Because of its location, the collegiate church of Santa Cruz de Castañeda came to be part of the Pilgrim's Road to Santiago de Compostela. The existing building is from the 12th century, although the church, in Romanesque style, and a monastery, previously stood on the site.
Initially its plan had one nave and three apses, but it was later altered, adding 2 naves to the structure. One of them is in the Gothic style and the other later (17th century). They transformed the southern apse into a private chapel and sacristy in the Baroque style. On the capitals of the columns, which are preserved in perfect condition, the animal and vegetable iconography is outstanding. The Gothic Way of the Cross (there are no others like it in all Cantabria) the Baroque reredoses and 2 carvings of the Virgin with Child must not be missed.
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.