The Unknown Village of Cantabria That Hides an Imposing Greek Parthenon, They Say "You Must Visit It Once in a Lifetime"

Who hasn't dreamed of witnessing the grandeur of the Acropolis, or feeling like a true Greek while stepping into an impressive temple honoring the gods of Olympus, or that represents the most epic stories of mythology? Well, how would you feel if I told you that you can do this without leaving Spain?

In the heart of Cantabria, in the town of Las Fraguas, there's a building that surprises with its style: the Church of San Jorge, popularly known as "The Cantabrian Parthenon." This temple was built in 1890 at the request of the Dukes of Santo Mauro and stands on the ruins of an old medieval hermitage. It's curious to encounter a structure of these characteristics in Cantabria, as it is one of the few examples of neoclassical architecture in the country.

Originally, this impressive construction was conceived as a family chapel-pantheon, and was later donated to the town of Las Fraguas to serve as a parish, a function it still performs today.

However, during the Spanish Civil War, the building was used as a prison by the republican side, thus becoming another testament like all those you can visit.

Architecturally, the temple is a true lesson in neoclassical style. This magnificent work features a peripteral hexastyle structure; in other words, it has a façade with six columns and a perimeter surrounded by a total of 40 Corinthian-style columns. Features like these are what lead to the Church of San Jorge being compared to the great Parthenon of Athens, hence its nickname, although of course, it has some differences, such as the Doric style of the Greek temple's columns.

Other classic elements that make this site a gem in the peninsula include the architrave, the cornice of tickets, and a triangular pediment, although it does not have the traditional arrangement of metopes and triglyphs on the frieze as seen in the Parthenon.

The surroundings of the temple are also a treasure in itself. Just a three-minute drive away is the Palace of Hornillos, a majestic building from the late 19th century, which could be said to be haunted, as it served as the setting for the movie 'The Others' (2001), directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring Nicole Kidman. Speaking of movies, don't miss the Cantabrian village that looks like it came out of a Disney film.

The Church of San Jorge is not an identical copy of the Parthenon, but offers a unique architectural experience that you cannot miss if you are lucky enough to visit Cantabria (and just in case, we recommend these towns you must not miss during your visit).