The origins of the city
of Leon go back to the year 68 AD, when the Roman Legio Septima
Gemina, the legion formed by the Emperor Galba with men from the Iberian
settlements, was quartered here, at the confluence of the rivers Bernesga
and Torio, to hold back the advance of the Cantabrian and Asturian highlanders.
During the reign of Ordono II it became the most important city in Christian
Spain. After being sacked by Almanzor it was rebuilt by Alfonso V, and
was enlarged during the 11C. According to the chronicles of pilgrims who
were heading for Santiago de Compostela, Leon was a city that was 'full
of all happiness' and, consequently, a place of growing trade. In fact
it was, for according to the 'Pilgrims' Guidebook' that was the Codex Calixtinus,
it marked the eighth stage on the journey.
Leon itself lies on a fertile
plain surrounded by woods, orchards and meadows, and has a population of
over 120,000 inhabitants. Within the two cities it encapsulates, i.e. the
old medieval part and the modern one that stretches alongside the river,
there is an extraordinary historical and artistic heritage. The Roman and
medieval walls in between help to highlight the beautiful contrast between
the old quarter and the squares, known as the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza
del Mercado, and the avenues, modern buildings, parks and gardens that
lie to the west. The three most characteristic monuments that stand out
for their great artistic value in Leon are the Cathedral, the Collegiate
Church of San Isidoro and the Convent of San Marcos.
The Cathedral
The Cathedral is a magnificent
example of the classical Gothic architecture that spread throughout Europe
during the 13C and part of the 14C, when it was built. It takes the form
of a Roman cross, with a nave and two aisles, as well as a transept. Its
structure shows the influence of the Cathedrals of Rheims and Amiens. The
homogeneous style, purity of its lines, and the surprising dimensions of
its stained glass windows set into a relatively small surface of walls,
have all served to bring about its receiving the title of 'the Beauty of
Leon'. It was commissioned by Bishop Manrique de Lara and had Maestro Enrique
-who also worked on Burgos Cathedral- and Juan Perez for its architects.
The main facade, flanked
by the Towers of El Reloj (the Clock) and Las Campanas (the Bells), and
those of the transept, all have a triple portico -the influence of Chartres
Cathedral. The central tympanum of the former bears the scene of the 'Last
Judgement'. On the mullion there is an image of the Virgin of Nuestra Senora
de la Blanca, and to the left we find an image of St. James, upon whose
base the pilgrims usually rest their hands. The entire sculptural richness
of the main facade preserves the original coloration to a far greater degree
and has the image of the Virgin of El Dado on the mullion and the figures
representing the 'Annunciation' on the jambs. The southern facade has yet
another outstanding collection of figures.
The inside is illuminated
by the light passing through 1,800 m2 of medieval stained glass, which
are classed as the most important in Spain, and show the clear influence
of the aforementined French cathedrals and that of the Sainte-Chapelle.
The stained-glass windows that are preserved from the 13C -when the majority
were put in- are those to be found in the chapels of the west end, some
of the central nave, those that represent the liberal arts and scenes of
falconry, and finally those of the northern and western rose windows. These
windows are characterised by having the scenes and religious figures framed
by strips of floral or geometric patterns. In the transept and the chancel
there are later windows alongside the original ones. These were the result
of alterations and restoration work, some of which was carried out in this
century.
The main reredos was the
work of Nicolas Frances back in the 15C, and has an outstanding painting
depicting the 'Burial of Christ'. To the left of this stands a 'pieta'
by Van der Weyden. On the altar can be found a silver urn by Enrique de
Arfe, which contains the mortal remains of San Froilan, the patron saint
of
Leon. Other fine sections of the Cathedral include the chapels in the ambulatory
and the transept, with their Gothic tombs, and the Plateresque screen in
the main chapel. The Renaissance retrochoir was the work of Baltasar Gutierrez
and Esteban Jordan, while the choir itself is one of the oldest in Spain
and shows clear Flemish influences.
The cloisters were constructed
by Juan de Badajoz in the Renaissance style and still preserve frescoes
by Nicolas Frances on some of the walls. From here, a magnificent Plateresque
staircase leads to the Cathedral Museum. This contains many outstanding
exhibits, including some fifty Romanesque carvings of the Virgin-(12C and
13C), a'Crucifixion' by Juan de Juni (16C), a Visigothic Bible, and an
11C Mozarabic Antiphoner.
