Burgos, Camino Santiago

As I arrived in Burgos, the first thing that caught my eye was the Cathedral of Saint Mary, dominating the city skyline with its towering spires reaching for the sky. Construction began in the 13th century, and like many great architectural landmarks, patience paid off. It took over 300 years to complete. The result is a masterpiece of evolving Gothic style, earning its UNESCO World Heritage designation in 1984.

I’ve always had a keen interest in architecture. Every element of a beautifully constructed building tells the story of a place through its shapes, lines, details and spaces. When I stand in front of something like the Cathedral here in Burgos, I find myself tracing the ambitions of the builders, the ideas of the architects, and the lives of all the people who’ve passed through over the centuries. It’s like a city’s history is built right into the walls and streets, and Burgos is certainly full of it. 

After the Cathedral, I wandered over to the Royal Monastery of Las Huelgas. Sitting on the edge of the old city, it is a little quieter and more peaceful, yet just as impressive. It was built in 1187 as a royal burial place and a Cistercian convent by King Alfonso VIII and his wife, Queen Eleanor of England. This part monastery, part palace feels more like a fortress with its solid appearance. I can see the different architectural styles overlap from sturdy Romanesque foundations to Gothic accents. There are even hints of Mudéjar influence from the Muslim artisans who left their mark here. Unlike the cathedral’s gracefulness, the monastery is not polished or showy, but it was built to stand the test of time. 

Inside, I walked through the quiet cloisters and the chapels where the royal tombs lie. Nuns still walk its halls giving aid to those who need it, while also engaging in porcelain decoration as a means of earning an income to support both themselves and their charitable work, a quiet continuation of the monastery’s 800-year tradition of service.

Burgos is a great example of a city that seamlessly moves from medieval architecture to contemporary. Just across the river is the Museum of Human Evolution, housed in a sleek, glass-fronted modern building with plenty of open space to showcase the origins of humanity. It’s a brilliant contrast — modern architecture holding ancient history.