León Spain | Top Things to Do, See, & Eat! 4K 50p

We're in the awesome city of León and among the many things which I will show you that you can visit in this video, what really surprised me is the big quantity of pilgrims that this city attracts. It's obviously because here is where the Camino de Santiago crosses León and many of them come and try to, you know, see the city of León and which I will show you next and it is amazing León, a city located in the northwest of Spain, is a destination that combines a rich cultural heritage with a vibrant modern life, attracting tourists from all over the world. As I stated, it is known for being an essential stop on the Camino de Santiago. León offers visitors a unique experience where history, architecture and gastronomy intertwine to create an unforgettable destination. The city's origins dates back to the establishment of a Roman military camp of the Legio VI Victrix around 29 BC to control the traffic of gold mining to Rome. Although its consolidation as a settlement is due to the Legio VII Gemina from the year 74 BC. The word León, which in Spanish means lion, actually comes from the Latin word Legio, meaning legion. Among the city's architectural gems and the number one thing that you should visit is the León Cathedral, a masterpiece of the Spanish Gothic, known for its magnificent stained glass windows dating from the 13th and the 14th centuries. The León Cathedral was the first building declared a monument in Spain in 1844. Begun in the 13th century, it is one of the great works of Gothic style with French influences in Spain. The cathedral is built in the Latin cross plan and is almost identical to the Rheims Cathedral. Known as the Pulchra Leonina in Latin, meaning the beauty of León, it has one of the largest collection of medieval stained glass windows in the world. Hi everyone, we're in the Cathedral of León and this is a Gothic masterpiece. The Gothic style is taken here to the extremes. You almost, they almost get rid of the of the walls and replace them with stained glass windows, hence the beautiful stained glass windows that we have behind us and it is amazing and you need to come here, come to Spain. This is the third cathedral built in León during its existence. The construction began in the year 1205, however, because of problems with the foundations, soon the work was brought to a standstill and the task was not resumed until 1255. The cathedral would be finished in 1302, though the cloister and the towers were not constructed until the middle of the 15th century. The Cathedral of León is best known for its collection of stained glass windows and entering it one soon finds out why, perhaps the most important in the world along with those of the Chartres Cathedral. Most of the originals have been preserved which is unusual in cathedrals of this period. The stained glass technique is believed to have its origins in the Muslim culture and it was adopted by Christian art which used it from the 11th century onwards. This cathedral also has chapels, an ambulatory, a magnificent cloister and an incredible museum which we will see in depth in our video about the Cathedral of León. It should be noted that this monument is one of the most visited and photographed in Spain and its majesty leaves an incredible mark on all those who contemplate it. Heading down from the cathedral to the Plaza de San Marcelo and being amazed by the floral decoration of the balconies and windows of the Ancha street, we get to the Palacio de los Guzmanes and the Casa Botines. The Casa Botines designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí is one of the only three buildings made by the architect outside of Catalonia. Gaudí's project was a four-sided building in a neo-gothic style designed with its unmistakable modernist seal. The Casa Botines is now a museum dedicated to research, conservation and exhibition of historical and artistic heritage. Next to this architectural mastery lies the Palacio de los Guzmanes, dating from the mid-16th century and in a renaissance style, now the headquarters of the Provincial Council of León. Its design belongs to the master Rodrigo Gil de Ontañón, son of Juan Gil de Ontañón. You might have heard his name popping up in many of our videos, one of the famous architects of Spain and designer of the Segovia Cathedral, among other buildings. These two important buildings are located in the Plaza San Marcelo. In this plaza, the old city hall is located and in front of it the imposing monument of Alfonso V de León. Heading towards the Plaza Mayor, we must mention that León is perfectly signposted and it is almost impossible for anyone to get lost. But of course, if you do indeed want to get lost in its streets and enjoy the best gastronomy, you cannot miss the Barrio Húmedo. It can be said that this neighborhood is the essence of the capital of León, the busiest and best known area of the old town for its gastronomy and nightlife. Here, in the Barrio Húmedo, you can also find the Plaza Mayor. This square is the oldest Plaza Mayor in all of Spain, built between 1654 and 1677. The one building that stands out is the Old Town Hall, although it never really became such, but rather was limited to being the presidential tribune during popular celebrations. Continuing with the history of this fascinating and surprising city, we must mention the well-preserved section of the Roman Wall, whose origins date back to the 1st century. The walls were built by the Legio VI to control the Astur population of the area. Entering the Roman enclosure, we find La Real Colegiata de San Isidoro, which is one of the most important Romanesque complexes in Europe, with a history of over 1,000 years since its foundation in the 10th century. As a curious fact, the cloister of San Isidoro housed the first Cortes in the history of Europe in 1188, under the reign of Alfonso IX. Thanks to this, in 2013 it was recognized by UNESCO as the cradle of parliamentarism. It is highly visited because it houses the Pantheon of Kings, known as the Sistine Chapel of Romanesque Art. The convent of San Marcos dates back to the 12th century, when it was built outside the walled city as a temple hospital to house pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Hence the presence of the scalloped shell on its facade, the main symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Today it is a national tourist hotel called Parador in Spanish, as well as a consecrated and monumental church attached to the Museum of León. It is one of the most important monuments of Spanish Renaissance. The church is in the late Spanish Gothic style, called of the Catholic Monarchs. The doorway is flanked by two unfinished towers and between them a large ribbed vault, two reliefs are depicted, the calvary with the cross and the descent by Juan de Juni. The main entrance is made up of two bodies in the plateresque style, although in the 18th century baroque elements were added. The interior has a wide and spacious nave with a transept separated by bars. León, as we can see, is a city full of life that invites you to discover every corner of it. It has forged its identity thanks to a splendid journey lived throughout the centuries. As a reflection and consequence of the passage of time, León preserves in its historic center a beautiful catalogue of palaces, churches and monuments that we can all enjoy today. My name is Alex Moraras, I hope you enjoyed this video, give it a thumbs up, share and definitely subscribe to find out more amazing places to visit before you come to Spain.