Murcia Cathedral

by Robert Bovington

If there were but one reason to visit the city of Murcia, it would have to be to see the cathedral - La Catedral de Santa María is the most impressive monument in the city.  You can't really miss it! Its 92 metre tower can be seen from miles around. The Cathedral was built on the foundations of an old mosque and the first stone laid in 1394 but the building, as it appears today, was not completed until the 18th century. 

Murcia Cathedral © Robert Bovington

There is a mix of styles that reflect the additions made over four centuries. There are Gothic elements such as the La Puerta de los Apósteles and La Capilla de los Vélez, which are both 15th century whilst the 16-century Junierón Chapel is Renaissance. The Baroque façade of the 'Puerta del Perdón' entrance is quite spectacular - ornately sculptured to look like an altar. The highlight of the interior is the Vélez chapel with its magnificent ornamental stone carvings. The tower took a long time to complete - it was started in the 16th century and finished in the 18th century. The views from the top are stupendous!

Murcia Cathedral - La Puerta de los Apósteles
© Robert Bovington

 

Murcia riverside panorama © Robert Bovington

 

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

An Evolving Passion: One Girl’s Relationship with Spanish Food

I have just read an interesting post about Spanish food - click on the following link:-

An Evolving Passion: One Girl’s Relationship with Spanish Food

You might also enjoy reading my post on Spanish food and drink:-

http://bobbovington.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/spanish-food-drink.html

Conejo con ajo 

fabada

 other blogs by Robert Bovington:

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Impressions"	http://bobbovington.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Zamora

In the Middle Ages, the city of Zamora was continually fought over by Moors and Christians, which is, perhaps, why this Castilian municipality has such impregnable looking ramparts. The city originally had three layers of fortification and the first of these walls has been preserved almost intact.

The Duero & Zamora Cathedral
photo: public domain (Sira)

Zamora stands on the northern bank of the River Duero that winds its way across Castile-Leon towards Portugal. The city's position has made it strategically important throughout history. In Roman times it lay on the road from Augusta Emerita (modern Mérida) to Caesaraugusta (modern Zaragoza). Zamora was especially important during the Christian Reconquest and the city passed between Arab and Christian hands on a number of occasions.

Zamora preserves many buildings from the Middle Ages with its walls, castle, palaces and religious buildings - so much so, that it has been declared a Historic-Artistic Site.

The 12th-century stone bridge, the Puente de Piedra, is a good place to start because it not only provides a tremendous view of the city but it is also the actual entrance to the historical quarter. Most of the historic sights of Zamora are located immediately to the north of the bridge whereas the cathedral and castle lie only half a kilometre in the westward direction.

Zamora Cathedral is most impressive. It was built in the 12th century and it is called the 'Pearl of the Duero'. It has a magnificent Byzantine cupola with fish-scale-like tiles and many other notable features that include an impressively sculptured Romanesque entrance - the Puerta del Obispo. Inside there are a number of richly decorated chapels, opulent altarpieces and intricately carved walnut choir stalls decorated with biblical figures and allegorical scenes. The Neoclassical cloister houses the Cathedral Museum.

Zamora Cathedral - photo: public domain from
Project Gutenberg's 'The Cathedrals of Northern Spain' by Charles Rudy 

Zamora Castle
photo: public domain 
(Eduardo Alberto Sánchez Ferrezuelo)

Much of Zamora Castle is preserved including its keep, doorway and moat. The fortress is of Arab origin and has a trapezoid ground floor and a polygonal tower. There are six turrets, which afford spectacular views of the city and the surrounding countryside. The fortress along with the three layers of walls provided the city with a fair degree of impregnability. 

One of Zamora's nicknames is "ciudad del románico". This is because it has one of the greatest concentrations of Romanesque churches in Europe. In fact, many beautiful buildings are squeezed into its cobbled streets and plazas. Walking from the cathedral in the direction of the Plaza Mayor one encounters quite a few churches including the Romanesque San Pedro y San Ildefonso, La Magdalena and San Cipriano.

San Juan de Puerta Nueva
photo: public domain (Jomajima)

The impressive Church of San Juan de Puerta Nueva stands in the middle of the Plaza Mayor. This attractive square has two town halls - the current one and the Ayuntamiento Viejo, a solid 15th century building that was altered in the 17th century and which is now the police headquarters. 

