Cantabria day 2 Santillana del Mar

We walked into the heart of Santillana del Mar. On our way we passed this Convent for nuns.

This is ¨Collegiate Church¨12th CenturyInside the Church we entered into the Courtyard. Rooms along the side contained old tombs and an ancient baptismal font decorated with a carving of Daniel surrounded by lions. The Columns each had differant carvings. It was amazing.

I couldn´t help but wonder what the town would have been like to live in during the mediaeval times. Santillana is a town of hidalgos (noblemen) and retain to this day many stately homes with coats of arms on their exterior. The town´s historical importance is that of the Santillana Monastery, later converted into a Collegiate Church. The buildings and surrounding area have bveen declared a National Monument. The courtyard adjacent to the Church is very interesting. There are several tombs of unidentified persons. Visitors may feal as if surrounded by spirits of Santillana´s hidalgo inhabitants. We entered the chapel, no cameras allowed, and I couldn´t resist the urge to sit in the ancient pew and say a prayer for my loved ones. Somehow in this ancient place I felt as if my prayers would somehow be heard loud and clear from here.