San Nicolás de Barí sits immediately behind and uphill from the cathedral, and its famous stone retablo — altarpiece — is one of the great works of Gothic sculpture in Spain. The church is small and the retablo fills the entire east wall, demanding the visitor's full attention for at least twenty minutes to begin to absorb its detail. The central scene shows St Nicholas enthroned, surrounded by episodes from his life. The carving of individual faces in the crowd scenes is extraordinarily fine.
The church also holds the tomb of Juan de Padilla, a favourite of Queen Juana I, and several other notable funerary monuments. Entry costs around €2. The church is directly on the Camino de Santiago route and is often the last sight pilgrims see before leaving Burgos.