Palencia information
General information
Roman Pallantia was a crossroads and an imporant
centre of textile manufacturing in other ages, but Palencia lived
its period of greatest splendour in the Middle Ages. During the
reign of Alfonso VIII, the capital became a royal residence and
in 1208 the first Spanish university was founded here.
The city is watched over by the imposing sculpture of Cristo del
Otero which, standing 20 metres tall, dominates the area from
one of the hills surrounding the city.
Calle Mayor, Palencia's main street, is the backbone of the city
running north to south and boasts distinguished façades
and a great many shops. To one side of this major road stands
the arcaded Main Square, the site of the façades of the
City Hall, from the 19th century, and the church of San Francisco,
a Franciscan building from the 13th century.
The surrounding streets lead towards the "unknown beauty",
which is how Palencia's Cathdral is known. The austerity of its
Gothic façade from the 14th century conceals a wealth of
art inside. Among its most prized treasures are a valuable plateresque
reredos from the 16th century and the crypt of San Antolín,
with remains of the Romanesque and Visigothic temples which stood
on the same spot centuries earlier. Lastly, inside the cloister,
a visit can be made to the Cathedral Museum, which contains works
by painters such as El Greco and Zurbarán.
Next to the Cathedral is the Episcopal Palace, site of the Diocesan
Museum, whose collection includes pieces of relgious art from
several churches in Palencia.
Another traditional image of Palencia is provided by the church
of San Miguel. Its openwork tower from the 13th century stands
above the structure of Romanesque origin finished in pointing.
The banks of the Carrión is one of Palencia's major recreational
areas, with extensive green spaces such as Sotillo de los Canónigos.
Oficina de Turismo: Calle Mayor, 105
34001 Palencia (Palencia)
Tel. +34 979740068
Source: Web server of Instituto de Turismo de España, TURESPAÑA.