Church of Santa María de la Asunción

The Gothic church of Santa Maria de la Asunción stands majestically in the Puebla Vieja (the old town of Castro Urdiales), overlooking the village and harbor from a prominent position.

This large church is considered the most important Gothic building in all of Cantabria. In the early 13th century, Alfonso VIII decided to give this coastal town a church of cathedral proportions and the result is this great three-chambered basilica.

If you look closely at the details, you can see certain similarities with the French Gothic movement which was underway in Normandy and some details similar to the Cathedral in Burgos.

The church of Santa Maria de la Asunción is located at the top of the port, near the lighthouse of Castro Urdiales.

It’s a 13th century Gothic cathedral and the most important and representative monument of Cantabria. It has a basilica with two towers and three interior chambers. In my view, it needs some restoration work, but it's still very impressive.

The St. Mary of Assumption Church exudes peace and the sea views are breathtaking, both on clear days when you can see the coast of Bizkaia, and on stormy days when it seems like the sky is going to fall on our heads. It's the most emblematic place in the city and it's a hallmark.