CHURCH DE PALACIO

Santa María de Palacio can be recognized
from afar by its famous “spire”: a pyramidal tower so unique that it looks like an elegant hat purposely placed to give Logroño its own silhouette. Its history begins with a royal gesture: Alfonso VII donated his palace in 1130 to build here a foundation linked to the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, hence the surname “de Palacio” and its title of “imperial”.

Inside, the temple is organized in three naves and a transept crowned by a dome; outside, the spire marks the character: it is gothic in intention (verticality, visual lightness), but the building has undergone reforms and reinforcements over time, like someone adjusting the suit so that it continues to fit well. There were even times when the spire worried about its thrust and works were done to secure the whole.

If you like to look at details: look for the contrast between the square tower (bell tower) and the octagonal spire, like two different voices singing the same song. And if you go with kids, tell them it’s “the church of the unicorn”: not because there are unicorns, but because in a city of towers, this is the rarest and easiest to point out. In Logroño, when someone says “Do you see the needle?”, you don’t need a GPS: you are already oriented.