María Cristina San Sebastian

If there is one woman who has been important in the history of San Sebastian, it is Queen María Cristina. María Cristina of Habsburg-Lorraine or of Austria was Queen Regent during the childhood of the future King Alfonso XIII. King Alfonso XII died relatively young, and in fact his heir was born posthumously, so María Cristina became Queen until her son came of age in 1902.

It was during this regency that María Cristina began to spend her summers in our city, on the recommendation of the court doctors, as little Alfonso had respiratory problems and it was best to get away from the polluted air of Madrid. In August 1887, the royal family arrived in Donosti and settled in the Aiete Palace, beginning a tradition that would last until the death of the Queen Mother in 1929.

María Cristina, honorary mayor

As soon as she arrived in San Sebastian, the Queen immersed herself fully in the social life of the city. On her first day among us, she attended High Mass at the Basilica of Santa María and enjoyed the dance performed in her honour by the Jardineros troupe in the Constitution Square.

That dance was the first of many events organised in her honour, as Queen María Cristina spent every summer here except for 1898, when she had to stay in Madrid due to problems in Cuba and the Philippines, and 41 summers is a long time. She also attended countless inaugurations, foundation stone laying ceremonies and openings, as well as dances, plays, parades, races, regattas, exhibitions, etc. It was not uncommon to see her strolling along La Concha, either on foot or by car, as one of the many holidaymakers who visited San Sebastián at that time, thanks in part to her.

Another of her activities in the city was charity work. She visited hospitals, orphanages and nursing homes, organisations to which she also gave financial support. That is why the citizens of Donosti held her in such high esteem and loved her so much. So much so that they ended up naming her Honorary Mayor of San Sebastian, an honour that no one else has received since.

The traces of María Cristina in the city

Although we know nothing about her reign or her life, the name María Cristina is very present in Donosti, as we have a bridge and a hotel named after her. The bridge was inaugurated in 1905 and was built to connect the city centre with the train station on the other side of the Urumea River. It is a spectacular bridge, inspired by the Alexandre III Bridge in Paris, and surely the most beautiful of those crossing the river.

Not far away is the María Cristina Hotel. Located next to the river and opposite the Victoria Eugenia Theatre (named after our protagonist’s daughter-in-law, who also spent many summers in San Sebastian), it was the city’s first 5-star hotel and the only one until very recently. It was inaugurated in 1912 and, as was to be expected, the first person to enter was the Queen. Today it is mainly known for hosting the big stars who come to the International Film Festival, but also for its beauty and outstanding location.

Some believe that the queen stayed at this hotel when she came to spend the summer, but nothing could be further from the truth, as María Cristina had her own palace, the Miramar Palace, located in the heart of La Concha Bay. This palace was inaugurated in 1893 and is probably in the best location in all of San Sebastian. Today it belongs to the city and its gardens are open to the public, so we strongly recommend that you visit them, not only to enjoy the building and the magnificent views, but also to learn a little more about Queen María Cristina, who is undoubtedly a figure worthy of study.