What to see in Santillana del Mar

Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana

Santillana del Mar It is known as the town of the three lies, because it is not holy, nor is it flat, nor does it have a sea. However, it can boast of being one of the Spanish towns with the most interest in its historical-artistic complex. Since 2013 it has been part of the network of the most beautiful villages in Spain, and it is not for less, with such a beautiful monumental complex.

Talking about Santillana del Mar is also talking about the famous Altamira Caves, considered the 'Sistine Chapel' of rock art. Although this is a must, in this town there is much more to see, because in its old town time seems to have stopped.

The Altamira Caves

caves of Altamira

If there is something that we should not miss when we visit Santillana del Mar are the famous Altamira Caves, the caves with most famous prehistoric paintings in the world. These caves were discovered by chance during the XNUMXth century. At first there was a great controversy in the scientific community because it was not believed that his paintings were so many thousands of years old. However, today the authenticity of these caves has already been more than proven. During the XNUMXth century they became popular and there was a massive influx of people who wanted to see these ancient cave paintings. This influx endangered the cave, so it was closed to the public.

Today only a privileged few can see it. For those who can't, they have the Altamira Museum. In it, an exact replica of the paintings has been created to be able to admire them without endangering this work of art. Keep in mind that the museum is closed on Mondays.

Santillana del Mar old town

Santillana del Mar

Once we have seen the caves or their replica, it is the turn of the beautiful old town of the town of Santillana del Mar. The beauty of this place is that almost the entire town is a historic town, so it has not lost a single apex of its charm. In the cobbled streets you can see buildings from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth centuries, well cared for and restored. The Plaza de la Carrera was the first square in the town, which became too small with the increase in population. This is the reason why the Plaza de Ramón Pelayo was built. The walk between the two lets us see beautiful stately stone houses such as the Quevedo's or the Eagle's house.

Not to be missed House of the Villas or the Palace of the Benemejís. In many of these buildings it is possible to see the family crest in stone. In this town it is possible to find local craft workshops to make some interesting purchases. Also a restaurant where you can try delicious dishes or the delicious typical milk snack with cakes.

The Torres del Merino and Don Borja

Don Borja tower

In the second square that we mentioned, that of Ramón Pelayo, there are two of the most important buildings in the town. We refer to Torres del Merino and Don Borja. The Torre del Merino is the oldest, from the XNUMXth or XNUMXth century, in the Gothic style. In this building lived the merino, who was the one who resolved territorial conflicts. The Barreda family resided in the Torre de Don Borja. Nowadays, it is the headquarters of the Santillana Foundation. Both buildings show the importance of the town during medieval times.

The Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana

Cloister of Santa Juliana

This collegiate church replaced the Monastery of Santa Juliana. At present it is still very visited because it is part of the monuments that must be seen on the Camino de Santiago, on the Camino del Norte. The best of this collegiate church is inside, since it has the most beautiful Romanesque cloister that we can see in Spain. The whole building offers a great representation of Romanesque art. In it you can also see the interior of the church with a basilica plan in a Romanesque style. A flamenco altarpiece stands out on its altar.

This is today one of the most important and oldest temples in Cantabria. Apparently, the old hermitage that would have in the place dates from the XNUMXth century, when they moved from Turkey the remains of the martyr Juliana in honor of which this place was built. It is one of the visits that are essential when walking through the old part of the town.

Velarde Palace

Palace of the Arenas

This place is also known as the Palace of the Arenas and it has a beautiful Renaissance style, since it dates back to the XNUMXth century. This palace was built for Alonso Velarde, a young man from a wealthy family. The palace passed from heir to heir for generations until it was finally sold to a doctor. So at present it has a private ownership, but can be enjoyed from outside.


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