Spain 2012 Burgos Cathedral – UNESCO World Heritage series

Burgos Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos  is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official name is Santa Iglesia Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos.

The cathedral was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on October 31, 1984. It is the only Spanish cathedral that has this distinction independently, without being joined to the historic center of a city (as in Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela, Ávila, Córdoba, Toledo, Alcalá de Henares or Cuenca) or in union with other buildings, as in Seville. It is similar in design to Brussels Cathedral.

The inner part of the coin depicts the Cathedral of Our Lady of Burgos, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is famous for its vast size and unique architecture. Construction of the cathedral began in 1221 and it was already in use as a place of worship nine years later, although work continued off and on until 1567. It was primarily built in the French Gothic style, but Renaissance features were added in the 15th and 16th centuries. The name of the country of issue, “ESPAÑA”, and the year “2012” appear to the left and right above the image. The mintmark (M with a crown) appears to the right. The outer ring bears the 12 stars of the European Union.

Weight - 8.5 g.

Quality - UNC (Uncirculated)

Diameter - 25.75 mm.
Composition - Bimetallic - nickel brass clad nickel center in copper-nickel ring
Circulation - 8'000'000 pcs.
Country of origin - Spain
Year of release - 2012