Catedral de la Asunción

Santander


Santander’s serene cathedral comprises two Gothic churches, one above the other. The 14th-century upper church, extensively rebuilt after the 1941 fire, houses the tomb of Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo (1856–1912), a celebrated Santander-born intellectual. Its handome cloister dates from the 15th century. Below lies the 13th-century Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo, where you can view two silver heads containing the skulls of Santander’s patron saints.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Santander attractions

1. Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo

0.01 MILES

Two superposed Gothic churches make up Santander’s cathedral. In the lower, older, 13th-century Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo, glass floors reveal…

3. Plaza Porticada

0.11 MILES

An elegant ensemble of 64 porticoes frames this handsome plaza, constructed in the aftermath of a 1941 fire that ravaged the city centre.

4. Jardines de Pereda

0.14 MILES

The pretty, recently refurbished gardens around the Centro Botín are named after 19th-century Cantabrian writer José María de Pereda, whose bronze effigy…

5. Centro Botín

0.16 MILES

Santander's newest and splashiest landmark, this ambitious waterfront arts and cultural centre opened to great fanfare in 2017. The futuristic two-block…

6. Mercado La Esperanza

0.19 MILES

Housed in a 19th-century cast-iron structure, the bustling Esperanza market is a lively slice of Cantabrian life. Shoppers throng two floors of stalls…

8. Banco Santander

0.23 MILES

You can’t miss the splendid 1875 Banco Santander building – notable for its giant arch in the middle – across the street from the Jardines de Pereda. The…

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