Entrance to the ‘Reino de Leon’ (Kingdom of Leon).

We set off for the city of Leon, to see the legendary Kings of Leon, one of Judith’s favourite bands!  Leon is in an area called the Asturias. Leon is a beautiful city with perhaps one of the most incredible medieval cathedrals we’ve seen so far.  An audio provided on entering was surprisingly informative and sensitive and we were really taken by the narrative – Leon, a city of just 5000 citizens at the time, who built something so incredibly beautiful which would get them nearer to the divine.  The cathedral was built with webbed arches, a revolutionary architectural development at the time which allowed the cathedral to have more windows, allowing more light into the building. This was the ‘classic Gothic’ style, distinctive from the older and gloomier Romanesque cathedrals which had to have stronger walls and smaller windows. Whether you’re religious or not, the stained glass windows in Leon Cathedral make you gasp in wonderment.

Next stop was the Basilica and the pantheon of the Kings.  23 kings and queens of Leon were interred here.  Their original resting places had been desecrated by France’s napoleonic army, and whatever remains were found were laid to rest here. None of the sarcophagi had identifying markers, just ‘Reis des Leon’.  Entering Leon the road sign said ‘Reino des Leon’ or ‘Kingdom of Leon’, a reference to the fact that Leon was a separate Kingdom on the Iberian peninsula.  Photography was strictly forbidden which is why only two photographs are displayed below😉

The ‘webbed arch’ design meant bigger windows letting in more light in an attempt to ‘recreate the divine’.

Leon Cathedral was an incredible achievement for a city of just 5000 people at the time.

The alter-piece in Leon Cathedral.

The Pantheon of Kings, where 23 kings and queens of Leon are interred.

Strolling through the charming pedestrianised streets of Leon.

The central plaza in front of the cathedral. Leon is a lovely and relaxing compact little city.

On the way to Leon, we crossed a stupendous area of outstanding beauty called the Sena de Luna (Lunar Scene) and Los Barrios.  The highway through this area of mountains and lakes must have been a major and costly undertaking.  Much of the road wasn’t yet recognized by our TomTom so it must have been completed only recently.  The scenery was Lake District meets Jurassic Park with stunning hills descending straight into perfect calm and blue lakes.  Flavio found the temptation to go down for a swim almost impossible to resist but access from the highway was impossible.