BURGOS, the capital formerly of the kingdom of Old Castile, and now of a separate province, stands on the slope of a hill, the base of which is skirted by the River Arlanzon, 75 miles from Madrid, in lat. 42° 21' N., long. 3° 43' W. It is a considerable town, consisting of about 1400 houses, originally girt into the form of a segment of a circle by a wall, some portions of which still remain. On the opposite bank of the river, and connected with the more ancient part of the town by three stone bridges, are the suburbs (Barrio de la Vega), tastefully laid out in pleasure-grounds, while lower down in the midst of the stream is an island furnished with seats and walks as a public promenade. The streets and squares are exceedingly irregular, although spacious and well built. The principal square is the Plaza Mayor, or Plaza de la Constitucion, in the centre of which is a bronze statue of Charles II. The most important public building is the cathedral, begun by Bishop Maurice, traditionally an Englishman, in 1221, but not completed till 1567. It is built in an irregular florid Gothic style, and contains eight chapels, the most famous of which is the Capilla del Condes table, containing the tombs of several of the Velasco family, the hereditary constables of Castile. (See View and Plan in Street’s Gothic Architecture of Spain, and history by Orcajo, Historia de la Catedral de Burgos.) Besides the cathedral there is the Hotel de Ville, or Casa de Ayuntamiento (where the bones ®f the Cid and his wife are preserved in a walnut case),the Palace of Velasco, the church of St Paul, and a beautiful Doric arch, erected in honour of Fernando Gonzalez. There is a fine approach to the city through the massive gate of Santa Maria, surmounted by a statue of the Virgin and Child, and ...