León lies in the north-west of Castilla y León, on the broad plain where the Bernesga and Torío rivers meet, and was once the capital of the medieval Kingdom of León. Its historic centre combines narrow streets, arcaded squares and stone-built town houses with an extraordinary collection of monuments, most notably the Gothic Cathedral of Santa María, with its famous stained glass, the Romanesque Basilica of San Isidoro and the former monastery of San Marcos. Agriculture in the surrounding province is based largely on cereals, livestock and, in the warmer areas, vines, while the mountains to the north provide a dramatic contrast to the open plains. What distinguishes León from many other Castilian cities is the way its Roman, medieval and later history survives alongside a lively modern city, with Gaudí’s Casa Botines adding an unexpected modernist element to the historic centre.