The lively city of León was recaptured from the Moors in 850, and the architecture reflects its long history under Christian rule. The cathedral is one of the finest examples of the Gothic style in the country and boasts some outstanding 13th-century stained glass. Also worth seeing is the Pantheon in the Church of San Isidoro, which contains the tombs of the medieval kings of Castile and León and is decorated with Romanesque wall paintings. There are several places of interest within easy reach of León, including the spectacular Puerto de Pajares, Benavente and the attractive region around Astorga, a town which, like other towns in the region, was a stopping point on the Way of St James (see Santiago de Compostela in the Northern Region section).
South of León is the province of Zamora; the provincial capital of the same name was the scene of many fierce struggles between the Moors and the Christians during the Reconquista, in which the Spanish hero El Cid figured prominently. The town has a Romanesque Cathedral and several 12th-century churches. Approximately 19km (12 miles) northwest of the town is an artificial lake, created in 1931; on the shores of the lake, in El Campillo, is a Visigoth church dating from the seventh century, which was moved when its original site was flooded by the new reservoir.
The southernmost province of León, Salamanca, has as its capital the ancient university town of the same name, awarded the title of ‘European City of Culture’ in 2002. It is situated on the swiftly flowing Tormes River and has many superb Renaissance buildings, weathered to a golden-brown hue. The most famous of these are the two Cathedrals, one Romanesque, the other late-Gothic in style but not completed until the 18th century. The university and the fine houses around the Plaza Mayor are also striking. More unusual is the Museo Art Nouveau y Art Deco, with its fascinating collections of objets d’art from the first half of the 20th century. The fiesta in September is very popular and bookings should be made well in advance.