"Madrid", Blog English, Country, Spain

Madrid and the Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great

Our interest in visiting the Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great in Madrid arose a few years ago when we stumbled upon the Gardens of the dahlias of Saint Frances. It was the beautiful temple that stood out on the other side of the wall that caught our attention. Continue reading “Madrid and the Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great”

Blog English, Country, France, Paris

The Luxembourg Palace and its Gardens

One of the must-see places to visit in Paris is the Luxembourg Palace. On a sunny day, and after a long walk, it is the perfect stop to rest in one of the many green metal chairs that are around. So, from reading a good book, eating a light meal or just relaxing while contemplating the many statues and sculptures found in the gardens, it’s worth a stop. Continue reading “The Luxembourg Palace and its Gardens”

"Madrid", Blog English, Country, Spain

Sorolla, his studio, home and museum

The Sorolla Museum is one of the best preserved artist’s houses in Europe and since March 1, 1962, the building is a National Historic-Artistic Monument.

In 1909, the great artist Joaquín Sorolla Bastida, commissioned the project to the architect Enrique María de Repullés y Vargas, who fulfilled the wishes of the painter, creating a space that unites the work area and his home and also has a garden area. To achieve the latter, shortly after, Sorolla bought a second adjoining lot that would allow him to expand the built area and incorporate three gardens to the house. It was in 1911, that his new home in Madrid, on Paseo del General Martínez Campos, was inaugurated. Continue reading “Sorolla, his studio, home and museum”

"Seville", Blog English, Country, Spain

The Adriatica Building, unique to Seville

Walking along the Avenida de la Constitución in the city of Seville, you can see very beautiful buildings, with a variety of styles, depending on the time when they were built. However, there is one in particular that has us in love and that every time we visit this beautiful city, we have to stop to admire it, it is the Edificio de La Adriatica. Continue reading “The Adriatica Building, unique to Seville”

"Seville", Blog English, Country, Spain

The House of (Pontius) Pilate in Seville

In the historic center of the city of Seville, is the best Andalusian noble building that is a clear example of Sevillian architecture of the sixteenth century, is the House of  Pilate. Inspired by the Italian Renaissance, it was built in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, originally called the Palace of the “Adelantados Mayores de Andalucía”. Continue reading “The House of (Pontius) Pilate in Seville”

"Salamanca", Blog English, Country, Spain

The Stairway to Heaven of the “Clerecía” of Salamanca

Of baroque style, the Clerecía is the name given to the building of the former Royal College of the Holy Spirit of the Society of Jesus, built in Salamanca between the XVII and XVIII centuries. This building, which today houses the Pontifical University of Salamanca, was begun in 1617, by order of Queen Margaret of Austria and Philip III. Its objective was to be the main center for the formation of the Jesuits who would later be sent to the American colonies and the Protestant countries of central Europe. Later, after the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain, the building passed to the Real Clerecía de San Marcos, hence the abbreviation Clerecía. Subsequently, the Clerecía ceded the building (except for the church) to the Diocese of Salamanca, which installed the Seminary of San Carlos. Continue reading “The Stairway to Heaven of the “Clerecía” of Salamanca”