In the thirteenth century the cathedral was a symbol of a city, but in the case of Leon it was also the symbol of a Kingdom. We should bear this in mind when we gaze upon the magnificent and ambitious dream that led to the construction of a framework that holds the largest set of stained-glass windows ever conceived.

Photo: Nacho Traseira

Molinaseca is one of the most beautiful villages on the Camino. It belongs to the zone of El Bierzo and with its buildings of stone, wood and slate it closely resembles its Galician counterparts. But as compared with some other villages, Molinaseca still retains perfectly harmony with its natural surroundings, where the houses and monuments seem to emerge from the landscape to which they belong. The pilgrim arrives in Molinaseca by first going past the shrine of Anguish and then crossing the river Meruelo by a beautiful stone bridge. Who could forget it?

Castrojeriz is located at the western end of the province of Burgos, on the border with the province of Palencia. As for its historical importance, Castrojeriz is considered one of the main landmarks of the Camino de Santiago. It is a beautiful village of ancient origins, probably Roman or Visigoth, and every pilgrim will be familiar with its castle, clearly visible from the road, which was a witness to many battles between Moors and Christians.

ESTELLA / LIZARRA was repopulated and created as a settlement around 1090, by King Sancho Ramírez de Navarra and Aragón. There, merchants, nobles and clerics settled , whose existence was based on attending to the needs and to taking care of the pilgrims who arrived from all over Europe. Its connection with the Way of Santiago is evident in Codex Calixtino, that describes the town as being : "Fertile in good bread and excellent wine, as well as meat and fish, and supplied with all types of goods".