The Collegiate Church
of San Isidoro
This construction constitutes
a most interesting example of early Romanesque art in Spain, though the
present-day Basilica is a mixture of buildings belonging to several different
time periods. The Pantheon of the Kings is the oldest section and forms
the portico of the church that was founded by Fernando I and Dona Sancha
for their burial place in 1063. It was here where the mortal remains of
San Isidoro and San Vicente were later transferred. The original church
stands over an earlier pre-Romanesque construction, dedicated to St. John
the Baptist, which was destroyed by Almanzor. The interlaced vaults resting
on thick marble columns and forming balanced series of arches are most
typical of the Romanesque style. The capitals were a great innovation of
the time if one takes into account that it was around 1050 that the European
Romanesque style began to use sculpted figures of people or animals to
replace or intermix with the typical foliage motifs that had been used
up until that moment. These capitals show scenes depicting the 'Raising
of Lazarus', the 'Sacrifice of Abraham' and 'Daniel in the Lion's Den',
as well as a great variety of other decoration consisting of leaves, pine
cones, griffins, birds and monsters. The extraordinary paintings on the
vaults, which date from the 12C, still maintain their bright colours and
are considered the finest examples of Romanesque painting in Spain. The
main construction of the church underwent several alterations until the
Basilica, with its nave, two aisles and apses, was built in 1149. The central
apse was later transformed into a Gothic chapel around the year 1513. The
southern facade has excellent Romanesque sculptures on its two main doorways
-the so-called Puerta del Perdon and the Puerta del Cordero (late 11C and
early 12C).
The former, which corresponds
to the transept, has images depicting the 'Crucifixion', the 'Three Maries',
and the 'Ascension' (the work of Maestro Esteban, who was also responsible
for Las Platerias facade at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela). The
Puerta del Cordero is decorated with the statues of San Isidoro and San
Pelayo, surrounded by the Signs of the Zodiac, while on the tympanum we
find a depiction of the 'Sacrifice of Isaac' and an 'Agnus Dei'. This doorway
also has a Renaissance cornice and pediment. The Museum of the Collegiate
Church of San Isidoro el Real contains an agate chalice that belonged to
Dona Urraca, some valuable works in gold and silver, and a collection of
very old manuscripts.
The Convent of San Marcos
It was originally founded
for the Knights of the Order of St. James around 1173, and served as a
hospital for pilgrims on the Pilgrims' Way to Santiago, though nothing
now remains from this time period. Later, the Catholic Monarchs gave the
convent to the Knights of St. James in gratitude for their help in the
Reconquest. The present-day construction was begun in 1513, following the
Renaissance design by Pedro Larrea. It has a magnificent Plateresque facade
about 100 m long, which has a profuse decoration of medallions, columns
and pilasters. The 18C Baroque portal has a high relief equestrian sculpture
of St. James, and a frieze of mythological and historical busts. Inside,
there is a large staircase, the cloisters and the Chapter House the latter
having an outstanding Mudejar coffered ceiling. The Church was consecrated
in 1541 and its facade is covered with scallop shells -the symbol of the
pilgrims who went to Santiago de Compostela. Inside, we find some splendid
Renaissance choir stalls carved by Guillermo Doncel, as well as the sacristy
by Juan de Badajoz, which is finely decorated. The Provincial Archeological
Museum is located in the latter and contains exhibits from prehistoric
times and archeological finds from around the region. One mav also see
sculpture (eg, the magnificent figure of 'El Cristo de Carrizo'), paintings
and works in precious metals. The Convent of San Marcos has been converted
into a luxury hotel, and forms part of the network of Spanish Paradores.
The Medieval City
The streets that spread
out between the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza del Mercado still help to give
the city a medieval appearance. The Plaza Mayor itself was built in the
17C, taking the form of a rectangle with arcades. On its west side stands
the Municipal Council building. The nearby Church of San Salvador de Palaz
del Rey is the oldest in Leon, and preserves the remains of the church
that Ordono II had built in the 10C. Its fine reredos dates from the 16C.
The Palace of the Counts of Luna has a 16C Renaissance tower which was
added to the palace that was built there two centuries before and had a
Gothic portal. The area around the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza de San Martin
is popularly known as the 'wet district' since it is the location of many
bars, pubs and restaurants. It is the entertainment centre of the city,
although it still preserves its medieval layout and the names of its streets
recall the old craft industries and trades eg, Matasiete, Azabacheria (jet
merchants) and Zapateria (cobblers). The small street known as the Travesia
de la Plaza leads to the old Jewish quarter (Pozo Grande), while in Juan
de Arfe street there are several typical 18C Leonese houses. The Plaza
del Mercado is the square where the market is held and where royal proclamations
were once read. It is a wide, irregularly-shaped square with 16C arcades
and a stone cross. The fountain dates back to the 18C and represents the
confluence of the rivers Bernesga and Torio. This is the location of the
12C Romanesque Church of Santa Maria del Camino, which underwent alterations
in the 15C.
The square known as the
Plaza de San Marcelo is the site of several other monuments of interest.
Examples include the Palace of Los Guzmanes, a 16C Plateresque construction
attributed to Gil de Hontanon, who introduced the idea of a projecting
balcony, and which has a beautiful courtyard; the Town Hall, also dating
from the 16C, which was built by Juan de Badajoz and Juan del Rivero Rada;
and the so-called Casa de Botines, a work by Gaudi towards the end of the
19C and built in the Neo-Gothic style. Modern works of art to be encountered
in the city include the great mural by Vela Zanetti, located inside the
Church of San Jose Obrero, and Subirachs's work 'Whitsuntide', which is
kept inside the Shrine of the Virgin of El Camino (6 km outside the city).
The Post Office building is a brilliant Rationalist style construction,
built in 1984 by Alejandro de la Sota. |
