Leon is much more than its imposing Cathedral or its Basilica of San Isidoro; it is a city where history has left behind small breadcrumbs in the form of anecdotes, legends, and hidden corners. If you are planning a visit and want to go beyond the conventional guides, there are many curious things to see in Leon that will make you look up, look down, and, above all, pay much closer attention to every stone along the way.
The Cathedral Mole and the Rooster of San Isidoro
Let’s start by looking up. If you enter the Cathedral through the Door of San Juan, you will see a dark, dry skin hanging there. Legend has it that it belonged to a malignant mole that destroyed at night what the stonemasons built by day, until the people of Leon hunted it down. Although we now know it is the skin of a leatherback sea turtle, the story remains a local icon.
Nearby, at the Royal Collegiate Church of San Isidoro, the star is a weathercock rooster. For centuries, it was thought to be a simple piece of metal, but recent studies revealed it is a Persian-Sasanian bronze piece from the 6th century, making it one of the oldest and most well-traveled objects in the city.
Gaudí’s Trace and the Contemporary “Mole“
It is impossible to talk about curious things to see in Leon without mentioning Casa Botines. Beyond being one of the few works by Antoni Gaudi outside of Catalonia, it hides a secret that was discovered almost by accident: during a restoration in 1950, a lead tube was found inside the statue of Saint George containing the original blueprints of the building signed by the architect—a “message in a bottle” that waited decades to be found.
Plaza del Grano and the Roman Sewer System
To feel the medieval Leon, you must go to Plaza del Grano. It is curious not for what is new, but for what it preserves: its original cobblestone pavement and its central drainage system. It is, quite possibly, the spot that best preserves the atmosphere of the markets of yesteryear.
Furthermore, if you walk along the Cerca (the city wall), look at the plaques on the ground. Leon was the camp for the Legio VI Victrix and the Legio VII Gemina, and even today, beneath modern buildings, the layout of the Roman sewers still functions in some areas, linking the imperial past with everyday life.
The Man Who “Flies” Over Calle Ancha
If you walk down Calle Ancha and look up toward the balconies of a modernist building, you will see a human figure that appears to be leaping into the void. Don’t be alarmed; it is a sculpture known as the “Aviator,” a tribute to the city’s aviation history, which boasts one of the oldest military flight academies in Spain.
A Royal Experience at My Palace Leon
To discover these mysteries, you need a starting point that lives up to the city’s history. At My Palace Leon, we are as passionate about Leonese heritage as you are. Our hotel is located in a building that respects the stately essence of the capital, offering you a peaceful refuge right in the city center.
Staying with us puts you just steps away from all these secrets, with the added value of a concierge service that can reveal many more curious things to see in Leon that don’t appear in tourist brochures. After a day of tracking down legends, our spa and designer rooms are the place where history meets 21st-century comfort.