Santa María Cathedral was originally built attached to the interior of the city walls. Since then, its development and that of Vitoria-Gasteiz have gone hand in hand at various times throughout history.
It had always been believed that the walls were built after the village of Nova Victoria was founded in 1181. However, excavations in the Cathedral indicate that they originated before that time, although neither the exact date nor the specific reasons for erecting the walls are known.
Currently, thanks to an agreement with the City Council, the Santa María Cathedral Foundation’s guided visit programme enables visitors to take an enjoyable and informative tour of the entire remaining walled enclave.
