Since the completion of the Romanesque cathedral (1078/1095), the city has experienced significant economic, political, and social growth. It is then proposed to replace it with a new, larger, and more modern one.
King Ferdinand III, the saint, sponsors the new construction in 1221, driven by Bishop Mauricio, who has firsthand knowledge of the new Gothic style being used in the construction of the great French cathedrals. He has brought in "Master Enrique" to begin the project.
The Gothic Cathedral is built as a representation of the celestial city on earth for mortals.
To achieve this, resources are invented, such as the vibrant colors projected through the stained glass windows, the immense height proportion achieved through the pointed arch and pillars, and the use of symbolic elements like the Latin cross-shaped floor plan with its altar oriented towards the east.
This entrance gate is estimated to have been built in 1240, thus belonging to the cathedral's first construction phase, between approximately 1221 and 1280. By 1230, some worship services were already taking place at the main altar while the Sarmental gate was under construction.
The origin of its name is unknown, although it is suggested that it might derive from the former market that used to take place in the square. Among other things, grapevines' branches (sarmientos) would be sold there. But it's only a hypothesis.
This is the current entrance gate for tourists. Originally, it would have been the entrance for the bishop and the clergy, while the general public would mainly enter through the Coronería gate (the opposite one), leading to the original neighborhoods from which the city developed.
With a style strongly influenced by the original Gothic statuary of French cathedrals, a specifically theological message is presented, aimed at the bishops and religious individuals who entered through this gate. It reminds them of Christ as the Master, transmitting the word in the book to the evangelists, below them to the apostles, and at the bottom, among the door's leaves, to the bishop.
It is the only original one from the 13th century construction.
From the interior, the large stained glass window displays the distinctive features of its time, such as the exclusive blue color associated with the Virgin Mary inherited from France, the representation of the bishop in the center seated on his throne, and the evangelizing scenes surrounding it.
By the 16th century, all the original stained glass windows had suffered some degree of deterioration, leading to the first restorations. In this rose window, the five lower stained glass windows are integrated with the kingdom's coats of arms and geometric shapes. In the 19th century, the remaining stained glass windows in the cathedral were completely replaced. Only the ones in the Chapel of the Constables date back to their construction in 1492.
It is the original entrance, dating back to around 1270, to the upper cloister.
The door leaves made of blackened oak were crafted by Gil de Siloe between 1492 and 1495. They were originally polychromatic. They depict, on one side, the entry of Jesus Christ on a donkey amid palm branches in Jerusalem, and on the other side, the descent to the "limbo of the righteous".
The tympanum of the arch depicts, in limestone, the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, with angels as witnesses and the dove of the Holy Spirit descending. Two groups of three figures adorn the corners of the tympanum.
Related to this scene, two pairs of statues on each side of the door represent the prophets Isaiah and David, who foretold the coming of Christ, and an Annunciation scene with the angel and Mary.
With this chapel, a new construction phase begins inside the cathedral. The old chapels dedicated to saints will be dismantled and unified to build new ones, personalized by the corresponding bishop, according to the prevailing tastes and proportionate to the person's power.
The chapter grants permission to Bishop Alonso de Cartagena to build his future funerary chapel in the space previously occupied by a chapel dedicated to Saint Marina. It seems logical to attribute the work to Juan de Colonia, who carried it out between 1440 and 1442.
In the center, the tomb of the bishop faces the altar. While the funerary monument was created around 1442, at the same time as the chapel, by Juan de Colonia, the image of Bishop Alonso was sculpted 50 years later, around 1490, by Gil de Siloe. The other tombs belong to relatives or individuals close to the bishop.
In the floor, worn tombstones indicate more burials, including suspected ones of Juan de Colonia and his wife, or that of the 16th-century humanist Juan Maldonado, who remain unidentified.
A large painting created in 1890 by Carlos Luis Ribera depicts the capture of Granada by the Catholic Monarchs.
