Frightening in its severe dignity, and more awesome than beautiful, it's the world's best example of the religious devotion of Renaissance Spain. This huge granite fortress, the burial place for Spanish kings, houses a wealth of paintings and tapestries-works by everyone from Titian to Velazquez. Filled with more sunlight than any other cathedral in Spain, it was begun in 1250 with a design pierced with 125 stained-glass windows and 57 oculi, the oldest of which date from the 13th century. This architectural achievement, unique in Spain, is stunning but also dangerous. The sheer mass endangers the resistance of the walls.
Architects fear that an urgent restoration is needed to strengthen the walls to prevent collapse.
The well-preserved cloisters are well worth a visit. After its cornerstone was laid in 1221, this cathedral became the beneficiary of creative talent imported from England, Germany, and France. It is the third-largest cathedral in Spain, after Seville and Toledo. El Cid is buried here. After St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London, the cathedral of this Andalusian capital is the largest in Europe.