Heritage in Comillas - Cantabria

The village of Comillas, declared an important historic and artistic centre, is known as the ‘Town of the Bishops’ - as five prelates were born here who later went on to be the heads of several different dioceses in the Middle Ages.

You will see the magnificent architecture and ancestral mansions carrying the shields that belonged to the noble families of the time.
Comillas’ cobblestone streets and squares invite you to discover every corner of the town, providing the visitor with a feeling of peace and serenity.

In the centre of the town is La Plaza, which is surrounded by houses with beautiful views and situated next to the Town Hall and the parish church of San Cristóbal, dating from the seventeenth century.

In the centre of the town’s oldest part you’ll find the beautiful Plaza del Corro de Campios square, the location for the Comillas’ main bars and restaurants, which is always full of people in summer. A little further away is the Plaza de los Tres Caños, which features a tower and houses with spacious sun terraces, as well as a beautiful Art Nouveau-style fountain.

Monumental Comillas grew under the patronage of Antonio López, the first Marquis of Comillas, who brought King Alfonso XII to spend his holidays in the town in the summer of 1881, turning the place into the aristocracy’s favourite summer destination. This, in turn, brought many important Catalan Art Nouveau architects of the time to the town, thus sealing Comillas’ extraordinary beauty.

Sobrellano Palace: A large building also called ‘Palacio del Marques de Comillas’, as it was built in the same place where the Marquis lived, it is the work of the Catalan architect Juan Martorell. Neo-Gothic in style, part of the furniture was based on an idea by Cascante, while the artist Lorens and the sculptor Joan Roig were also involved in the artistic work. Similar in style to the palace is the chapel-pantheon, characterised by its marble mausoleums. Some of the furniture was designed by Gaudi.

The Pontifical University: An impressive building that dominates the town from the west, this is one of Comillas’ most representative structures. The ornamental details, along with the entrance to the campus, were designed by the architect Domènech.

El Capricho de Gaudi: Declared a historic-artistic monument in 1969, this is a beautiful Arabesque-style building. The especially beautiful portico with its large columns and the ceramic decoration found on the building’s walls are two of its most stunning features.

Monument to the Marquis of Comillas: A building by Domènech, built in 1980, you will find this monument on top of a hill, dominating the town with its excellent sea views.

The Cemetery: Crowned by Joseph Llimona’s magnificent ‘Exterminating Angel’ sculpture, which overlooks the ruins of the old Gothic monastery, it is one of the finest features of Comillas’ landscape.