Palencia Cathedral

Palencia Cathedral (Catedral de San Antolín en Palencia) is situated in Palencia, Spain. It is dedicated to Saint Antoninus of Pamiers (San Antolín).

The cathedral was built from 1321 to 1504 stands over a low vaulted Visigothic crypt (the Crypt of San Antolín). Its museum contains a number of important works of art, including a retablo of twelve panels by Juan de Flandes, court painter to Queen Isabella I of Castile and El Greco's St. Sebastian" (1576-79) in the Sacristy.

It is a Gothic building, popularly dubbed as "the unknown beauty" because not as well known as other Spanish cathedrals, though, is a great cathedral, which has in its interior, a large number of works of art of great value. Its more than 130 meters long, 30 meters high and 50 meters wide at the center, making it one of the largest cathedrals in Spain and Europe. Its exterior solid, simple and austere does not reflect the grandeur of its interior, with more than twenty chapels of great artistic and historical interest.

The most recognizable on the outside, is the tower, slim but a little rough, considering your Gothic style. Recent studies and excavations show that it was a military tower, and after serving this function were added to their pinnacles and cattail as the sole decoration.

See also