San Martin de Fromista

San Martin was built in the eleventh century, traditionally dated from a bequest of 1066, as part of a monastery on the pilgrim route, and it is a compact and complete example of the Romanesque of the Camino: three naves, a transept, three apses, an octagonal lantern tower and two cylindrical turrets at the west end, with over three hundred carved corbels running under the eaves depicting animals, musicians, monsters and figures of considerable coarseness. It was deconsecrated and left ruinous in the nineteenth century, then restored between 1894 and 1904 in a thorough reconstruction that removed later additions and rebuilt what was lost, which is why it looks so clean and why specialists argue about how much is original.

History

The church was begun in the second half of the 11th century at the wish of Queen Muniadona of Castile, as part of a monastery that has since disappeared; it is first mentioned in 1066 and is related in style to other Romanesque buildings of the Way of St James, such as Jaca Cathedral and San Isidoro in León. In 1118 it was given to the Benedictine priory of San Zoilo at Carrión de los Condes, the monks left in the 13th century, and in the 15th century it gained a bell tower over the dome and a sacristy. It decayed after the Middle Ages and in the 19th century was declared unfit for worship; in 1894 it was made a national monument and a restoration began that removed the later additions, and it reopened in 1904 (Wikipedia, Church of Saint Martin of Tours, Frómista).

Highlights

• The carved corbels - over three hundred figures under the eaves.
• The complete Romanesque plan - three naves, transept and three apses.
• The lantern tower - an octagonal drum over the crossing.
• The 1900s restoration - a reconstruction that shaped how it now appears.

When to go

April to June and September to November; the Palencia plain is very hot in summer and cold in winter. Pilgrim traffic on the Camino peaks from May to September. Hours include a long midday break.

Good to know

The heavy restoration means much of what is visible is early twentieth century rather than medieval, a point the site acknowledges. The church is small and the visit takes under an hour. Fromista is a small town with limited services.

Nearby

The Camino Frances passes through; Carrion de los Condes and the Canal de Castilla are close.

Key facts