Catedral de Burgos

Original antique view of Burgos Cathedral, drawn by Genaro Pérez de Villaamil and published in Paris in 1842. The image shows the western façade of the Gothic cathedral of Santa María de Burgos, located in the historic center of the Castilian capital, with its two characteristic spire-towers flanking the main entrance. Several human figures appear in the foreground, allowing viewers to appreciate the monumental scale of the building. Burgos Cathedral, begun in 1221 under the reign of Ferdinand III of Castile, was built following the model of the great French cathedrals and became one of the principal examples of Spanish Gothic architecture. During the nineteenth century, the European Romantic movement sparked renewed interest in medieval architecture, and artists such as Villaamil traveled through Spain documenting its monuments. Genaro Pérez de Villaamil (1807-1854) was a Galician painter and lithographer specializing in landscapes and architectural views, author of the series España artística y monumental published in Paris between 1842 and 1850. Lithograph.