This beautiful Gothic cathedral is located at the highest point of the city. The 90 steps of the baroque staircase that lead up to it give it its own stamp of identity. Although this stairway belongs to the seventeenth century , overcoming such a significant unevenness had always been a challenge, since the first Roman temple was built.
Consecrated to Santa María , several centuries were invested in its construction that resulted in an impressive Gothic cathedral inside and baroque outside.
Of its Romanesque origins, only the 12th century cloister and the 1040 tower, which is attached to the façade, remain. Through a spiral staircase, inside the tower, you can access the bell tower from which the panoramic view of the city becomes an exclusive privilege of the cathedral.
On the outside of the temple, the northern part is dominated by the portico of San Miguel, in Gothic style, while in the southern area the portico of the Apostles (14th century) forms the decoration of the façade.
Both the church and the cloister have a wide repertoire of funerary art , among which are the tombs of counts, members of royal families, artists, architects and important figures. Some of them, exquisitely decorated, are authentic works of art.
Although, initially, three naves were projected, finally only one was built which, due to its dimensions ( 22.98 meters ), is the widest Gothic nave in the world. If we include all the styles, it would follow in width to that of San Pedro in the Vatican ( 25 meters ).
The angel on the tower
Crowning the tower of the cathedral can be seen the figure of an angel who, at first, had his eyes covered with a bandage, symbolizing the Faith. However, after restoring it, a head was placed without the blindfold, since from the ground could not appreciate this detail.
The witch
It is a gargoyle whose purpose was conceived to dislodge rainwater. However, the legend is more curious because it tells us about a woman who was dedicated to the arts of witchcraft and demonstrated her hatred of religion by throwing stones at the cathedral. As divine punishment she was turned into stone and was placed in the temple so that water would come out of her mouth instead of curses.