One of the most beautiful countries in the Mediterranean is Spain. Everything is beautiful here: food, sea, architecture, nature, climate, shopping, food ... Was it already? Nothing, she is so beautiful that she can be mentioned twice! What to see and visit between paella, ham and gazpacho? This list will tell you.
Montserrat monastery
The Monastery of Montserrat is a monastery of the Benedictine Order, an important religious center of Catalonia and a place of pilgrimage. The main feature of the building is its location at an altitude of 725 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountains and rocks of unusual shapes. The rocky area that envelops the monastery has received the status of a national park of Catalonia, and each rock has its own name: Elephant Trunk, Bernard's Horse, Mummy, Bishop's Belly, etc.
The monastery is interesting:
- Basilica of the Virgin of Montserrat. The altar of the temple is carved out of rock, decorated with silver and enamel and contains several shrines: the statue of the Holy Immaculate Virgin Mary of Montserrat, the statue of the Black Virgin of Montserrat, holding the Infant God on her knees, the Madonna's Throne, cast from silver - a sign of the armistice after the Civil War, Throne lamps ...
- Montserrat Museum with the works of monks: paintings, jewels, archaeological finds, an exposition of Orthodox icons
- Library holding ancient manuscripts and books
- Infrastructure: cable car, cog railway, mountain trails.
Plaza of Spain, Seville
Plaza de España in Seville is popular in Western Europe. Built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exhibition, the square has no analogues in the world. The author of the project was Anibal Gonzalez, the main idea is that the form should reflect the rich history of the country. The park adjacent to the proposed construction site was rebuilt, a semicircular square was equipped, and buildings were erected along the edge.
It is interesting to look not only at the square of an unusual shape, but also at the building "embracing" it. It was built as an exhibition pavilion and is decorated with a mix of Mudejar (a local style that reflects European and Moorish decorative traditions) and Art Deco. The lower part of the structure is divided into alcoves, tiled with traditional Moorish paintings - the symbols of each Spanish province.
Toledo
Toledo, or the City of Three Cultures, is the former capital of Spain, which has not lost its historical significance and attractiveness. For a trip to Toledo to bring maximum pleasure and enjoyment, take the maximum amount of time to the city - there is something to see:
- Cathedral of St. Mary of the XIII century
- Former mosque, now the 13th century church of Santiago de Arrabal
- Toledo Alcazar - a fortress built on ancient Roman ruins
- Monastery of Saint Ursula, built in the 14th century in the Mudejar style
- Museum of the Sephardim - an ethnic group of Jews formed from the Jews of ancient Rome
- Temple of San Ildefonso, built in the Baroque style
- Hospital Tavero (16th century)
- Roman amphitheater ruins and ancient aqueduct
- Castle of San Servando XIV century, etc.
Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia, or the Temple of the Sagrada Familia, is one of the main heritage items of the talented and world famous Antonio Gaudi. The temple, the construction of which began in 1882, became the most famous long-term construction: the consecration took place only in 2010.
The building attracts with its external dimensions and grandeur, neo-Gothic design, invented by the first architect of the cathedral, Francisco de Villar. In 1891, the role of chief designer was given to Antoni Gaudi, whose life from that moment will be inextricably linked with the majestic structure. Gaudí, being an abstractionist, gushed with ideas, constantly changed and altered something, sometimes right at the time of construction, so he was almost always personally present at the construction site.
The main thing to pay attention to:
- 3 external facades of the building: Passion, Glory and Nativity of Christ
- Bell towers resembling sand castles
- Decor from liturgical texts and quotes from the Bible
- Scenes from the Gospel decorating the facades
- A giant cross at the top of the spire, the height of which, according to Gaudí's plan, was supposed to exceed God's creation - Mount Montjuïc.
Ronda city
An area with an unusual history - the city of Ronda. Once, due to its location, it was a mecca for the most daring robbers and smugglers, and today it is one of the main tourist destinations of the Kingdom of Spain. In Ronda, it is worth wandering between the houses, which, by the way, are located at an altitude of 780 meters above sea level and are separated by the huge Tajo de Ronda gorge. If just wandering around the city is boring, visit a bullfight, dine in a restaurant with an incredible view - here they are at every turn - or chat with locals who will willingly guide you on a tour.
Theater-Museum of Salvador Dali
Figueres (Catalonia) houses the house-museum of the famous surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The building was not chosen by chance: it was here, in 1918, at the age of 14, that Dali first exhibited his works together with Josep Monturiol Puig and Josep Bonaterra Gras. Dali himself chose this place for conversion into a musical theater - he was attracted by the unusual shape. Nobody wanted to finance the project, so the artist had to wait for decades to make his dream of an unusual theater-museum come true. Dali did not want to transfer the original paintings to the museum, only reproductions, but he had to give up. Today the building is a symbol of pop art; it has been operating as a Salvador Dali museum since 1974.
Rambla, Barcelona
Rambla in Barcelona is a pedestrianized street, which is a little over a kilometer long. A special, colorful atmosphere of Spain reigns here:
- Pla del Os square with mosaics on the sidewalk - the handiwork of Joan Miro
- Boqueria market
- Kanaletes fountain with drinking water
- Temples, palaces and monuments of medieval architecture
- Morskoy Boulevard, erected for the 1992 Olympic Games.
Royal Palace, Madrid
The Palace in Madrid is a royal residence, the construction of which began in 1738 by the Italian architect Filippo Juvarra. The fortress of the emirs of Toledo and Cordoba was located on the site of the construction in the Middle Ages. The first monarch to settle in the residence in 1764 was King Charles III. Internal and landscaping work continued for a very long time, until the 19th century, but it was worth it.
Inside the palace, pay attention to:
- Rococo Throne Room
- Gasparin Room, designed by Matthias Gasparini
- Porcelain room with famous porcelain panels
- Opened in 1879, the State Dining Hall
- Chapel designed by Vetura Rodriguez
- Armory.
San Sebastian
San Sebastian is a city located on the coastline of the Bay of Biscay in northern Spain. Its uniqueness lies in the coves adjacent to clean sandy beaches. The city has always attracted tourists thanks to its resort atmosphere, warm and calm sea, clean beaches and incredible cuisine: the Basques are not famous for something sophisticated, their recipes are simple, but unique and very successful.
City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia
Valencia is home to a real pearl of modern architecture - the City of Arts and Sciences. It consists of 5 modern architectural structures for various purposes, including: cinemas, a planetarium, a theater, an open oceanographic park, a greenhouse, a concert hall and a science museum. The crown of the architectural composition is an incredible suspension bridge. Its length is 180 meters, and the height of the mast is 125. The territory is decorated with a park with pools and streams.