Just a short distance from Plaza Major is the Palacio de los Momos. It is the current home of the Provincial Court and is one of a number of palaces in the city. Another is the Palacio de Puñoenrostro, which is an excellent example of 16th century civil architecture. It is now the museum of Zamora. It is located near the stone bridge, in the Plaza de Santa Lucía.

I have covered just a few of the historic sights in Zamora. To do them all justice it would need more than one day and an excellent place to stay would be the local Parador de Turismo. It is housed in yet another enchanting building - the Palacio de los Condes de Alba y Aliste. It is a 15th-century Renaissance palace - a medieval jewel in the crown that is Zamora.

the above text is an extract from "Spanish Impressions" ISBN 9781445225432


more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Vitoria-Gasteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the Basque region.

Old Cathedral
photo public domain (Zarataman)

Vitoria has many architectural gems and still conserves much of its medieval layout. To begin our exploration of the city, let's start at the Cathedral of Santa María. It started life as a 13th century church-fortress in Gothic style and after a number of additions became a cathedral 1861. It is known as the Old Cathedral because there is a newer one in the 19th century suburbof El Ensanche. 

Casa del Cordón
photo public domain (Mikelele)

In the area around the Cathedral are the oldest streets in the city. They have names like Cuchillería (knifesmiths), Herrería (blacksmiths), Zapatería (shoemakers) and Pintorería (painters) reflecting the craftsmen's guilds that thrived there. In this medieval area there are a number of Renaissance buildings including the Palace of Escoriaza-Esquibel with its picturesque courtyard. Other palaces include those of Urbina Zárate, Bendaña, Villa Suso and the Casa del Cordón, which was built in the 15th century in late Gothic style. This Historic-Artistic Monument has an attractive façade that includes the coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs. 

In the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca is a monument to Wellington's victory at the Battle of Vitoria. The Church of San Miguel is located in this square and its Gothic portico leads to Los Arquillos, an arcaded walk that connects the historic quarter with the nineteenth century new suburb. Here, too, there are fine palaces, churches and civic architecture but they are more modern, having been built in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Plaza de la Virgen Blanca
photo: public domain (Guyletsbuild)

The new cathedral is called Concatedral de María Inmaculada. It is a Neogothic building that was started at the beginning of the 20th century. Next door, is the 19th-century Basque Parliament. Of the palaces built in this area of Vitoria, the Augusti Palace is yet another building that has been declared a Historic-Artistic Monument. It houses the Museum of Fine Arts, one of many museums in the city.

New Cathedral
photo: public domain (Zarataman)

Torre de Doña Otxanda
photo: public domain (Miguel Andrade)

Other museums in Vitoria-Gasteiz include the Museum of Archaeology; the Arms Museum which contains weaponry rather than body parts; the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Natural Sciences which is housed in the Torre de Doña Otxanda, a slender tower constructed in the 15th century. A museum with a difference is the Museo Fournier de Naipes. It is a museum of playing cards. It contains - um - playing cards - lots of them - 18,500 decks to be precise. 

Museo Fournier de Naipes y Museo de  Arqueología 
photo: public domain (Guyletsbuild)

statue in Parque Florida
photo: public domain (Zarataman)

With all these medieval monuments and museums, some of you may be forgiven for thinking that Vitoria is a dull boring city - it is not! There are many green spaces - more than other cities in Spain. Only minutes from the historic quarter is Parque Florida - a 19th-century garden with bandstands, statues, ponds and, of course, plants. Other parks include San Juan de Arriaga Park, the largest in the city. Only half an hour's walk from the city center is the Forest of Armentia - a vast parkland crisscrossed by cycle paths. And that is another thing; the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz has promoted the use of bicycles. There are many cycle routes both within and without the city and, what's more, the Vitoria-Gasteiz Town Council has decreed that there is no charge for hiring the bikes. It is just one of a number of environmentally friendly schemes drawn up by this forward thinking band of politicians - like rubbish collection - rubbish is efficiently disposed of through underground tubes to distant incinerators. No wonder that the city has won prizes for its cleanliness and its greenness. A vast green belt completely surrounds the city and the citizens enjoy more open space per head of population than any other city in Europe. 

Please note:

this article is a condensed version of the text that appears in "Spanish Impressions":

http://www.lulu.com/shop/robert-bovington/spanish-impressions/paperback/product-6154918.html

more blogs by Robert Bovington... 

