Frómista

The capital of Palencia's Romanesque legacy, the town of Frómista is a major communications hub and a staging post on the Pilgrim's Road to Santiago de Compostela. Churches such as San Pedro and Santa María form one of the main cultural attractions of the town, along with the hermitage of Santiago and its image of the Virgen del Otero. But Frómista's most prized gem is the church of San Martín, a work of art conceived as an image. This temple, which was founded in 1035, stands out because of the simplicity of its lines and the perfect balance struck between the architecture and the incredible wealth of decoration. A magnificent display of light, colours and lines which represents a milestone in the Romanesque style linked to the Pilgrim's Road to Santiago de Compostela. Two kilometres from town is the Pozomingo fountain, where remains have been uncovered of what could have been Frómista in the Roman age, before Arab occupation.