One city, two cathedrals

In the past, it was said that Vitoria was a city of priests and soldiers. Perhaps this is the reason it has two cathedrals and the university campus includes reconverted army quarters. Nowadays, Vitoria is one of the few Green Capitals in Europe – it’s an avant-garde city that stands out for its remarkable quality of life. 

The Cathedral of María Inmaculada, better known among Vitoria locals as the “New Cathedral”, was one of the last great cathedrals built in Spain. Neo-gothic and with a capacity to fit around 15,000 people, it is one of the largest temples in the country after the Cathedral of Seville. 

If we had to define the Cathedral of Santa María, known as the “Old Cathedral”, it would be a 700-year-old woman, respected expert on the history of Vitoria and diagnosed with a terminal illness. After surrendering to the magic of the best surgeons in an operation broadcasted live called “Open for Works”, today she is now ready to tackle another 700 years of life. 

When visiting Vitoria, the writer Ken Follet fell in love with the temple and all its secrets. He made her his muse and was inspired to write his bestseller World Without End.  A statue of the Welsh writer stands in the enigmatic Plaza of the Burullería as a thank you.