The cloister is a Gothic work built in different phases, beginning in 1300 and completed in 1441. It is rectangular in shape, measuring 27 x 32 metres, with the long sides formed by an arcade of four arches and the short sides by three. It replaced the old Romanesque cloister from the 12th century. In the 18th century the enclosure underwent an important change by the architect Riva Ladrón de Guevara, when the floor and the upper balcony were added. Due to the expansion of the cloister over time, different architectural styles can be observed in it:
On the north side and 2 sections of the east (adjacent to the Chapter House), classical Gothic. The work under the auspices of Fernando Álvarez de las Asturias was built between 1300 and 1350.
On the south and west sides, the style is 14th-century mannerist Gothic. This part was built between 1350 and 1400, starting from the west side and continuing on the south. The work was promoted by Alfonso XI and the bishops Sancho and Alfonso II.
The east side is flowery Gothic, from the 15th century. Construction of this part began in 1412 and was completed in 1441, its founder being Bishop Diego Ramírez de Guzmán.
Finally, the upper floor is Baroque from the 17th century, built in the extension executed by Riva Ladrón de Guevara. It consists of fourteen windows, all with balconies overlooking the central inner courtyard.
After this succession of works, the current cloister appears as a rectangular enclosed courtyard with a small garden inside and an amalgam of different architectural variants of Gothic and even Romanesque elements (sculptures at the entrance to the chapter house) or Baroque (first floor of the cloister).
It contains a total of 167 decorated capitals, the most important of which are the corbel of the royal hunt and the Agnus Dei from the Romanesque cloister that no longer exists.
Around the cloister there are various tombs such as that of Frigión de Cifuentes or that of the 14th century Dean Pedro Gay (1348-1369). Other notable elements inside the cloister are the tombstone of Bishop Pelayo and the Baroque door to the archives, the work of José Bernardo de la Meana.
From the cloister there is access to the chapter house.