Burgos

Construction of Burgos Cathedral began in 1221, strongly influenced by the great Gothic cathedrals of France, with major additions continuing through the 15^th and 16^th centuries. Its elaborate spires, chapels and star-vaulted crossing helped earn it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1984. Beneath the crossing lie the remains of El Cid and his wife, Doña Jimena, which were reinterred here in 1921. Look up in the nave for the Papamoscas, a clock automaton that opens its mouth as it strikes the bell each hour.

The Museum of Human Evolution provides the main interpretation of the discoveries made at the nearby Atapuerca archaeological sites. Its permanent exhibition includes original human fossils from Atapuerca, among them remains of Homo antecessor and Cranium 5, nicknamed Miguelón, from the Sima de los Huesos. The exhibits place these discoveries within the broader story of human evolution.

The Museo de Burgos traces the history and art of Burgos province from prehistory to the present, with archaeological and fine-arts collections displayed in two adjoining 16^th-century Renaissance palaces. Among its best-known exhibits is the Tizona, a sword traditionally associated with El Cid. Part of its blade dates from the first half of the 11^th century, but the surviving weapon was substantially altered in the late 15^th century, and there is no evidence proving that the historical El Cid owned it.

The Arco de Santa María was one of the main medieval gateways into Burgos and was transformed into its present monumental form in the 16^th century. Its façade is decorated with figures important to the history of Castile and Burgos, including the city's founder Diego Rodríguez Porcelos, El Cid and Emperor Charles V. The interior is used for temporary exhibitions and includes the historic Sala de Poridad, which preserves objects associated with the city, including a bone traditionally said to belong to El Cid.