Another fine city, one with a history that goes back a long way. It was founded by the Romans around 29 BC. It is the capital of the province of Leon, originally the Kingdom of Leon.
  An interesting early character was Alfonso IX, king of Leon and Galicia.  He reigned from 1188 until 1230. his statue is included in the pictures below. In many ways he was a man before his time: he founded the university of Salamanca, and established in Leon the first parliament in Europe in 1188. He was not popular with the Pope due to a series of what were regarded as inappropriate marriages, and spent much of his reign under excommunication. His private life was a busy one, and history has lost count of the number of illegitimate children he sired.
     Important places we visited were the cathedral and its associated museum, and the Basilica of San Isidoro. Each deserves a page: links below.