El silencio de la ciudad blanca – Santa María Cathedral

The Silence of the White City (El silencio de la ciudad blanca) is the first installment of the acclaimed trilogy by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi. Set in the historic city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Basque Country, the novel follows Inspector Unai López de Ayala—known as “Kraken”—as he hunts a serial killer mimicking ritualistic murders from twenty years prior. The city itself is a central character, with its medieval streets, ancient traditions, and monumental heritage providing a dark, atmospheric backdrop for this high-stakes psychological thriller.

Scene in the book

In the narrative of the novel and its film adaptation, the Catedral de Santa María (popularly known as the Catedral Vieja) serves as the chilling starting point of the macabre game. It is inside the crypt of this ancient cathedral that the first victims are discovered: a twenty-year-old man and woman, found naked and posed in a ritualistic embrace, having been killed by bee stings in their throats. This scene establishes the killer’s modus operandi—linking modern violence to the city’s ancient roots—and forces Kraken to confront a past he thought was buried.

The real location

The Catedral de Santa María is a 13th-century Gothic masterpiece located at the highest point of the hill where the original settlement of Gasteiz was founded. Known as the “Old Cathedral” to distinguish it from the newer Cathedral of Mary Immaculate, it is a building with a unique history of structural instability. For decades, it has been the subject of a pioneering restoration project titled “Open for Works” (Abierto por obras), which allows visitors to explore the cathedral using hard hats to see the archaeological excavations and the complex engineering holding the stone arches in place. Its architecture reflects the transition from Romanesque to Gothic, featuring a stunning triple-arched portal and a massive bell tower that dominates the Vitoria skyline.

Why this location was chosen

The author, Eva García Sáenz de Urturi, chose the cathedral because it represents the historical soul of Vitoria-Gasteiz. The “Open for Works” program provided a perfect metaphor for the plot: digging through layers of history to find hidden secrets and structural rot. Visually, the underground crypts and the skeletal scaffolding inside the cathedral offer a “Gothic Noir” aesthetic that enhances the tension of the investigation. Furthermore, the cathedral’s international fame—having previously inspired Ken Follett for his novel World Without End—adds a layer of literary prestige to the setting.

Visiting the location

The Catedral de Santa María is open to the public via guided tours, which are highly recommended for fans of the book.

• Tours: You must book in advance for the “Open for Works” tour. It takes you through the foundations, the triforium, and the tower.
• Atmosphere: Visitors are provided with safety helmets, which adds to the immersive experience of being in a “living” archaeological site.
• Accessibility: The cathedral is located in the Medieval Quarter (Casco Medieval), easily reachable on foot from the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca.