Royal Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana inSantillana del Mar (EN)

The Collegiate Church of Santillana del Mar

In the 8th century, monks settled here, bringing with them the relics of Saint Juliana, a martyr during the persecution of Diocletian. Over time, and thanks to the privileges granted by the Castilian counts and kings, it grew into a large monastery that extended its influence throughout the central part of our region.

In the 12th century, it was transformed into a collegiate church, and the great Romanesque structure was built, along with the splendid cloister, whose capitals feature a synthesis of Roman iconography: symbolic themes of the struggle between Good and Evil, scenes from the Old and New Testaments, and everyday and plant motifs.

Inside the church, significant works of art are preserved, such as the Pantocrator, the baptismal font, the Gothic altarpiece, and the Baroque sculptures.

In the 18th century, in an effort to become a cathedral, new construction was undertaken, such as the structures on the south façade—the sacristy, chapter house, and arched loggia—and, inside, the canons’ choir, with its choir stalls and organ.

All of this forms an exceptional complex that led to its designation

a World Heritage Site.