Brazil
Argentina
Chile
Colombia
Peru
Uruguay
Germany
Belgium
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Portugal
the United Kingdom
Switzerland
Historic monument · León, Castela e Leão
Hostal de San Marcos
Former pilgrims' hospital and seat of the Ordem de Santiago on the banks of the Bernesga river, with a long 16th-century plateresque façade, today a parador, with the church open to visitors.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Hostal de San Marcos
The San Marcos complex stands on the banks of the Bernesga river, at the start of the Caminho de Santiago de León. Its origins date to the 12th century, when the infanta Sancha, sister of king Afonso VII, donated land for a hospital to receive poor pilgrims. The site also became the main house of the Ordem de Santiago in the kingdom of Leão.
In the 16th century the medieval building was demolished and a new work began, funded by a donation from the king Fernando, o Católico. The result is one of the most important façades of the Spanish Renaissance: around a hundred meters of plateresque stone, with medallions of historical figures, pilgrim shells, columns and sculpted friezes, and above them the figure of São Tiago on horseback. The church, consecrated in 1541, has its façade covered in shells.
Over the centuries the building served as a convent, prison, barracks and school. Today it is a parador, a state-run hotel. The church remains open as a church and an annex of the Museu de León, and part of the building can be seen in the hotel's common areas.
In front of the complex, the praça de San Marcos has a statue of a resting pilgrim, and the medieval bridge over the Bernesga, along which the Camino continues west.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 20 to 40 minutes, including the façade and the church.
Best time
In the late afternoon, when the western sun hits the façade. The church and areas open to visitors have their own opening hours; check ahead.
How to get there
It is located on the plaza of San Marcos, on the banks of the Bernesga, about a 15-minute walk from Casa Botines, following avenida do Padre Isla or the Caminho de Santiago.
Tip
Notice the pilgrim shells scattered across the church façade and look for the statue of the seated pilgrim in the square, facing the building.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Hostal de San Marcos
What was the Hostal de San Marcos?
A pilgrims' hospital on the Caminho de Santiago and headquarters of the Order of Santiago, founded in the 12th century and rebuilt in the 16th century. Today it is a parador.
Can you visit San Marcos without staying there?
You can see the façade and enter the church, which is annexed to the Museu de León. The hotel areas are accessible according to the parador's rules.
Why is the façade of San Marcos important?
It is one of the great façades of the Spanish Renaissance, in the plateresque style, with about a hundred meters of carved stone.