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The Romanesque church of San Isidoro had been built during the reign of Fernando I, the first king of León and Castile, and his wife Doña Sancha, the daughter of King Alfonso V of León. Its purpose was to house the relics of St Isidore of Seville which Fernando I arranged to be brought from there. Immediately after the consecration of the church in 1063, the king died. In the following years Doña Sancha had the so-called Panteón de los Reyes built to the west of the church site. The Panteón, the burial monument of the kings, is today the oldest part of the building. It captivates the visitor not only by its finely articulated walls and vaulting, but also thanks to its exquisitely carved capitals. The vaults and lunettes are also decorated with frescoes.
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