It is the result of the Baroque style in cathedral architecture. It features geometric, linear, and two-tone decorations, domes, and the use of light to create chiaroscuro effects. Music has gained greater prominence, and special attention is given to the construction of the organ, as well as the Solomon columns of the altarpiece.
In 1670, Cardinal Enrique Peralta y Cárdenas obtained permission from the chapter to unite the chapels of "Santa Magdalena/San Andrés" and "Ecce Homo" in order to build the current chapel where he would be buried. One of the conditions of the agreement was that the cardinal would pay for the grilles that would close the sides of the central nave.
At the center of the altarpiece is the image of the Ecce Homo, also known as the "Christ of the Cold Stone", inherited from the old chapel. On the upper level, there is the figure of Saint Henry the King, the saint to whom the cardinal was devoted.
This space has undergone significant transformations over time. Pillars and cut arches suggest a different construction and orientation, characteristic of the old Romanesque cathedral.
In the cathedral documents, it appears under the names of "Santa Catalina" since the early 14th century.
A cartouche on a side wall and a shield with seven stars on the vault keystones indicate that it was the funerary chapel of the "Rojas family".
Since 1765, it has been dedicated to Saint John of Sahagun, whose image occupies the center of the altarpiece, a Baroque piece that has presided over the chapel since then.
On one side, two tombs are embedded in the wall. One of them is associated with the Blessed Lesmes, and tradition has attributed to it the ability to "heal kidney pain".
A large gated door leads to the adjacent Relics chapel, which shares the sacristy.
After wandering through various spaces of the cathedral, the relics that had been accumulating since the Middle Ages found a place in this new chapel built in 1765, which had been known as the Chapel of Saint Peter. Reflecting its time, this chapel features distinct Rococo decoration.
Since its construction in the 18th century, on the site of the old Chapel of Saint Peter in the old cloister, it has maintained the function of safeguarding the cathedral's relics. The cult of relics was revived, particularly after the Council of Trent.
In 1761, when the main sacristy was built, it was decided to find a new location for the numerous relics that had been accumulating in the cathedral since the Middle Ages. Four years later, this new chapel was completed. It is small in size and accessed through the Chapel of Saint John of Sahagun, with which it shares the sacristy.
Located next to the main sacristy, it reflects the Baroque style and Rococo ornamentation of its time. Built with Hontoria stone, brick, and plaster, its dome with a lantern gently illuminates the chapel and is decorated with relief stucco on a blue background depicting virtues.
The three reliquary altarpieces in the chapel were designed by the architect José de San Juan de la Cruz and executed by Fernando González de Lara, who was also the master of the dome. The ironwork was done by Manuel de la Peña and Melchor Gómez, ironworkers from Burgos.
In the side altarpieces, the images of Santa Casilda and the Miraculous have replaced the venerated and ancient images of the Virgin of the Miracle and the Virgin of Oca. They are now located in the Chapel of the Presentation and Santa Catalina, respectively.
The inventories of the archive list a variety of relics, from the most important ones such as the Lignum Crucis and a thorn from the Crown of Christ, a gift from Sixtus V to the constable, to bones of saints, the bodies of Santa Centola and Santa Elena, martyrs from Cardeña, and even curious items like a ring of Our Lady or a slipper of the Virgin.
In the center lies the tomb of the powerful canon Gonzalo Díez de Lerma, who commissioned its construction between 1520 and 1524. Partly inspired by the Chapel of the Constables and partly influenced by the tastes the canon acquired during his many years of work in Renaissance Rome, this space is one of the finest examples of that style on the peninsula.
Don Gonzalo Díez de Lerma also brought with him the exquisite painting "The Holy Family" painted by Sebastiano Luciani "del Piombo" around 1525, which is displayed in the current Neoclassical (1805) altarpiece.
