Facade of Plasencia Cathedral.

© JoseIgnacioSoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Catedral de Plasencia

Extremadura


Plasencia’s magnificent cathedral is two-in-one. The 16th-century Catedral Nueva is a Gothic-Renaissance blend with a handsome plateresque facade, a soaring 17th-century retablo (altarpiece) and intricate walnut-carved choir stalls featuring seats dedicated to the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs). Within the Romanesque Catedral Vieja are 13th-century cloisters surrounding a fountain and lemon trees. The octagonal Capilla de San Pablo has a dramatic 1569 Caravaggio painting of John the Baptist, a religious museum and an arched Romanesque doorway.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Extremadura attractions

1. Plaza Mayor

0.14 MILES

Plasencia life flows through the lively, arcaded Plaza Mayor: meeting place of 10 streets, home to plenty of bar-restaurants and scene of a Tuesday…

2. Palacio del Marquesado de Mirabel

0.15 MILES

Dating to the 15th century, this is one of Plasencia's most majestic civil buildings. Enter through the fine, columned two-floor Renaissance patio, then…

4. Yacimiento Romano de Cáparra

9.45 MILES

Unearthed in 1929, the fascinating, substantial remains of the once-splendid Roman city of Cáparra mostly date to around the 1st century. Initially…

5. Mirador Salto del Gitano

13.82 MILES

Arguably the most spectacular spot in the national park is the Mirador Salto del Gitano. From this lookout point, 5km south of Villareal along the EX208,…

6. Castillo de Monfragüe

13.95 MILES

The hilltop Castillo de Monfragüe, a ruined 9th-century Islamic fort, has sweeping 360-degree views across the park, with birds swooshing by above and…

7. Granadilla

16.64 MILES

About 25km west of Hervás, the ghost village of Granadilla is a beguiling reminder of how Extremadura's villages must have looked before modernisation…

8. Museo del Pimentón

17.97 MILES

Learn everything there is to know about pimentón, that wonderfully smokey Spanish paprika beloved by cooks across the country, at this engaging little…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "spain/plasencia/attractions/catedral-de-plasencia/a/poi-sig/1188148/1315893",
      "destination": "Extremadura",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Spain",
      "region": "Extremadura",
      "position": "superzone"
    }