The Cathedral of Valladolid was built in the 16th century and dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and is known as “La Inconclusa” (“The Incomplete”) because its construction was never finished. At the moment, the building only shows 40-45% of what Juan de Herrera, designer of the blueprints, had laid out. The idea was promoted by the Habsburg monarch, Philip II, who tried to undertake his last and most ambitious project in Valladolid: create the biggest cathedral in Europe.
The initial project comprised the construction of numerous towers; however, the building could only be built up to the transept. The cathedral could not be finished due to the lack of sources and the high expenses caused by the poor condition of the ground for its great height difference. Furthermore, one of the towers that was constructed collapsed in 1841 and nowadays only of them remains
The Cathedral of Valladolid, of Herrerian style and Baroque features, was eventually not the biggest cathedral in Europe, but its external and internal appearance are still majestic.
If we look on the inside, the building is characteristic for its restrained style in which black stone is the protagonist.
There are scarce decorative elements and the most important of all is the Juan de Juni altarpiece made for Santa María de la Antigua Church.
The building also holds Diocesano y Catedralicio museum, located in the remains of the old cathedral. It consists of a set of mortuary chapels attached to the 13th century Colegiata. The museum holds a selection of sculptures, paintings, gold and ivory works, and other ornaments belonging to the cathedral treasure.
Conde Ansúrez, considered to be the founder of the city, is buried here.
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