His tomb, made of alabaster, is the work of Felipe Vigarny. It is one of the few cases where the tomb was created during the represented person's lifetime. Due to this, the figure depicts an old man, contrasting with the majority of representations that are "younger." The accompanying tombs belong to members of his family or close collaborators of the prelate. They were meticulously crafted by different artists, including Juan de Vallejo, and feature abundant Renaissance-style decoration in their lines and symbols.
The elongated floor plan of this chapel is explained by the reuse of one side of the cloister of the ancient Romanesque cathedral (1078/1221). Throughout this time, it had various names, such as the Chapel of the Virgin of Remedies and the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
In 1835, the exceptional image known as the "Most Holy Christ of Burgos" was displayed here, brought, not without a lengthy dispute, from the nearby monastery of San Agustín. It is an articulated figure, elaborated in buffalo leather and created with great realism. Around this figure, legends have accumulated along with a great devotion both in the country and in some places in Latin America.
Currently, it is one of the chapels, along with the Chapel of Santa Tecla, open freely for religious services.
This mechanical doll, which stands on the clock and opens and closes its mouth to mark the full hours, is one of the most famous curiosities of the cathedral. Alongside it, the small Martinillo helps by marking the quarter hours.
It is the largest chapel in the cathedral. It encompasses four of the original chapels and the space formerly occupied by the parish of Santiago, which was located behind them. Between 1731 and 1734, the work was carried out under the dedication to Saint Tecla, which was imported by Archbishop Samaniego from his previous seat in Tarragona. During this time, plaster and gypsum were chosen instead of the traditional limestone, which led to interventions in the construction as early as 1740.
An enormous intricately polychrome dome and a developed altarpiece with grand Solomonic columns and elaborate ornamentation showcase the preferences of that artistic style, evolved from Baroque, known as Churrigueresque. The four lateral altars recall each of the old chapels.
Here, you will find the baptismal font with Romanesque features that has always been preserved in the cathedral.
Bishop Luis de Acuña y Osorio continued the new constructive impulse that began with his predecessor Alonso de Cartagena. Notably, he completed the second spire of the towers and commissioned the construction of this funerary chapel, also by Juan de Colonia, in 1477.
The Gothic style has been in force for nearly 300 years since its inception in 12th-century France. Now its application focuses on greater complexity in essential elements such as vaults in this case. This is the completion that Simón de Colonia carried out in 1488 for this work started by his father, Juan. This is a period in which "artist families" will flourish.
One of those families is the one that begins with Gil de Siloe, the author of the enormous altarpiece that was already being constructed in 1492. In its center, a tree emerging from the chest of Jesse frames the scene of the parents of the Virgin embracing each other.
In 1280, it is considered that the cathedral was completed in its initial Gothic design. 160 years later, in 1442, Juan de Colonia, at the initiative of Bishop Alonso de Cartagena, began to raise the balcony with the inscription "Pax Vobis" and the openwork spire inspired by German architecture on the south tower that we can see today. In 1458, Juan de Colonia completed the spire of the north tower with Bishop Luis de Acuña as the promoter, who had the inscription "Ecce Agnus Dei" placed on this balcony.
Shortly after being appointed bishop in 1516, Juan Rodriguez de Fonseca ordered the removal of an old staircase that bridged the difference in height between the upper door (Coronería) and the cathedral floor. At the same time, he ordered the opening of the nearby Pellejería door at ground level to maintain access to the cathedral from this northern side. Three years later, in 1519, he presented the innovative project elaborated by Diego de Siloe to rebuild the staircase that the people demanded.
Diego grew up among the scaffolding that his father, Gil de Siloe, used for his work in the cathedral and later traveled to Renaissance Italy. There, he came into contact with new models and artistic solutions that he would apply in this staircase, which had to overcome a difference in height of over seven meters without blocking the new side door or encroaching too much into the nave. He decided to evolve a classic exterior staircase of Renaissance palaces into the interior of a sacred space that remained purely Gothic.
This space has barely undergone changes since its completion, probably around 1240.
