Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Palencia (Spain). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Palencia Cathedral, Cristo del Otero, and Church of San Miguel. Also, be sure to include Archaeological Museum in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Palencia (Castile and León).
Table of Contents
Palencia Cathedral
Also known as: Catedral de San Antolín de Palencia
Cathedral in Palencia, Spain. Palencia Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in Palencia, Spain. It is dedicated to Saint Antoninus of Pamiers.
The cathedral was built from 1172 to 1504 stands over a low-vaulted Visigothic crypt (the Crypt of San Antolín). In front of the Proto-Romanesque temple is the old Visigothic chapel from the mid-7th century, built during the reign of Wamba to preserve the remains of the martyr Saint Antoninus of Pamiers, a Visigothic-Gallic nobleman brought from Narbonne to Visigothic Hispania in 672 or 673 by Wamba himself. These are the only remains of the Visigothic cathedral of Palencia.
It is a large Gothic building, popularly dubbed as "the unknown beauty" because it is not as well known as other Spanish cathedrals, though it is a valuable building which has in its interior works of art of great value, including El Greco's painting The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (1576–1579) and a retablo of twelve panels by Juan de Flandes, court painter to Queen Isabella I of Castile.
Its more than 130 metres long, 42 metres high and 50 metres wide at the centre. Just by way of comparison, the internal length of the Cathedral of Reims, reaches 138m, in turn, the height of the central nave, reaches 33m in Notre Dame de Paris; Reims 38m, 42m in Notre-Dame d'Amiens and 48m in Saint-Pierre de Beauvais. Its solid, simple and austere exterior does not reflect the grandeur of its interior, with more than twenty chapels of great artistic and historical interest. The most recognizable feature on the outside is the tower, of 55 meters of height, solid and a little rough in its Gothic style. Recent studies and excavations show that it was a military tower, and after serving this function, pinnacles and cattail were added as the sole decoration.[1]
Address: Plaza Inmaculada, s/n, 34005 Palencia
Cristo del Otero
Sculpture by Victorio Macho. The Cristo del Otero is a large sculpture and symbol of the city of Palencia in Spain, located on a knoll on the outskirts of the city. Another name, much less popular, is the Monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The sculpture was designed by Victorio Macho, and it is also the location of his tomb.[2]
Address: Ermita Cristo del Otero Ermita Cristo del Otero, Palencia
Church of San Miguel
The church of San Miguel, in the Spanish city of Palencia, is a temple of Catholic worship, of late Romanesque and Proto-Gothic style, located on the banks of the Carrión River. The most characteristic feature of the building is its tower with large openwork windows and a top of battlements that give it the appearance of a fortress, being one of the emblematic images of the city. It was declared a Historic Artistic Monument in 1931, and of Cultural Interest in 1992.
Address: Plaza San Miguel, 2-4, 34005 Palencia
Archaeological Museum
The museum of Palencia, installed in the house of the Cordón, is one of the main museums of the city of Palencia, in Spain, and brings together an interesting collection of prehistoric, Roman and medieval pieces and works of the province of Palencia. It is owned by the State through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, and is managed by the Junta de Castilla y Leon. It was inaugurated on October 27, 1997 with the archaeologist Mariano del Amo as its first director.
St. Francis Church
The church of San Francisco in the city of Palencia is a temple of Catholic worship built primarily in the thirteenth century in Gothic style with later Renaissance and Baroque additions. Administered by the bishopric of Palencia, the building was part of the disappeared convent of San Francisco, a monastery that was the seat of the Courts of Castile and royal residence. It was declared of Cultural Interest and National Monument in 1992.
Address: Plaza San Francisco, 1, 34001 Palencia
Diocesan Museum
The Diocesan Museum of Palencia is a museum dependent on the bishopric of Palencia and dedicated to the custody and study of the sacred art of the diocese. It is located in the Episcopal Palace of the capital of Palencia, and was inaugurated in 1973. It houses an extensive collection of works of all artistic disciplines and periods from the Romanesque, with the presence of prominent artists such as Pedro Berruguete, Felipe Bigarny, Alejo de Vahía, Manuel Álvarez, Jan Provost, the Master of Calzada or Bartolomé de Castro, among others.
Address: Calle Mayor Antigua 22, 34005 Palencia
Museo Catedralicio
Museum
Parque de Isabel II
The park Salón de Isabel II, better known by the nickname "El Salón" is a park located in the Spanish city of Palencia.
Address: Paseo del Salón, 34002 Palencia
Jardinillos de la Estación
Jardinillos de la Estación is a park in the city of Palencia. Better known by the people of Palencia simply as Jardinillos, it was inaugurated in 1875 along with the North Station and was created to provide a dignified gateway to the city.
Iglesia de San Lázaro
The church of San Lázaro de Palencia is a Catholic temple that holds the category of parish. It was built in various stages from the fourteenth century, within the Gothic art, although with numerous later reforms. Its greatest artistic interest lies in the main altarpiece, made in Renaissance Plateresque style.
Address: Plaza de San Lázaro, 34002 Palencia
Plaza de San Juanillo
Relax in park, Park
Address: Calle Infanta Isabel, 2, Palencia