Information about La Bañeza
La Bañeza is a city located in the southern part of the province of León and on the Via de la Plata. It is an area of Asturian population, its territory was part of the Conventus Asturum during the Roman period. The city was born in the 9th century by order of Count Gaton from the nuclei of Saint-Pierre de Périx and Bani Eiza. It was the seat of a marquisate during the Modern Age, so it has a great history, culture, tradition and architectural traces of different periods.
What to see and do in La Bañeza
The church of San Salvador
It is an indispensable trace of the Mozarabic that later gave rise to the city, its origins date back to the ninth century. The building was destroyed by Almanzor and then rebuilt in the 11th century. It has three naves and conserves the Romanesque apse in good condition. It was renovated in modern times and the plateresque façade and the tower date from this period. Inside, the Baroque altarpiece by Francisco de Rivera, the canvases by Felipe Gil de Mena and a carving of San Salvador are particularly striking. An essential visit in La Bañeza.
The Town Hall of La Bañeza
The Town Hall of La Bañeza is located in the Plaza Mayor and is a neoclassicist style building built between 1900 and 1909. It is a work of the architect Lázaro Cárdenas. A few years after its erection, a hexagonal tower was added to the building, with a slate roof and a carillon in which the Hymn of Joy is played every hour.
The old hospital of La Bañeza
The old hospital is the oldest civil building in La Bañeza. The first references to it date back to 1539 and it is known that it was rebuilt in 1897. In different streets of the city you can find several modernist buildings, it is advisable to visit this location and also put the focus on these other architectural examples that surround it.
The church of Santa Maria
This temple is presented in starry gothic style, its construction is determined during the XVI century, being heir of the old church of San Pedro de Périx. It has a basilica floor plan with three naves, with some modifications made in the 12th century. Inside you can find an image of the Pietà, the work of Gregorio Fernandez. Also the altarpiece of the main altar, work of Francisco de Rivera from the 17th century and the carvings of Santa Teresa, San Pablo, San Juan de la Cruz and the Assumption.
The chapels
It is also of great interest to visit the chapel of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias y Soledad, which houses various processional floats from the Holy Week of Bañéz. For its part, the chapel of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno currently houses the Imaginero Museum. These buildings are scattered throughout La Bañeza and are of great interest to visitors, who can see them in a simple walk.
