Did you know that religious tourism has grown in recent years? Yes! Yes! As you are reading it! Apparently, it moves 300 million travelers around the world, generating an economic impact of about 13,000 euros. Around half of the tourists who have a religious motivation when traveling choose destinations related to the Christian tradition. Logically, this type of tourism has a positive impact on pilgrimage sites, revitalizing restaurants and hotels.
Cathedrals are undoubtedly among the religious buildings that most attract the attention of tourists. As you know, in Spain we have quite a few and the best of all is that all of them are the most beautiful. Of course, today we are going to show you those that, according to our criteria, are the most beautiful. We apologize in advance for all those who have remained in the pipeline. Would you like to join us?
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
First of all, we want to talk about the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, the most important monument in the Islamic West. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1984, in this building you can see samples of the Umayyad, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. In reality, it is an Arab mosque to which modifications were made in Christian times.
the Cathedral of Santiago of Compostela
How could it be otherwise, we also have to talk about the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, considered the most outstanding work of Romanesque art in our country. Of course, it must be taken into account that this religious building is the end point of all the Caminos de Santiago.
Burgos cathedral
We continue our tour of the most beautiful cathedrals in Spain in Castilla y León, where we find the Cathedral of Santa María de Burgos, a Catholic temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary . Considered one of the top works of the Gothic style in our country, it is also the first representation of Gothic architecture in all of Spain.
Leon Cathedral
We continue in Castilla y León to tell you about the Cathedral of León, also known as the Pulchra Leonina . In Gothic style, the building began to be built in the first half of the 13th century. It is important to bear in mind that it is considered the most “French” cathedral in our country due to the similarities it has with some important religious buildings in France.
Cathedral of Sevilla
We moved to Andalusia to tell you about the Cathedral of Seville, considered the largest Christian Gothic cathedral in the world. It is important to bear in mind that the building was built in the place where the Great Mosque was located, so some Arab elements are preserved, such as the Giralda, which is the old minaret.
Jaén Cathedral
We continue in Andalusia to tell you about the Cathedral of Jaén, declared a Historic-Artistic Monument since 1932. Like other Andalusian cathedrals, that of Jaén was also settled in the place where the main mosque was located. Without a doubt, it is one of the greatest works of the Renaissance in Andalusia.
Toledo Cathedral
Another cathedral that could not be missing from the list is that of Santa María de Toledo, a building from the classical Gothic period that began to be built at the beginning of the 13th century. Like the previous ones, it was also built on the old Arab mosque, which in turn was built on a previous Visigothic temple.
Zamora Cathedral
Finally, we are going to talk about the Cathedral of Zamora, which is dedicated to the Savior. This religious building is part of the style called Duero Romanesque. Furthermore, built in the 12th century, it is considered one of the most avant-garde cathedrals in Spain.