Plasencia’s magnificent cathedral is two-in-one. The 16th-century Catedral Nueva is a Gothic-Renaissance blend with a handsome plateresque facade, a soaring 17th-century retablo (altarpiece) and intricate walnut-carved choir stalls featuring seats dedicated to the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs). Within the Romanesque Catedral Vieja are 13th-century cloisters surrounding a fountain and lemon trees. The octagonal Capilla de San Pablo has a dramatic 1569 Caravaggio painting of John the Baptist, a religious museum and an arched Romanesque doorway.
![Facade of Plasencia Cathedral.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2023-07/iStock-515438264.jpg?w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cedges&auto=format&q=75)
© JoseIgnacioSoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Catedral de Plasencia
Extremadura
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