Frómista is a city and a municipality located in the province of Palencia, Castile and León, Spain.
It is a major overnight stopping place for pilgrims traveling along the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James.
Tourism and main attractions
Church of San Martin de Tours. From the 11th century, it is one of the most complete Romanesque temples in all of Europe. Its harmonious apses and dome, its corbels and imposts stand out, and inside, the capitals carved with an extensive repertoire of sacred and profane images.
In 1894 it was declared a National Monument and a restoration started. This brought the church back to its original state, removing numerous later additions. The church was reopened to the public in 1904.
Church of Santa Maria del Castillo. Declared BIC in 1944.
St. Peter’s Church. It is a Gothic church that began to be built in the fifteenth century. However, it does not receive its definitive form until the following century. It has a tower of four bodies, resounding and solid appearance. One of the most interesting elements of the exterior is the Renaissance portal, drawn by Juan de Escalante around 1560.
Also worth noting is the group of the Descent, from the Castilian school of Juan de Valmaseda, and two sculpted images: Saint Peter and Saint Paul, from the XV century. In the lateral naves of the temple there are two paintings by Gregorio Ferro, a disciple of Mengs: one with the image of the Crucified; and another with that of San José.
Inside, the temple is organized in five sections and three naves divided by fasciculated pillars, which support vaults with curved star-shaped ribs. Presiding over the presbytery stands the main altarpiece, designed by Francisco Trejo in 1636. It follows the classicist, orderly and monumental scheme, which characterizes the altarpieces of the time, inspired by Herrerian motifs.
Hermitage of the Otero. It consists of a single Gothic nave, renovated in the 18th century. Inside it has a sculptural Virgin of the Virgen del Otero, Romanesque, belonging to the 13th century, seated with the child and which has recently undergone restoration.
Boffard Showroom. Located next to the church of San Martín, private initiative. It usually has permanent exhibitions, dedicated to showing art in its most varied facets: painting, sculpture without missing goldsmithing, photography, forging, carpentry.
Canal de Castilla and its locks. One of the most important points of the canal is located in Frómista, where we can find in the same place, the crossing between the Camino de Santiago and the Castilla canal.
The Canal of Castile is a canal in the north of Spain. Constructed between the last half of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century, it runs 207 km through the provinces of Burgos, Palencia and Valladolid, in the Autonomous Community of Castile and León. Width ranges between 11 m and 22 metres, depth between 1.8 m and 3 metres.
It is protected by a heritage listing, having been declared Bien de interés cultural in 1991. Parts of it are still in use, although there are now only limited possibilities for navigation: it irrigates 48 municipalities.
Casa del Esclusero (Tourist Office) is attached to these locks.
How to get to?
From Palencia 22 min (32.5 km) via A-67
From Valladolid 59 min (80.2 km) via A-62 and A-67
From Madrid 2 hr 49 min (287 km) via A-6
Main information
Area: 46 km² (municipality)
Coordinates: 42°16′02″N 4°24′24″W
Population: 778
Languages: Spanish
Currency: Euro
Visa: Schengen
Time: Central European UTC +1
