It is a thriving and conservative city on the Holy Way of St James. Here is located one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Spain and even this single sight is worth your visit to Burgos, situated within the fruitless plateau of Castilla y León. Among the rest of the Gothic treasures are Monasterio de Las Huelgas and Cartuja de Miraflores, located in the close surroundings of the city. The spirit of the heroic warrior El Cid is alive in Burgos too. After his death at the end of the 11th century his relics were brought to the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña near Burgos. But in 1921 they were moved to the Cathedral where were buried for a second time.

Burgos is situated along the both banks of the River Arlanzón. It was established by the Goths in the 9th century. The enchanting with its unique atmosphere Old Town is the northern river bank and is enough compact to be easily toured on foot. The tall filigreed spires of the Cathedral rise above all other buildings. The construction works of Catedral de Santa Maria were commenced in 1221 and continued during the next five centuries, leaded by some of the most prominent Spanish architects and masters. The guided tours with audio-phones are very useful when seeing its complicated structure. Being the third largest cathedral of Spain after these ones in Seville and Toledo, it is a stupendous example of the late Flamboyant Gothic architectural style. The remains of the great Spanish medieval hero and his wife lie under the superb octagonal dome of the Cathedral. Between the most interesting sights in the Cathedral are the numerous sculpture works, examples of the funeral art, the gracefully carved Renaissance thrones in the choir, Baroque wrought iron decoration and the extremely rich treasury, despite of the fact that much of its content was looted by the Napoleon troops. The treasury is kept in the sacristy, the 14th-century Capilla de Santa Catalina and the capitulary hall with a splendid Mudejar ceiling next to the loft, from where the altar and the large side chapels can be accessed. Each of them is a unique work of art. In the Capilla del Condestable (Chapel of Constable), built by Simón de Colonia in the last quarter of 15th century, pay attention to the star-shaped dome, the walls with rich sculpture decoration and the altar, as well as the tomb of the court superintendent and his wife. The numerous sculptures behind the main altar depict the crucifix. West of the nave is the Capilla de Santa Ana (Chapel of St Anne) with a huge Gothic altar piece, depicting scenes from the life of the saint. The Capilla de Santa Tecla (Chapel of St Tecla) keeps a gracefully worked out altar piece devoted to the martyr and a splendid Rococo ceiling.

The Monasterio de las Huelgas is a 12th-century cloister situated near Burgos and easily accessible via a regular bus line, departing each 20 minutes from Plaza Primo de Rivera. Its highly decorative architecture is worth visitors’ attention. During the Middle Ages the monastery was a favourite summer retreat for the Castilian royal members. Here were exiled as nuns many women of royal blood too. The cloister’s church is a Gothic building, having a plan in the form of a Latin cross. Its interior features some not very successful Baroque reconstructions and is worth seeing because of the valuable French tapestries dating back to the 14th and 17th centuries. The monastery Las Huelgas was built by King Alfonso VIII. He was buried together with his wife, the daughter of the English King Henry II, in the choir room of the church. Through wonderful 13th-century doors you will pass to the cloisters, built in the same century, superbly mixing Gothic with Mudejar architecture. Some interesting Persian peacock designs can be seen here too. In the remarkable Chapter Room is kept the 12th-century Moorish standard taken as a booty in the Reconquista.

The monastery also features a very interesting museum, Museo de Ricas Telas, displaying a rich collection of very well preserved 13th-century clothes and textiles found in medieval graves from the region.

Cartuja de Miraflores is a 15th-century Gothic charterhouse, situated only 4 km east of Burgos Old Town. It keeps another royal tomb - this of King Juan II and his queen, the parents of Isabel the Catholic. The church was completed at the end of the 15th century with elegant but simple façade, which does not suggest in any way the splendid décor it hides inside. The most interesting detail of its interior is, without any doubt, the sculpture unit in the apse, made of the first gold shipped from the New World. The faithful people often stand in front of it for hours, enjoying its amazing beauty. This sculpture masterpiece was created by Gil de Siloe in 15th century, who also made the polychrome wooden alter piece. King Juan II and the queen were buried in a mausoleum, made of white marble in the shape of an eight-pointed star. It is richly decorated in the style of the late Gothic architecture with exquisite pinnacles, cherubs, scrolls and canopies.