Santo Domingo de La Calzada
Some 68km (42 miles) east of Burgos, and easily visited on a day trip, lies Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The crowning achievement of the town, which grew as a stopover for pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela, is the 13th-century cathedral (tel. 94-134-00-33), a national landmark. For the most part Gothic in style, it nevertheless contains a hodgepodge of architectural elements -- Romanesque chapels, a Renaissance choir, and a free-standing baroque tower. St. Dominic, for whom the city is named, is buried in the crypt. A centuries-old legend is attached to the cathedral: Supposedly a rooster stood up and crowed after it had been cooked to protest the innocence of a pilgrim who had been accused of theft and sentenced to hang. To this day, a live cock and hen are kept in a cage up on the church wall, and you can often hear the rooster crowing at Mass. The cathedral is open March to December Monday to Saturday 10am to 1pm and 4 to 6:30pm (closed Jan-Feb). Admission is 3€ ($4.35) adults, 2€ ($2.90) ages 8 to 18 years, and free for everyone on Sunday for Mass. Motorists can reach Santo Domingo de la Calzada by following either of the traffic arteries paralleling the river, heading west from Burgos Cathedral until signs indicate N-120.