It retains some pre-Gothic features of Cistercian Romanesque, which we won't find in the rest of the cathedral, either because they were replaced in later chapels or because they were not originally used. These features include the simple architectural decoration, the relative simplicity of the vault, and the predominance of the wall as a supporting element, with columns that do not reach the floor but are cut halfway.
A small free-standing sepulcher, in the Romanesque style, contains the remains of a child recently identified as one of the sons of Alfonso VIII (king of Castile between 1158 and 1214).
This magnificent Lantern Tower rises in the center of the church, attributed to Juan de Vallejo and Juan de Langres. On the night of March 4, 1539, the previous central tower, built almost 100 years earlier by Juan de Colonia, collapsed. In the same year of 1539, construction of this tower began, reaching the end of the pillars (anno domini 1550) in 1550, and it was completely finished, with its height of over 40 meters, in 1567.
It features prominent Renaissance style decoration, where the symbols of the main benefactors of this work were highlighted: the city of Burgos, Bishop Álvarez de Toledo, King Carlos V, and Cathedral Chapter.
In 1921, the remains of El Cid and his wife Doña Jimena were placed at the foot of this lantern tower in the center of the cathedral.
On a simple garnet jasper slab on the floor, in the physical center of the temple and under the grand structure of the lantern tower, the remains of El Cid Campeador and his wife Doña Jimena were placed in 1921, on the occasion of the cathedral's 700th anniversary. In this way, the city gave them a permanent burial.
After the death of Don Rodrigo Díaz in Valencia in 1099, Jimena transferred his body to the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña in Burgos, where she spent the period of El Cid's exile. In the early 19th century, during the Napoleonic revolts, the tomb was looted, and a large part of the bones were lost. Those that were retained and those that were recovered came under the guardianship of the city council.
In line with the conclusions of the recently concluded Council of Trent, this grand altarpiece reflects an exaltation of the figure of the Virgin Mary: with the image of Santa María la Mayor in the center, the Assumption (on the next level), the representation of her Coronation (upper image), or various reliefs depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin. The highly elaborate tabernacle, beneath Santa María la Mayor, reinforces the renewed importance of the Eucharistic rituals. The heightened cult of saints, decorating the columns of the first section, and the veneration of relics—this altarpiece houses those of Saints Centola and Elena—complete the "Tridentine" ideas.
The characteristics of its Mannerist style are reflected in the use of large-scale images, such as those of the twelve apostles, and the decorative columns incorporating the three classical orders (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian) in ascending order within each of the three sections.
First and foremost is the recumbent statue of the founding bishop of the cathedral, Don Mauricio, who passed away in 1238. The image, a wooden framework covered in copper with enamels adorning it, dates back to 1260. The bishop's mortal remains are buried at the foot of the high altar, which was the center of the choir in its original location. After much indecision, in 1552, the new choir was finally settled in its current position.
A lectern holds the large chant book that allows each of the canons seated on the two levels to follow the musical score. The entire choir is made of walnut, and the inlays are made of boxwood. The initial direction and design were entrusted to Felipe Vigarny starting from 1506. In 1610, it was decided to join the two sides, creating the frontal stalls where the archbishop's chair would be placed.
In the lower row, the 44 seats are decorated with a wide range of secular themes: games, myths, everyday scenes, professions, etc., as well as figures of Renaissance taste like grotesques or putti. The panels on the backrests at this level depict various biblical or hagiographic scenes. In the upper stalls, 65 episodes from the life of Christ are represented, ranging from the Annunciation to the appearance to Saint Thomas. At the top of the choir, a continuous frieze displays 59 episodes from the Book of Genesis.
The organs are later additions. The one on the south side (epistle side) dates back to the mid-17th century. The opposite one, on the north side (gospel side), was built in the early 19th century.
The tomb of the archdeacon Pedro Fernández de Villegas was created by Simón de Colonia around 1510, inspired by the one he made in the chapel of Santa Ana for Díez de Fuentepelayo. Villegas was a renowned man of letters in his time. Among other works, he studied and translated Dante's "Inferno" into Spanish for the first time.
