Santander Cathedral

Santander Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Santander Cathedral, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, stands on a small hill above the port in the centre of Santander, capital of Cantabria on the northern coast of Spain, and entry is free, with donations welcome. It is really two churches, one above the other: the upper church, the cathedral itself, and the lower Church of the Holy Christ, a Gothic crypt that serves as a parish church. Beneath the floor of the crypt, glass panels reveal Roman remains found during excavations.

Walking tours of Santander combine the cathedral with the Paseo de Pereda seafront, the Centro Botín arts centre designed by Renzo Piano, the Magdalena Peninsula and its palace, and the beaches of El Sardinero. Santander is reached by ferry from Portsmouth and Plymouth in England, by plane, and by train from Madrid and Bilbao. The cathedral is active, and visiting pauses during services. From Santander, visitors can also reach the prehistoric caves of Altamira, with a replica museum, and the medieval village of Santillana del Mar, about half an hour away.

Visiting Santander Cathedral: what to see

An abbey dedicated to the martyrs Saints Emeterius and Celedonius stood here in the Middle Ages, built, according to tradition, to house their heads, which had been brought to the coast, and the church gave the city its name, from Sancti Emeterii. The present buildings date mainly from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, when the Gothic crypt and the upper church were built. The church became a cathedral in 1754. In 1941 a great fire destroyed much of central Santander, and the cathedral was badly damaged, losing much of its interior; it was restored in the following years, and parts of it were rebuilt.

The crypt, the Church of the Holy Christ, has low vaults supported by thick columns, and it holds the reliquaries of the martyrs' heads, the patron saints of Santander. The glass floor shows the remains of Roman buildings from the ancient settlement on the bay. The upper church is a Gothic building with three naves, and it holds the tomb of the scholar Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo, born in Santander. The cloister, from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, is quiet and has a small garden. The cathedral's tower, which was once part of the city's defences, rises beside the entrance.

Santander Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, with a break at lunchtime, and the crypt has similar hours. Santander has a mild, rainy climate, and summer is the most popular season, when the beaches are busy and the International Festival of Santander brings concerts in August. The Semana Grande, in late July, fills the city with festivities. The feast of the patron saints on 30 August is celebrated with masses and events. Spring and autumn are quieter. Allow about forty-five minutes for the cathedral, crypt and cloister, and walk along the seafront afterwards.