A trip to the Spanish town of Zamora must surely include a visit to its Mills or “Aceñas de Olivares”. These are a group of mills of medieval origin located along the Duero River, which marked the beginning of the production of wheat flour in this city. Continue reading “The Mills of “Olivares” of Zamora”
In the highest part of the Spanish city of Zamora, in Castilla-León, is located its castle, built on rock and adapted to the natural and irregular shape of the terrain. According to the chronicles, its construction was ordered by Alfonso II, however, recent studies by historians suggest that it was actually Fernando I who ordered its construction. Therefore, it is estimated that the castle dates from the mid-11th century, although very few traces remain from that period. Continue reading “The Zamora Castle, Spain”
The Aljafería Palace, a majestic fortified building, was built in Zaragoza, Spain during the second half of the 11th century. Its construction was ordered by Abu Ja’far Ahmad ibn Sulaymán al-Muqtadir Billah, known by his honorific title of Al-Muqtadir, “the Powerful”, as his recreational residence. The name of Aljafería is derived from the pronoun of Al-Muqtadir, Abu Ya’far, and from “Ya’far”, “Al-Yafariyya”, which evolved into “Aliafaria” and from there to “Aljafería”. Initially, the construction was carried out outside the Roman wall, on the plain known as La Almozara, a place where Muslims carried out their military exercises. With the passing of time and urban expansion, the building has been integrated into the city. Continue reading “The Aljafería Palace, Zaragoza, Spain”
From the Cathedral Square you can see the smallest and oldest of the eleven cathedrals of the Community of Castilla y León. Dedicated to the Savior, it is located at the highest point of the city of Zamora and belongs to the so-called Romanesque of the Duero. In 1889 it was declared a National Monument. Regarding the dates of the beginning and end of the works of the cathedral, there is no agreement among historians. It is said that it was built by a single master and that it was finished in 1174, coinciding with the reign of Alfonso VII. Continue reading “Cathedral of the Savior, Zamora, Spain”
The Hanging Houses or Casas Colgadas, are the symbol of the Spanish city of Cuenca in Castilla la Mancha and we were eager to get there and see them. They are a group of buildings that were built between the 13th and 15th centuries. The name Casas Colgadas (Hanging Houses) is due to the fact that part of them are cantilevered, with large balconies overhanging the high rocky ledge of the Huécar River gorge. Continue reading “Cuenca, Spain: Las Casas Colgadas (The Hanging Houses)”
We like to recommend that when visiting a new city, always start with the place that most intrigues you or that you have always wanted to visit. In our case, when we arrived at Guadalajara Station, we headed to the Pantheon of the Countess of Vega del Pozo and Duchess of Sevillano, an impressive monument built between 1882 and 1916 in this Spanish city. This magnificent pantheon was commissioned by Doña María Diega Desmaissières y Sevillano, Countess of Vega del Pozo and Duchess of Sevillano, in honor of her father and deceased relatives, who would find their eternal resting place here. The pantheon is part of the monumental complex of the foundation of San Diego de Alcalá. Continue reading “Pantheon of the Countess of Vega del Pozo, Guadalajara, Spain”
Cuenca’s most emblematic monument, the Cathedral of Santa María and San Julián, is undoubtedly a temple that jumps out at you once you arrive at the Plaza Mayor of this picturesque city located in the mountains in central eastern Spain. It was the first building that began to be built after the conquest of the city at the end of the 12th century. And, as often happens after a conquest, the Christian temple was built on the site of the old Muslim citadel. Continue reading “Cathedral of “Santa María” and “San Julián” of Cuenca, Spain”
From the entrance to Regalado Street, the façade and tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Valladolid can be seen in the background. It is located in the center of the city, in a slightly elevated area, near the church of Santa María de la Antigua. The Cathedral was built in the 16th century on the site of the third Gothic Collegiate Church, following the plans of Juan de Herrera de Maliaño, a Spanish architect, mathematician, geometrician and military man, considered one of the greatest exponents of Hispanic Renaissance architecture. The temple obtained the category of cathedral in 1595. Continue reading “Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral, Valladolid”
In 1491, the Cabildo of Salamanca proposed the need for a temple of larger dimensions, since the Old Cathedral, Romanesque, was small and dark for the time, given the population development that was taking place at that time. The master builders of the cathedrals of Toledo and Seville were hired, with the mission to build a new cathedral for Salamanca, laying the first stone on May 12, 1513. We had commented in the previous article dedicated to the Old Cathedral, that when we observe the structure it gives the impression that it is only one cathedral and not two. This was achieved by supporting the New Cathedral on the north wall of the Old Cathedral. The wall was reinforced towards the interior of the old temple, leaving the lateral nave partially reduced with the new construction. The tower of the new cathedral was built over the bell tower of the Old Cathedral. Continue reading “The New Cathedral of Salamanca”
Six cities in Spain have two cathedrals and Salamanca is one of them. Some of these are built separately and others, as in the case of the cathedrals of Salamanca, may be united. The reality is that, for nearly four hundred years, the Old Cathedral and the New Cathedral have lived together as one. And, although they may appear to be a single structure, the truth is that each has its own separate history and so we will treat them as such. For obvious reasons, it is with the Old Cathedral of Salamanca that we begin the first part of this article. Continue reading “Old Cathedral of Salamanca”