Comillas Santander is a magnificent villa of some 2,500 inhabitants, located next to the Cantabrian Sea, equidistant from two other nearby places of highest interest: San Vicente de la Barquera and Santillana del Mar. Lapped by the Bay of Biscay in its rugged coast, Comillas combines the best of nature and architecture more flirtatious. Modernists as Gaudi, Martorell or Llimona left its mark in the fishing village, the Pontifical University is alive witnessed the evolution of architectural styles in three different buildings, the cobbled Old Town has been designated a historic-artistic … In short, Comillas is a small town but concentrated, it deserves a thorough tour. Each corner is a pleasure to visit.

The Cantabrian town can boast of being the birthplace of inspiration from the best teachers modernist protagonists of their personal aesthetic and beautiful. The Marques de Comillas was the instigator of the most emblematic works of the town, bequeathing to his beloved town this architectural heritage of immeasurable value.

The nature reserve has several centers, which will guide the misguided footsteps of visitors. It is also equipped with playgrounds and marked trails, to further facilitate the safe approach to nature. It has been sometimes known as the Villa of the archbishops, having been born here in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, notable bishops and archbishops, and contains a set of architectural elements in value, among them the Capricho de Gaudí.

But there are also many other interesting elements, including some buildings erected by the momentum of the Marquess of Comillas: Universidad Pontificia, Sobrellano Palace, chapel, cemetery, etc.. Therefore Comillas is a basic reference in the Catalan Modernism.

All in all, denotes a modernist strength last season, when the town was one of the favorite summer retreat centers landowning families.

Between 1883-1885 it built one of the most beautiful buildings and representative quotes. El Capricho de Gaudí, designed by the great Catalan architect, is a summer home that looks like a beautiful doll house, with its fanciful turrets and tiles with a relief characteristic of sunflowers. The last genius aesthetic is inspired by the sustainable model developed by Gaudí in the construction of the mansion. A true visionary Catalan architect of the interior developed for optimal use of the daylight hours, as are sunflowers.

El Capricho consists of basement, floor and attic, with a tower that stands by his side in a set vertical horizontal markedly. The facades are alternating horizontal bands of brick and ceramic friezes with plant motifs of flower and leaf of sunflower. These motifs are also present in the upper frieze on the tower and the ends of the openings. The name «Folly» was never as successful. The building, which seems drawn from the pages of a story, add intelligent design to that dream pair.

In 1888 he opened Sobrellano Palace, residence of the Marquis de Comillas, a miscellany of styles designed by the architect Joan Martorell. It can be found trends ranging from Gothic to English civil elements Venetian palace, through the relief treatment close to the Mozarabic Muslims. Its structure is simple, with a central hall and distributor of white marble staircase, a fact which is counteracted by a complex ornamentation, studied to the smallest detail.

Adjacent to the palace is the chapel-pantheon of the Marquis de Comillas, also built by the Catalan Martorell and furnishings of Antoni Gaudi, one of the architect’s first forays into interior decoration. For its construction, Martorell followed English models and Central Perpendicular, resulting in a cathedral in miniature.

The small size of the chapel and, consequently, your gateway generated a miscalculation, leading to the couple a gift of great value to the Marquis of Villa. The statue of the curious and challenging exterminating angel presiding Comillas Cemetery, located on a promontory overlooking the sea, was commissioned by the Marquis to the sculptor Llimona to chair the grave of his first child within the family vault. Not literally come through the door, it was decided their current location.

One of the last great works of the Marquis was the Pontifical University with a pious work which sought to «earn heaven.» This commissioned his architect «fetish» Martorell construction of a large secondary school teaching center that eventually went to seminary poor (posterior Universidad Pontificia). Luis Domenech i Montaner was asked to «break» with the structural rigidity of the original building, has three currently-decorating the auditorium, public church, hall, stairs, and the bronze door panel with modernist precepts.

Declared a Cultural, its origin is in the late nineteenth century, when the Marquis de Comillas brought a fortune to build a seminar on boys from families with limited material resources

The building was started in 1883. One year after the project was commissioned Juan Martorell, author of Sobrellano palace and the chapel-pantheon. It is a rectangular building with two courtyards, separated by a central body higher, where are the church and the main entrance. Its style is Gothic-Mudejar

With the work almost complete, the ornamental aspects commissioned architect Luis Domenech i Montaner, who developed the task in collaboration with leading artists.

The building was first expanded in 1912, Pontifical University, and another in 1949, he was projected as a Hispanic sorority

The door of the birds, located in Casa Moro, is a port for cars dating from 1900. And it would be just that, not having been commissioned its construction to Gaudi. With waste of stone and traditional materials in the construction of stone walls, Gaudí took a step further, creating a fantasy full access. In addition to gate for cars and for pedestrians, the brilliant architect gives the door a hole … an entry for birds.

Rounding out the modernist route Comillas Comillas Santo Hospital, Fountain of Three Sewers and Coteruca, summer home of the family Riera. One of the most typical of Comillas is its cemetery, located on a hill, overlooking the sea. It occupies the site of the ancient parish church, built by the end of the XV.

Do not forget to visit the promenade and beach, an excellent place to stroll and enjoy the Cantabrian Sea!.