Declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1985, what you can see in Comillas is very varied. It has beautiful Indian and popular architecture, as well as magnificent examples of mountain houses. Noble coats of arms on the facades and beautiful cobbled streets help to create an inspiring atmosphere.
Old Town
In the heart of the historical centre, of medieval origin, is the Plaza de la Constitución, surrounded by large houses with wide viewpoints. The site contains the Old Town Hall of Comillas, which displays the coats of arms of the archbishops born in the town on one of its facades. As there have been five, the town is sometimes referred to as the Villa de los Arzobispos. For its part, the building now houses the Comillas Heritage Information Centre.
The Church of San Cristóbal (17th century) has the peculiarity of having been not only financed but also built by the inhabitants themselves. The reason for this was an altercation with the secretary of the Duke of Infantado in the old church, located in what is now the Gothic Cemetery of Comillas. During the construction, the locals reserved one day a week to participate in the works. It is also remarkable that it has two covers. The northern one is finished off by a niche with a San Cristóbal, a work of art by the sculptor of the neighbouring Santillana Jesús Otero. On the other hand, the south shows the coats of arms of the town and of the Crown.
The floor of the temple is quadrangular. Its head, rectangular, has a pyramid-shaped tower. Inside there are three naves. In spite of its dedication, the greatest element of worship is the image of the Cristo del Amparo, patron saint of fishermen. The rest of the complex stands out for its enormous sobriety, forced by the destruction of its altarpieces during the Civil War.
Continuing with what we see in Comillas, we arrive at Corro Campíos. In the past it was used as a meeting place where bowling and dancing took place on feast days. Nowadays it is a popular meeting point for both Comillas and holidaymakers.
In the nearby Joaquín de Piélago square, the New Town Hall of Comillas was built (19th century). It was built as a school by Manuela del Piélago and Sánchez de Movellán. It later took on its current function. The Casa Ocejo also stands out, an example of Indian architecture that was acquired by the first Marquis of Comillas.
The Casa del Ocejo is one of the most interesting places to see in Comillas, despite the fact that it is not accessible from the inside. King Alfonso XII stayed there during the summer of 1881. He also presided over a Council of Ministers, which made the town the capital of Spain for one day. The main façade, built in ashlar and with arches ending in ogival ornaments on the ground floor, stands out. In addition, Gaudí designed the fireplace and the main hall for the interior, as well as a Chinese kiosk for the garden.
Main Square
A little further away is the Plaza de los Tres Caños where, as expected, the Los Tres Caños Fountain is located. This stone fountain was designed by the architect Lluis Domènech in honour of Joaquín del Piélago, who financed the water supply to the town. The bulb on top of the fountain reminds us that the town was the first town in Spain with electric light.
El Espolón (1804) is an interesting building to see in Comillas. It has a quadrangular floor plan and is arranged around a classicist patio. It is the work of the Cantabrian master Cosme Antonio de Bustamante. Juan Domingo González de la Reguera (1720-1805), Archbishop of Lima, ordered its construction. The initial function of the place was to serve as a school for local children, and it even had a Latin chair. It has recently been restored to serve as a cultural center.
El Espolón
Outside the centre of Comillas is the Mirador de Santa Lucía. It boasts magnificent views over the beach. Its location corresponds to a small chapel where fishermen used to go to pray before going out to sea.
Gaudi’s Work
The legacy of Antonio López, the first Marquis of Comillas, is the focus of much of what you see in Comillas. He hired some outstanding Catalan architects, who had the opportunity to carry out his first modernist works. The best examples are Lluis Domènech i Montaner and the famous Antonio Gaudí. The main work of the latter in the villa is El Capricho by Gaudí (1883-1885). A project from his first period, it was carried out by the architect Cristóbal Cascante. As its name indicates, it is shown as a whim among the trees. It is a clear example of the integration of architecture, music and nature.
El Capricho de Gaudí is a modernist style summer residence with a Mudejar influence. It surprises the games of rounded volumes of rich colors, the grills with function of bank towards the interior and the tower with form of oriental minaret. The design of the rooms in the building is designed so that the sunlight illuminates all the rooms throughout the day. The use of the sunflower as a decorative element refers precisely to the path of the light. The building was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1969.
Sobrellano Palace
Next to Gaudí’s Capricho is the Sobrellano Palace or Marqués de Comillas Palace (1882-1888). Of neo-Gothic style, it is one of the great buildings to see in Comillas. It was commissioned to the Catalan architect Joan Martorell and executed by Cristóbal Cascante. It forms part of the Sobrellano Palace Chapel-Pantheon, also by Martorell. It looks like a sort of miniature cathedral. In this case the stained glass windows and the pantheons were sculpted by Llimona and the Vallmitjana brothers. Some of the furniture was also designed by Gaudí.
Many places to visit
On the hill of La Cardosa we find the Old Pontifical University of Comillas. Again there is the figure of Antonio Lopez as responsible for its commission. It originally served as a Jesuit seminary for the poor. Currently it is the headquarters of the Comillas Foundation, which is dedicated to the specialized teaching of Spanish. An eclectic Gothic-Mudejar work by the architect Martorell, it maintains the layout of the works of the Society of Jesus. The lowered arch of the staircase, by Domènech, and the door of the Virtues, by the sculptor Eusebio Arnau, are interesting.
One of the most suggestive places to see in Comillas is the Cemetery of San Cristóbal or the Gothic Cemetery of Comillas. It is located on a small hill and built on the ruins of an old church . It was reformed by Domènech, emphasizing the Ruskinian idea of the ruin. It has some modernist mausoleums and a cover in the same style. Impressive is the Guardian Angel of José Llimona, a stone watchman who protects the cemetery.
The port of Comillas is the last of the Cantabrian ports that were dedicated to the capture of the whale. In fact, pieces of 17th century artillery are preserved in its wharf. Two small lighthouses located in place of the old watchtowers remind us of the place from which the whales were sighted.