Palencia, Castilla y Leon
Palencia, Castilla y Leon - Overview:
Palencia is a Medieval town with outstanding Romanesque monuments. Among the major attractions are the beautiful cathedral and the interesting archaeological museum.
Palencia, Castilla y Leon - Geography & History:
Palencia is a city in the northwest of the Tierra de Campos of central Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia, in the autonomous community of Castilla y Leon. Its period of greatest splendour was during the Middle Ages.
In 1208 the first Spanish university was founded here. Today the city is watched over by the imposing sculpture of Cristo del Otero - protecting the Palencia's rich medieval heritage arising from the Pilgrims' Road to Santiago de Compostela.
Palencia, Castilla y Leon - Sightseeing:
More than fifty historic buildings in Palencia are preserved almost intact. Romanesque buildings include the church of San Martin in Fromista; the church of Santa Eufemia in Olmos de Ojeda and the monastery of Santa Maria de Mave.
Palencia's flamboyant Gothic Cathedral is referred to locally as 'the unknown beauty'. The austerity of its Gothic facade conceals a wealth of art inside, including a retablo of twelve panels by Juan de Flandes, court painter to Queen Isabella of Castile. Among its most prized treasures are a valuable plateresque reredos and the crypt of San Antolin. While in Palencia you can also visit the Cathedral Museum, which contains works by painters such as El Greco and Zurbaran.
The house of the Cordon (Palencia's Museum) is a large house dating from the 16th century. It proudly displays a collection of historic artefacts including Celtiberian objects that have been retrieved from excavations at Monte Bernorio, Tariego and Palenzuela. The 'Tesera de hospitalidad' is one of the most treasured exhibits by the museum.
Another 'must see' attraction in Palencia is the Museum Diaz-Caneja of Contemporary Art. It has collections that feature a full exhibition of the pictorial work of Juan Manuel Diaz-Caneja. Northern Palencia also has one of the largest and most notable collections of Romanesque art in the world.
One of the other major attractions of this area is the Natural Park of Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente Cobre, they are located in the most remote and inaccessible border lands. They contain many lakes of glacial origin and are almost unknown. Here you will find a brown bear population which is protected by The Servicio Territorial de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Castilla y Leon.
Palencia, Castilla y Leon - Our holiday accommodation and service:
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So, if you're looking for an activity or nature holiday, walking, cycling, trekking or bird watching; a spot of rural tourism soaking up the traditional Spanish culture and heritage with historic sightseeingin Castille; exploring fairytale castles, beautiful countryside and fascinating villages, rural towns and historic cities such as Leon City; following the historic pilgrims routes or silver route; sampling hearty rural Spanish fayre or simply enjoying a shopping trip or city break in Madrid, Spain's capital city; call our holiday team today.
Many of our clients enjoy touring holidays through central Spain, to experience the unique areas of Castilla la Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Extremadura and Madrid in one holiday. We are therefore very happy to arrange itineraries for you staying in a selection of different Parador hotels along your chosen route. We can also assist you with flights to Madrid and other areas of central Spain, ferry travel, holiday car hire and travel insurance.