"Photographs of Spain" 

http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/

"postcards from Spain" 

http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/

"you couldn't make it up!" 

http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/

"a grumpy old man in Spain" 

http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/

"bits and bobs" 

http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/

"Spanish Expressions" 

http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/

"Spanish Art" 

http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/

"Books About Spain" 

http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

The beauty of the Alpujarras

almond blossom nr Albondon

...

Las Alpujarras is the area of picturesque white villages that cling to the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. It is a nature lover's delight. Torrents cascading down from the frozen summits of the high Sierra have cut deep ravines into the rock leaving the lower slopes a brilliant green. Olive and almond trees abound and as one travels higher into the Alpujarras, oak, chestnut and pine forests flourish. Every season in the Alpujarras is special - even winter with its orange trees heavy with fruit.

......

Whole mountainsides are given over to growing things - many hillsides are terraced - a legacy of the Moors who also built irrigation channels - acequias - to bring water from the high Sierra to irrigate the crops. The region contains an abundance of fruit trees, especially grape vines, oranges, lemons, persimmons, figs and almonds.

sheep rearing nr Nechite

The whole region is special and one of great natural beauty. The valleys of the western Alpujarras are among the most fertile in Spain, though the steep nature of the terrain means that they can only be cultivated in small fields, so that many modern agricultural techniques are impractical. However, that adds to the charm of the area - at least for us idle buggers who don't have to work the fields. On a recent walk along the GR7 footpath, near the delightful little town of Válor, I saw a farmer ploughing the side of a hill using a horse and plough!



more blogs by Robert Bovington...

"Photographs of Spain"	http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/
"postcards from Spain"	http://bovington-posts.blogspot.com/
"you couldn't make it up!"	http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/
"a grumpy old man in Spain"	http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/
"bits and bobs"	http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Expressions"	http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/
"Spanish Art"	http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/
"Books About Spain"	http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/

Christmas in Spain

by Robert Bovington

Spain is especially enjoyable during the Christmas season. Firstly the weather is so much better, but the main reason is that we do not have to put up with the sheer commercialism that is so prevalent in the UK. In Britain, stores seem to start selling Christmas items as soon as the summer holidays finish. Until quite recently, traditional Christmas goods did not appear in Spanish shops until December. They now appear in November. I hope Spain doesn't go the same way as the UK.

The actual act of celebrating Christmas goes on for much longer than in the UK but I find it enjoyable. For a couple of weeks before Christmas nativity scenes are displayed in churches, town halls and shops in all the towns and villages. Every year in Roquetas and Almería there is usually a superb display that includes hundreds of figures and buildings - some of them working models!

The main Christmas events, though, centres around two days, Christmas Eve and Three Kings day. Christmas Eve is the time when families get together for the traditional feast. Every member of the family from great grandparents to the tiniest baby dress up in their best clothes and tuck in to a veritable feast. The meal usually starts around 9pm and the food is not like the traditional British Christmas dinner. No roast turkey and definitely no sprouts! First of all great quantities of seafood are eaten such as prawns, squid and salmon. This is followed by the main course, which could be another fish dish or meat. After the meal the family relax over coffee, liqueurs and turron - a nougat type sweet. The adults open their presents. The children may get a present but their main day for receiving gifts is Three Kings Day. At midnight some members of the family might go to church to celebrate Midnight Mass, others may stay at home to celebrate the birth of Christ with champagne. For the Spanish the night is yet young and so they they will probably go out and party until dawn. I will be getting my beauty sleep while they're doing that. I need it!

Christmas day is a fiesta day with shops, offices and banks all closed. Unlike the other Spanish fiestas though there are no processions or celebrations - they are probable at home nursing sore heads. Boxing Day is not celebrated in Spain and so December the 26th is just another normal day for the Spanish. Christmas is not yet over though!

On the 6th January the Spanish commemorate Three Kings Day, which celebrates the day on which the Three Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem bringing gifts for baby Jesus. It is the highlight of Christmas for children. Father Christmas doesn't deliver presents to Spanish children. It is probably too hot for the reindeer! Las niños español don't miss out, however. The Three Kings arrive overnight on the 5th January, riding horses, and leaving presents for the children who will probably have left some food out for the horses. The children make their way into town to see the Procession of the Three Kings, which is always a spectacular event. During the procession, tons of sweets are thrown from the floats for the children to catch. The wiser youngsters take carrier bags to collect the goodies!