The chapel was started the same year as the main altarpiece, so they share some authors and, above all, the characteristics of the Mannerist style. Thus, the retablo features large-scale figures and columns, with the latter almost reaching the height of the altarpiece. The scenes depict moments of the Virgin with the Nativity in the central space.
A large plaque indicates that it is a funerary chapel for the wife and daughters of the merchant Pedro Gonzalez de Salamanca. During this period, funerary chapels were allowed for non-clergy families. In this case, two old original chapels known as San Gil and San Martín were combined, and the two tombs on the stalls and the floor slab are still preserved.
Usually, when the chapter attends to a request from an individual for a burial space, they require the maintenance of certain elements or symbols that recall the ancient significance of that place. Even if the new patron promotes a comprehensive work that reflects their socio-economic status, that prerogative will always be fulfilled. In 1635, the new patron, Juan de la Torre y Ayala, planned to restructure the chapel by erecting a new vault inspired by the adjacent Chapel of the Nativity. However, perhaps due to lack of means, the chapel maintained its primitive appearance. Torre de Ayala limited himself to raising the grille where he would depict his family coat of arms.
A retablo was made in 1540 and features a simple structure. Among the figures represented is that of Saint Anthony the Abbot, one of its ancient devotions. Another stone altarpiece showcases another ancient veneration of the chapel, the Magdalene.
A carved tomb in the wall houses the burial of an unidentified religious person.
This chapel maintains its original structure and devotions. It is known as the Chapel of Saint Gregory, but it was also, and still is, the Chapel of the Angels and Chapel of Saint John the Baptist. Bricked-up arches on the front wall, probably a consequence of the construction, 200 years later, of the neighboring Chapel of the Constables, are the only transformations in its architecture since it was built around 1230.
In 1576, Pope Gregory XIII granted it the status of a privileged altar in this cathedral. Therefore, masses celebrated in this chapel are also offered for the souls in purgatory. This is attested by the plaques on the chapel walls.
In the center, there was the tomb of Bishop Gonzalo de Hinojosa (1327), but in 1576, it was embedded in the left wall to free up the central space. On the opposite wall, the tomb of Bishop Lope de Fontecha (1351) was placed, brought here from the Chapel of Saint James.
In 1498, the cathedral chapter announces a competition to close the three central arches out of the five that separate this ambulatory from the main altar. Through this project, they aim to both mitigate the cold drafts experienced during worship services and decorate the three large stone panels facing the recently started Chapel of the Constables with Christian messages.
The Burgundian artist Felipe de Vigarny, who happened to be in Burgos at the time, wins the commission by presenting a groundbreaking high relief project incorporating early Renaissance elements.
Also known as the "Purification of the Virgin" Chapel. It was built by Simón and Francisco de Colonia between 1482 and 1517, and artists such as Gil and Diego de Siloe, Felipe de Vigarny, León Picardo, and Cristobal de Andino worked on it. It was erected on the site of the previous Chapel of Saint Peter, of which the first two walls at the entrance remain, preserving two tombs from the early and mid-14th century. This entrance area, serving as a vestibule, is known as the antechapel.
In the center, there are the recumbent statues of the chapel's founders: Don Pedro Fernández de Velasco and his wife Doña Mencía de Mendoza y Figueroa. They were sculpted by Vigarny in white Carrara marble. These tombs and sculptures were created between 1525 and 1534, approximately 30 years after the depicted individuals' deaths. Next to them, there is a large block of jasper that the constables' grandson had brought with the intention of being buried alongside his grandparents. However, it ended up being interred in the Burgos town of Medina de Pomar, where the family originated. It is believed to weigh 966 "arrobas" (around 11,000 kilograms).
