León, Camino Santiago

It’s impossible to bypass the cathedrals and churches along the Camino. Each city I travel through has one just as beautiful as the last. The artistry, the architecture, and the details never fail to amaze me. Here I am in León, standing before the stunning Santa Maria de León Cathedral. Known as The House of Light, its Gothic walls are flooded with colour from over 1,700 square metres of stained glass. I stepped inside just to watch the sunlight stream through those windows. It looked magical, as the light cast a kaleidoscope of hues across the ancient stones.

León itself has a long history, having been founded as a Roman military camp around 29 BC by the Legion VI Victrix. This legion was originally raised by Octavian, who became Emperor Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. They were seasoned soldiers, veterans of the civil wars that followed Julius Caesar’s assassination and played a key role in securing Augustus’s power. By the time they arrived here, they were helping to secure Rome’s grip on northern Spain during the final stages of the Cantabrian Wars. Later, in 74 AD, Legion VII Gemina settled into the original camp under Emperor Vespasian, tasked with protecting the region and the nearby gold mines, which were vital to the empire. Walking through the city, with its mix of Roman ruins — particularly the stretches of ancient city walls along Avenida de los Cubos — and grand medieval buildings, it’s easy to picture the Roman legions, their armour shining in the sun, marching these same streets nearly two thousand years ago.

Not far from the cathedral, I visited the Basilica of San Isidoro, where medieval monarchs are interred. Often called one of the most important Romanesque complexes in Spain, it was built on the site of an earlier Roman temple and later became a royal pantheon for the kings of León. Inside, the beautifully preserved frescoes in the Royal Pantheon have earned it the nickname “The Sistine Chapel of Romanesque Art”.

Then there’s the Convento de San Marcos. Founded in the 12th century as a resting place for pilgrims travelling the Camino, it later became a monastery for the Order of Santiago. The convent was transformed into a Renaissance-style luxury hotel in 1964 as part of Spain’s state-run chain of historic hotels designed to preserve historic buildings while promoting tourism. 

One of the more unexpected sights was Casa Botines, an Art Nouveau building with a medieval look designed by Antoni Gaudí, the same architect behind Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia. Originally a commercial building, it later became a local bank, and today, it is a museum showcasing Gaudí’s work alongside a collection of 19th- and 20th-century art. 

However, what truly sets León apart is its pivotal role in the early days of democracy. In 1188, under the reign of Alfonso IX, the city hosted what is considered the first Parliament in European history. For the first time, not only nobles and clergy but also town representatives took part in creating laws to protect ordinary people. This important event earned León the title "cradle of Parliamentarism". The original laws, known as the Decreta of León, were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World register in 2013. What an incredible surprise to realise that this quiet Spanish city helped lay the foundations for how governments work today.