Sandwiched between Christmas Eve and Three Kings Day is New Years Eve. This is celebrated in much the same way as in the UK and many families will eat out on this night and the restaurants are always full. At midnight the Spanish see the New Year in with Cava (the Spanish equivalent of champagne) and grapes! The custom is that you have twelve grapes and you eat one on each chime of the Spanish equivalent of Big Ben! Of course the festivities do not end there. Partying goes on until at least dawn as New Years Day is another holiday which allows the population to recover from the excesses of the night before.

Christmas Lights in Almería

belén (nativity scene) in a shop window in Almería

a small part of the belén the Rambla Almería

Amazon.es: robert bovington

Amazon.es: robert bovington:

1.

Spanish Matters de Robert Bovington (Tapa blanda - 3 noviembre 2009)

Cómpralo nuevo: EUR 11,07 EUR 10,51

Para recibirlo el miércoles, noviembre 23, cómpralo antes de 27 minutos y elige el envío 1 día.

Envío GRATIS disponible (ver página del producto).

Libros en idiomas extranjeros: Ver los 3 productos

2.

Spanish Impressions de Robert Bovington (Tapa blanda - noviembre 2009)

Cómpralo nuevo: EUR 16,39 EUR 15,57

Para recibirlo el miércoles, noviembre 23, cómpralo antes de 27 minutos y elige el envío 1 día.

Envío GRATIS disponible (ver página del producto).

Libros en idiomas extranjeros: Ver los 3 productos

3.

SPANISH VISIONS de Robert Bovington (Tapa blanda - 20 junio 2010)

Cómpralo nuevo: EUR 24,11 EUR 22,90

Para recibirlo el miércoles, noviembre 23, cómpralo antes de 27 minutos y elige el envío 1 día.

Envío GRATIS disponible (ver página del producto).

Libros en idiomas extranjeros: Ver los 3 productos

Laujar de Andarax (Alpujarra Almeriense)

Laujar de Andarax is a town in the Alpujarras with a special charm and a turbulent history. It nestles in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Opposite are the mountains of the Sierra de Gádor whilst a fertile valley separates the two mountain ranges. It is a delightful setting.

Laujar de Andarax

Laujar is located near the source of the Andarax River that provides water for the numerous fountains in the town. There are a number of fine buildings too and none more so than its principal church - Iglesia Parroquial de la Encarnación. Dating from the 17th century, this Mudéjar building with a Baroque finish is quite attractive. The church is known as the 'Cathedral of Alpujarra'.

It was built on the foundations of a mosque. I do not know if it was the original mosque that was set on fire in 1500 with the population inside - they were hiding there during the first Moorish revolt. What I do know is that the entire Moorish population was obliged to convert to Christianity or leave the kingdom. Those Moors who converted were known as moriscos. Later, 1568-71, there was a second Alpujarras rebellion. The leader of this revolt was Abén Humeya, King of the Moriscos. However, his nephew Aben Aboo assassinated him and proclaimed himself as his uncle's successor. He established the capital of his kingdom in Laujar. Following many bloody battles, the moriscos were finally expelled from the Alpujarras. This town, like many others, was left deserted for many years until people from outside the Kingdom of Granada repopulated it.

Today, Laujar de Andarax is a thriving town and it is still a capital - it is the capital of the Alpujarra of Almería. It is well known for it's wine and there are a number of bodegas locally that welcome visitors. It is one of the most accessible places in the Alpujarras being only a 40-minute drive from the coastal town of Almerimar.

Nacimiento nr Laujar

I frequently visit the Alpujarras and often go to Laujar to purchase some of its local produce - particularly honey and the delicious soplillos, which are chewy meringues made with almonds. However, there is another reason I visit the town. About 1 kilometre north of Laujar is 'El Nacimiento' - a delightful area of waterfalls, picnic areas and places to walk. My wife and I usually go there in Spring and Autumn on weekdays and, mostly, we have the place to ourselves. It is a haven of peace and tranquillity. Nacimiento means 'birth' and it is here that the Río Andarax starts its journey to the sea near Almería.

extract from “Spanish Impressions” by Robert Bovington

ISBN 978-1-4452-2543-2 available from www.lulu.com

Tarifa

If you want to see Morocco without actually risking life and limb, go to Tarifa - the coast of North Africa and the Rif mountains are clearly visible from this the most southerly of towns in mainland Spain!

