Catedral de Santa María de Huesca
Rising above Huesca's old town with a soaring Gothic façade that took three centuries to complete, the Cathedral of Santa María is the city's undisputed centrepiece. Step inside to find one of the finest Renaissance altarpieces in all of Spain, carved by Damián Forment in alabaster so fine it seems to glow.
A Façade Worth Standing Still For
The main west portal is a riot of carved saints, angels and heraldic shields squeezed into a single pointed arch — spend a few minutes with a good pair of eyes before you even walk through the door.
The tower, left deliberately unfinished in the 16th century, gives the whole composition an endearing asymmetry that photographs beautifully against a blue Aragonese sky.
Damián Forment's Alabaster Masterpiece
The high altarpiece inside is a floor-to-ceiling narrative carved between 1520 and 1534, depicting scenes from the Passion with an emotional realism that still stops visitors cold.
Look closely at the predella panels at the base — the faces of the mourners around the dead Christ are as expressive as anything you'll find in a European painting of the same period.
Diocesan Museum Next Door
The attached Museo Diocesano houses Romanesque panel paintings rescued from abandoned Pyrenean churches, many of which would otherwise have been lost or sold abroad.
Admission to both cathedral and museum is bundled together and costs very little — budget about an hour for both.
More of Huesca
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Huesca →
