World Heritage Cities in Spain

Spain's wealth of monuments and landscapes have made it the country with the second-highest number of sites inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Given Spain's history and cultural diversity, and the ethnography that has taken place upon its territory, it is not surprising that many authentically monumental complexes have taken shape here, works which, as with art itself, should be available to everyone. This is certainly what UNESCO believes, this being the body that recognizes no less than 11 Spanish cities as World Heritage Sites. To be a part of this select club is a great privilege, but it also comes with a responsibility to guarantee the protection and conservation of the city for the enjoyment of future generations.

Santiago de Compostela

The end of the Way of St James, the Galician capital combines Christian medieval heritage with samples of the Baroque. Shining with light is the cathedral, one of the marvels of the Romanesque style. The passage of time and various extensions have dressed it up with Gothic, Plateresque and Neoclassical elements, though the most notable aspect is the Baroque of the façade and the High Altar, underneath which is the crypt of the Apostle St James. In the main entrance, the Pórtico de la Gloria welcomes the pilgrim with references to the Apocalypse. Other monuments in the old quarter, all of which have a religious significance, are the monastery of San Martín Binario and the Convent of Santo Domingo de Bonaval.

Castilla y León: Segovia, Ávila and Salamanca

In Segovia there can be no doubt that it was the old quarter, watched over by the magnificent Roman aqueduct, that earned the town its status. This prodigious feat of classical engineering, kept upright by a studied balance of forces, is backed up by a wealth of medieval churches, the Cathedral and the haughty citadel, in Gothic style. It also makes the most of its picture-postcard setting, on higher ground between the streams of the Eresma and the Clamores. 

The outstanding feature of the town of Avila is its conservation of a typical image of a medieval town. The old quarter is surrounded by Europe's best-preserved city walls, which has a perimeter of almost two-and-a-half kilometres, 88 towers and nine gateways. Its cathedral is almost fortress-like, it even sets its apse into the walls. Also outstanding in the old-town complex are the Romanesque basilica of San Vicente, the Gothic monastery of Santo Tomás, many churches dedicated to the figure of Saint Teresa of Avila and renaissance mansions. 

A shelter for the arts and the cradle of the Spanish language, Salamanca's university is the nerve centre for cultural and artistic activity that has not ceased since the day of its foundation in 1218. In terms of monuments, most of the interest is captured by the Plateresque façade and the art of the 'Lesser Schools'. The other heart of the city is the grandiose Plaza Mayor, a Baroque meeting place, from which one can access other interesting buildings such as the Town Hall or the Clerecía, which has a cloister that is among the greatest treasures of Spanish Baroque.

Castilla-La Mancha: Cuenca and Toledo

Cuenca rises between the sickles of the Huecar and Júcar rivers, a town that owes its fame to the Hanging Houses, curious properties that seem to be suspended in the air above rocky crags, to which they are joined in a natural setting, lending a certain character. Also outstanding is the historic fortified city, which is an impossible amalgam of styles and epoques.
Toledo is distinguished by its history as a melting pot of Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures, but is also fortunate in its placement overlooking the River Tagus, delimited by the hills. The ancient walled quarter is an open-air museum scattered with churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques and synagogues. Outstanding works of art such as the Cathedral, which has French influence, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes and the Alcázar ultimately shape one of the country's richest monumental complexes.

Cáceres

Cáceres also qualifies as an open-air museum, with its old quarter full of fortress, renaissance palaces, squares and medieval-looking fortified houses, monuments, all in all, that tell the town's tale since the time of the Romans. Among its most recognized buildings are the Iglesia Concatedral de Santa María la Mayor, the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús and Plaza Mayor. The historic quarter is also surrounded by Moorish walls.

Cordoba

It history as one of the Iberian peninsula's most flourishing Moorish cities has left a fascinating mark upon Cordoba. The list of monuments is extensive, from the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos to the Synagogue, not forgetting the Jewish quarter. But if there is one outstanding feature, it is the huge Mezquita (mosque), the West's most important Islamic temple. A beautiful labyrinth of columns and two-coloured arches is the image that the building offers, in contrast to the Cathedral that was built in the interior following the Christian conquest, a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. 

Neither should we forget more recent additions to the World Heritage List, such as Alcalá de Henares, birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes. The Site is made up of the University and Historic Precinct, with evidence of Plateresque, Baroque and Renaissance art. Lastly, there are World Heritage Sites in Spain's islands too, such as San Cristóbal de La Laguna, with its picturesque colonial feel, or Ibiza's remnants of Phoenician and Cathaginian civilisations in the ancient village of Sa Caleta and at the necropolis of Es Puig des Molins.