Seriously though, Tarifa is an interesting place to visit with many features that reflect its historic past. Its geographic location has played a big part in its history - it is the southernmost town of Europe and only 8 miles from North Africa - so it has been pretty much open to all manner of civilisations since the dawn of time.  Tarifa got its name from a Berber called Tarif ibn Malik and, in the 10th century, under the rule of Abd-al-Rahman III, it became an important town. Its history goes much further back than that, however - archaeological discoveries have included Bronze Age burial sites. Later, Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians all settled in the area but it was the Romans who actually founded Tarifa in the 1st century. 

And then the Moors came - in AD710 a Muslim expeditionary force crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and, led by their leader Tarif ibn Malik, they took Tarifa. It was a trial run for the full-scale invasion of Spaina year later. Several centuries of Moorish rule followed before Sancho IV of Castilecaptured the town from the Moslems in 1292. Since the Christian Reconquest, Tarifa has been a border town, initially with the Kingdom of Granadaand later it had Berber pirates to contend with. In the 18th century it was a military enclave in the face of the English occupation of Gibraltar.

Much of Tarifa exhibits a distinctly Moorish character with its narrow, winding streets and whitewashed houses. Entry into the old quarter is through a particularly fine archway - the Puerta de Jerez. There are a number of interesting religious buildings in the town - like the Gothic-Mudéjar Chapel of Santiago; the Convent of San Francisco, and the churches of Santa María and San Mateo but the most important building is Castillo de Guzman. This 10th-century medieval fortress is known as the Castle of Guzmán the Good. It was named after Alfonso Pérez Guzmán who in no way would have won the 'Father of the Year' award - apparently, he threw down his dagger to besieging Moorish forces for them to execute his son who had been held hostage. He did this rather than surrender the city to the marauding Arabs.

So the town has a fair bit of history but it is worth a visit for its sandy beaches - there are over 20 miles of them! However, Tarifa is rather windy - it is the windiest place in Europe, which makes it ideal for windsurfers and, for most of the year, the long sandy beaches and Atlantic rollers are a riot of coloured sails.

extract from “Spanish Impressions” by Robert Bovington

ISBN 978-1-4452-2543-2 available from www.lulu.com

some pics:

Laujar de Andarax

Laujar de Andarax is a town in the Alpujarras with a special charm and a turbulent history. It nestles in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Opposite are the mountains of the Sierra de Gádor whilst a fertile valley separates the two mountain ranges. It is a delightful setting.

Laujar de Andarax

Laujar is located near the source of the Andarax River that provides water for the numerous fountains in the town. There are a number of fine buildings too and none more so than its principal church - Iglesia Parroquial de la Encarnación. Dating from the 17th century, this Mudéjar building with a Baroque finish is quite attractive. The church is known as the 'Cathedral of Alpujarra'.

It was built on the foundations of a mosque. I do not know if it was the original mosque that was set on fire in 1500 with the population inside - they were hiding there during the first Moorish revolt. What I do know is that the entire Moorish population was obliged to convert to Christianity or leave the kingdom. Those Moors who converted were known as moriscos. Later, 1568-71, there was a second Alpujarras rebellion. The leader of this revolt was Abén Humeya, King of the Moriscos. However, his nephew Aben Aboo assassinated him and proclaimed himself as his uncle's successor. He established the capital of his kingdom in Laujar. Following many bloody battles, the moriscos were finally expelled from the Alpujarras. This town, like many others, was left deserted for many years until people from outside the Kingdom of Granada repopulated it.

Today, Laujar de Andarax is a thriving town and it is still a capital - it is the capital of the Alpujarra of Almería. It is well known for it's wine and there are a number of bodegas locally that welcome visitors. It is one of the most accessible places in the Alpujarras being only a 40-minute drive from the coastal town of Almerimar.

Nacimiento nr Laujar

I frequently visit the Alpujarras and often go to Laujar to purchase some of its local produce - particularly honey and the delicious soplillos, which are chewy meringues made with almonds. However, there is another reason I visit the town. About 1 kilometre north of Laujar is 'El Nacimiento' - a delightful area of waterfalls, picnic areas and places to walk. My wife and I usually go there in Spring and Autumn on weekdays and, mostly, we have the place to ourselves. It is a haven of peace and tranquillity. Nacimiento means 'birth' and it is here that the Río Andarax starts its journey to the sea near Almería.

extract from “Spanish Impressions” by Robert Bovington

ISBN 978-1-4452-2543-2 available from www.lulu.com