongs to the transition period from Byzantine to Gothic, although in the course of time almost every style has been introduced into it. This convent has two remarkable cloisters, one a very fine example of the earlier period and of the use of semi-circular arches and delicate and varied columns; the other of the ogival style of the transition period. The interior of the church is in the style of the latter, enormous columns supporting its magnificent vault; the entrance is modern. This convent is celebrated for the extraordinary privileges granted to its abbess by kings and popes.

Monastery of Miraflores

The Carthusian monastery of Miraflores, celebrated for the strict observance of its rule, is situated about one mile from the city. A very beautiful and life-like statue of St. Bruno carved in wood is one of the treasures of the monastery; the stalls in the church also display exquisite workmanship. The mausoleum of King John II and of his wife Isabel, in this monastery, is constructed of the finest marble and so delicately carved that portions seem to be sculptured in wax rather than stone. Around the top are beautiful statues of angels in miniature, which might be the work of Phidias. The French soldiers in the War of Independence (1814) mutilated this beautiful work, cutting off some of the heads and carrying them away to France
History of Burgos

Where does Burgos come from?

When the Romans took possession of what is now the province of Burgos it was inhabited by the Morgobos, Turmodigos, Berones, and perhaps also the Pelendones, the last inhabitants of the northern part of the Celtiberian province. the principal cities, according to Ptolemy, were: Brabum, Sisara, Deobrigula, Ambisna Segiasamon, Verovesca (briviesca), and others. In the time of the Romans it belonged to Hither Spain (Hispania Citerior) and afterwards to the Tarragonese province. The Arabs occupied all of Castile, though only for a brief period, and left no trace of their occupation. Alfonso (III) the Great reconquered it about the middle of the ninth century, and built many castles for the defence of the Christians, then extending their dominion and reconquering the lost territory. In this way the region came to be known as Castilla (Lat. castella), i.e. "land of castles". Don Diego, Count of Porcelos, was entrusted with the government of this territory, and commanded to promote the increase of the Christian population. with this end in view he gathered the inhabitants of the surrounding country into one village, which took the name of Burgos, or burgi. The city thus bounded began to be called Caput Castellae. The territory (condado), subject to the Kings of Leon, continued to be governed by counts and was gradually extended by victories over the Moors, until the time of Fernan Gonzalez, the greatest of these rulers, when it became independent; it later on took the name of the Kingdom of Castile, being sometimes united with Navarre and sometimes with Leon. In the reign of St. Ferdinand III (c. 1200-52), Leon and Castile were definitely united, but they continued to be called respectively the Kingdom of Leon and the Kingdom of Castile until the nineteenth century. This district has been the scene of many and varied events: the wars with the Arabs, the struggles between Leon and Navarre, and between Castile and Aragon, the War of Independence against France, and the civil wars of the Spanish succession.

Highlights of Burgos

The town grew between the 15th and 16th centuries because of a booming textile trade, which ensured the town's prosperity.

This economic boom allowed the town to develop and to construct an impressive number of exceptional monuments and buildings: the las Huelgas monastery and the doors to the former walls to the city of "arco de Santa Maria", etc.

Burgos is pleasant but low key, with little going on at night. The many businesses, located under the arcades of the old town, the bars and restaurants around the cathedral, but most of all, the many parks and gardens along the banks of the Arlazon provide wonderful scenery for a walking tour of the city.

Burgos is well known for its cathedral. In fact, it is the third largest cathedral in Spain, (84m long and 60m wide). The construction of this masterpiece of gothic art began in 1221 and continued on for three centuries. You'll be amazed by its facade and the finely worked floral decoration of its two spires.

The arches on the Sarmental door represent the heavenly kingdom. Inside, there is an elegant, renaissance staircase called the "la escalera Dorada". Don't forget to get a look at the recumbent statue of the constable of Castille and his wife. Underneath the transept with its magnificent star-covered cupola, you will find the tombstone of El Cid and Ximena.

El Cid Campeador, the legendary hero was named Rodrigo Diaz. Born in 1043 in Vivar, he fought with the Moors who gave him his name "sidi", which means lord in Arabic. In 1094, he conquered the town of Valencia, but this time he was fighting for Christian forces. He served as governor of Valencia until the day he died. His body and that of his wife, Ximena, lie in the Burgos cathedral.

His exploits made their mark on the history of Castille and inspired Corneille to write his famous work about the hero Covarrubias, the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos and Lerma.

Miranda De Ebro

This village arose in high-mediaeval times to defend a strategic crossing over the river Ebro, with a castle erected on the hill of La Picota. The festivity of San Juan del Monte is very famous and well-attended and has been declared to be of tourist interest.

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