Burgos: 22nd May 2023

 Burgos was one day’s drive from Cuenca, and the campsite within walking distance of the old city. The campsite is pleasantly set in a park and this was our pitch.

The photo is somewhat misleading because each night the site is filled to capacity before 6:00 pm because it serves as a convenient overnight stay for those catching the Bilbao or Santander sea crossings.

Burgos is quite high up, about 3,000 ft, so quite cool at night – but cold enough for snow?

Not quite! It’s the cotton-wool type seeds from the plane trees. So into Burgos without anymore ado. This is the magnificent 11^th Century gateway that leads into the old town.

Straight into the cathedral square, dominated of course by the 13^th century cathedral said to be one of the finest in Span.

Now cathedrals, however magnificent, tend to merge into one another in blog descriptions. But here’s something unique to Burgos – Papamosca’s clock. Papmosca’s job is to ring the hours by hitting the bell, a mechanical wonder in the 16^th century when the clock was built and when awareness of precise time was only just beginning. It even has minutes on the dial.

Of course, the magnificence and detail of the various gold leaf alterpieces is astounding, and the effort to create them unbelievable.

In close-up, below, even more amazing.

The gold threadwork of the bishops robe is beautifully executed: that’s Jane’s judgement, which is far more relevant than mine.

This bishops tomb is a study in beautifully carved marble.

 

We noticed a large painting on the wall, in front of the carved bishop’s feet: Christ taken from the cross, lying in a heap on the bare earth wearing just a loincloth. It is difficult to reconcile the image in that painting with the opulence being displayed throughout the rest of the cathedral.

This is unusual, a twin staircase straight out of a Fred Astaire Hollywood movie. A bit older than Fred, though, built 1518 to 1523.

Now this is what you call a bike-lock, maybe even be heavier than the bike itself.

The ceiling here, of which this is just a small part, is absolutely teeming with angels, cherubim, seraphim etc. Looks like Heavenly League supporters pouring out of the stadium after a match.

The whole cathedral complex was decorated in great detail, certainly enhanced by restoration work. That is an unresolved debate – how much do you restore old buildings before they lose their authenticity. The entrance way shown below is a good example.

 last one of the enclosed quadrangle, with Jane. These always take atmospheric photos with sunlight streaming through.

Back out in the real world, we walked past this modest dwelling, totally transformed by flowerpots.

Quite a few pretty houses around the cathedral square, but nothing like the numbers, or even the feeling of antiquity as in the city of Cuenca.

 In summary, like the campsite, worth a stopover if it’s on your route but not as must-see as other places we’ve visited.