Burgos Cathedral

About this place

Begun in 1221, this cathedral brought French-inspired Gothic design to Castile and gained elaborate additions in later centuries. Its spires and richly worked stone show the ambitions of its patrons. Compare the different architectural details to see a medieval monument continually embellished over time. Much of the most elaborate work was added in the 15th and 16th centuries, well after the first building campaign. This includes features that now define the cathedral's familiar silhouette. Keeping those later additions in mind helps distinguish the original Gothic project from the increasingly intricate monument created by its successors.