The central altarpiece is dedicated to the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Purification of Mary. It is the work of Felipe Vigarny and Diego de Siloe, with decoration by León Picardo. The first section from the bottom, known as the predella, features three reliefs representing the Visitation, the Birth of Jesus, and the Annunciation. Above this predella, in what is known as the first level, is the scene depicting the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. This work was executed by Vigarny and Diego de Siloe. In the second level, there are three independent statues representing Jesus in three moments: praying on the Mount of Olives, bound to the column, and carrying the cross. These are also the works of Vigarny and Diego. On top of this level, there is the pediment of the altarpiece, where a crucified Christ is depicted (crafted by Vigarny), accompanied by the figures of the Virgin and Saint John on each side.
On the right side, there is the "Saint Anne" altarpiece surrounded by female saints. Its upper part imitates the spires of the towers, emphasizing the Gothic style of the altarpiece. All the figures are female saints, with Saint Anne (holding the infant Mary) at the center, and they are attributed to Gil de Siloe, except for the lower scene of the dead Christ, which was executed by his son, Diego.
On the left side, there is the "Saint Peter" altarpiece, created by Diego de Siloe and Felipe Vigarny around 1523. While contemporary to the other two altarpieces, the authors chose a Renaissance style for this one, featuring Doric and Ionic columns delineating the spaces for the figures. Among these figures, the central one of Saint Joseph and the one of Saint Jerome as a penitent, attributed to Diego de Siloe, stand out.
The large coats of arms repeated in the first and second levels correspond to the families of the constables. These coats of arms are also present on the cushions of the tomb sculptures.
In the third level, there are the remains of the Renaissance stained glass windows installed by Arnao de Flandes around 1500 and 1510.
Above all of this is the first grand openwork vault in the form of an eight-pointed star. This zenithal light is related to the concept of light as the main axis of the chapel. At each point of the star, there are replicas (the originals are exhibited in the lower cloister - Interpretation Area) of the keystones.
In 1528, Felipe Vigarny completes the walnut choir located at the foot of the organ. The organ, known as the Antonio de Cabezón organ, dates back to the 16th century.
The sacristy has a door constructed and adorned by Francisco de Colonia in 1517. Its Plateresque style features rich ornamentation with intricate details, reminiscent of silverwork. The door is made of walnut wood.
It is the last rebuilt space of the cathedral. After what seems to be a historical demand regarding the poor conditions of the sacristy in 1765, the current one was built. Typical of the period is its rococo style, more commonly found in palace spaces than religious ones.
Large dressers made of carved pear wood with landscapes stored the garments for the celebrations that took place at the main altar of the central nave. The large mirrors, made in Holland, aided in the process of "getting dressed."
A vault with a central lantern serves to depict the heavenly choir lavishly decorated according to the thematic and stylistic trends of the time.
The paintings, painted by Lucas Jordán or his workshop, depict seven moments from the life of the Virgin.
Despite being built between 1260 and 1270, this cloister has been known as the new cloister for a long time, distinguishing it from the cloister of the previous Romanesque cathedral, of which the west and south sides are still preserved, corresponding to the current Chapel of the Most Holy Christ of Burgos and the cathedral offices.
It consists of two levels: one at the level of the cathedral and another at street level (lower cloister). At some point in the early 15th century and until its dismantling in the 20th century, there was a third level dedicated initially to the dependencies of the cathedral canons and later used as storage.
The first burial took place relatively early (1323), only fifty years after its construction. It was that of a civilian, Knight Ferrán Fernandez de la Dehesa. This fact, along with the tombstones attached to the walls, reinforces the theory that this space was also intended for burials. From that moment until the late 16th century, several canons and cathedral dignitaries chose this place as their final resting spot. Other tombs were moved from inside the cathedral and even from within the cloister itself.
In the four corner areas of the interior sides, there are original sculptural groups, and on each side of the exterior walls, there are different representative figures of kings, bishops, and biblical characters from a later period.
The stained glass windows are from the modern era, part of the comprehensive restoration carried out by Vicente Lamperez between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
It occupies the interior corner formed by the north and west wings of the high cloister.
It was entirely built by Juan de Vallejo around the year 1545.
Without documentation about its construction or original function, its history is deduced from the names it has received over time, the characters and families buried here, or the symbols that decorate it.
It is estimated that it was built between 1371 and 1375, and its foundation is likely attributed to the Cathedral Workshop itself.
A rectangular floor plan is covered by two simple vaults topped with two keystones adorned with a castle or coat of arms of the de Castellanos family. It shares elements of the old Gothic style with its adjacent chapel of Santa Catalina, such as the columns starting at mid-height instead of from the ground.
A magnificent staircase, built by Fray Martín de la Haya in 1596, leads to the Cathedral's historical archive.
Some of its names, such as de Corpus Christi, or Chapel of the Holy Supper, or del Cuerpo de Cristo, directly refer to its original and most consistent dedication over time. Others, like Chapel of the Castellanos, or Chapel of Juan Estébanez, refer to families associated with this space.
But undoubtedly, the most mysterious one is the Chapel of Juan Cuchiller, which appeared in the 18th century without a known basis.
Two pairs of them were relocated to this chapel and are well-documented, while the rest, original to this space, are a small accumulation of hypotheses.
The marriage of Miguel Esteban de Huerto del Rey (1283) and Doña Ucenda de Prestines (1296)
, located on the landing of the staircase, were moved here from the lower cloister in 1489.The other couple, whose tombs are located under the arches of the staircase, corresponds to the Counts of Castañeda; Garci Fernández Manrique and Aldonza de la Vega, relocated to this place from the lower cloister in 1854.
The floor tomb is original to the construction, dating from after 1375. Documentation assigns up to three burials to it, two of which would be; Garci Fernández de Castellanos (1375) and Pedro Estébanez de Castellanos (1409).
The main surnames of the family branches related to the beginning of this Corpus Christi chapel.
It was built at the beginning of the 14th century to replace the previous chapter hall. It soon received an altar, thus assuming the functions of a chapel, and even served as a sacristy in the early 18th century.
In 1316, Bishop Gonzalo de Hinojosa and the cathedral chapter reached an agreement regarding some houses that had been built using the outer wall of the upper cloister to construct a new chapter hall to replace the one then in use, known as the Chapel of Saint Paul.
This surprising space was then built halfway between the old chapels of the second half of the 13th century, contemporary with the cloister itself, and the chapels of the new construction period that would begin in the mid-15th century. Its construction combines elements of the old Gothic, such as the column shafts starting halfway up instead of from the ground, with very advanced elements such as a wide and delicate star vault.
The column capitals feature reliefs with scenes of a literary nature related to two of the main themes found in books circulating in the European court of the time: the chansons de geste and courtly love.
The walls are decorated with paintings of bishops and archbishops who are believed to have led the Burgos diocese since its origins as the Diocese of Oca. This tradition began in the late 16th century and was mostly repainted by Nicolás Cuadra in the early 18th century.
It runs along the perimeter of the chapel's walls and dates back to the early 18th century when Archbishop Fernando Navarrete transformed this space into the main sacristy. It was used to store various ecclesiastical garments and served as a support space for the main sacristy.
In these two chapels, now joined together, the most important liturgical-religious treasure of the Cathedral is exhibited. The highlights include:
The Hispano-Flemish paintings from the ancient Reliquary Cabinet.
The painting of the Resurrection, by Ambrosius Benson.
The chalice and pax of the Virgin, donated by the Constables of Castile.
The processional cross, by Juan de Arfe and Juan de Orna.
The Christ bound to the column, by Diego de Siloe.
The series of Flemish tapestries.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the significant restoration by Vicente Lamperez restored this neglected lower cloister, which over time had been transformed into shops, bars, pharmacies, etc. The southern section served as a passageway to the street until the late 20th century.
Today, after its restoration in 2007, the space serves as an interpretive center within the tourist route.