.
Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
.
"Photographs of Spain"
|
|
"Spanish Impressions"
|
|
"you couldn't make it up!"
|
|
"a grumpy old man in Spain"
|
|
"bits and bobs"
|
|
"Spanish Expressions"
|
|
"Spanish Art"
|
|
"Books About Spain"
|
Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Seville - Plaza de España
.
Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
.
Osuna - Colegiata de la Asunción
Osuna has a particularly imposing 16th-century Renaissance church called the Colegiata de la Asunción.
.
.
.
Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
.
Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
.
"Photographs of Spain"
|
|
"Spanish Impressions"
|
|
"you couldn't make it up!"
|
|
"a grumpy old man in Spain"
|
|
"bits and bobs"
|
|
"Spanish Expressions"
|
|
"Spanish Art"
|
|
"Books About Spain"
|
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Benaoján - a village in the Serranía de Ronda
 |
| railway line viewed from just above Benaoján © Robert Bovington |
Benaoján is a pretty village that I first encountered when I travelled on the Algeciras to Ronda railway. Near the railway station there is a footpath to Cueva de la Pileta - a cave with primitive rock paintings of animals that, apparently, date from around 25,000 BC. Just above the village there is a mirador where spectacular views can be enjoyed - poplar, willow and oleander at the bottom of the valley; evergreen oak, peonies, thickets of kermes oak, retama and broom on the hillside; gorse, thyme and sage beneath jagged outcrops of limestone on higher ground and probably the odd vulture or two circling above.
There are about 300 griffin vultures in the Serranía de Ronda, which is a tribute to the local conservationists as during the 1960's the birds were almost extinct.
Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
"Photographs of
|
|
"Spanish Impressions"
|
|
"you couldn't make it up!"
|
|
"a grumpy old man in
|
|
"bits and bobs"
|
|
"Spanish Expressions"
|
|
"Spanish Art"
|
|
"Books About
|
Seville - Plaza de España
Other blogs by Robert Bovington:
"Photographs of
|
|
"Spanish Impressions"
|
|
"you couldn't make it up!"
|
|
"a grumpy old man in
|
|
"bits and bobs"
|
|
"Spanish Expressions"
|
|
"Spanish Art"
|
|
"Books About
|
Friday, 27 June 2014
Saturday, 1 February 2014
Ciudad Real
by Robert Bovington
https://plus.google.com/+RobertBovington/posts
The city of Ciudad Real has good connections. Firstly, the Madrid-Sevilla AVE high-speed train stops there. Secondly, it is associated with Royalty - King Alfonso X founded it in 1255 and gave it the name Villa Real. Later, in 1420, John II gave it the status of a city - Ciudad Real means Royal City in Spanish. Then, in the 17th century, the city was the capital of La Mancha. Today, it is the capital of the province of the same name - one of five provinces in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha.
So, if travelling on the AVE high-speed train between the capital of Spain and the capital of Andalucía, is it worth stopping off at Ciudad Real? Well, like many Spanish cities, Ciudad Real does have its fair share of historic monuments. There are a number of religious buildings including the Iglesia Santiago, one of the oldest churches in the city, which was originally Gothic but which was later enhanced with a Mudéjar roof and Baroque vaults. The Cathedral of Santa María del Prado is another religious building with a combination of styles - Gothic with Baroque interior. The Iglesia San Pedro is another church with a fusion of styles including alternating pointed Gothic arches and Mudéjar horseshoe arches.
Another notable landmark is the remains of the 14th-century walls, which were built to protect the Christian, Moor and Jewish population of that time. In those days, there were 4 kilometres of walls with 130 towers. However, the principal attraction is Puerta de Toledo, a Mudéjar gate that was built in 1328 and which is a national monument.
more blogs by Robert Bovington...
https://plus.google.com/+RobertBovington/posts
The city of Ciudad Real has good connections. Firstly, the Madrid-Sevilla AVE high-speed train stops there. Secondly, it is associated with Royalty - King Alfonso X founded it in 1255 and gave it the name Villa Real. Later, in 1420, John II gave it the status of a city - Ciudad Real means Royal City in Spanish. Then, in the 17th century, the city was the capital of La Mancha. Today, it is the capital of the province of the same name - one of five provinces in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha.
So, if travelling on the AVE high-speed train between the capital of Spain and the capital of Andalucía, is it worth stopping off at Ciudad Real? Well, like many Spanish cities, Ciudad Real does have its fair share of historic monuments. There are a number of religious buildings including the Iglesia Santiago, one of the oldest churches in the city, which was originally Gothic but which was later enhanced with a Mudéjar roof and Baroque vaults. The Cathedral of Santa María del Prado is another religious building with a combination of styles - Gothic with Baroque interior. The Iglesia San Pedro is another church with a fusion of styles including alternating pointed Gothic arches and Mudéjar horseshoe arches.
 |
| Iglesia San Pedro |
Another notable landmark is the remains of the 14th-century walls, which were built to protect the Christian, Moor and Jewish population of that time. In those days, there were 4 kilometres of walls with 130 towers. However, the principal attraction is Puerta de Toledo, a Mudéjar gate that was built in 1328 and which is a national monument.
more blogs by Robert Bovington...
"Photographs of | |
"postcards from | |
"you couldn't make it up!" | |
"a grumpy old man in | |
"bits and bobs" | |
"Spanish Expressions" | |
"Spanish Art" | |
"Books About |
Monday, 20 January 2014
Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes, a Spanish novelist, poet and playwright, was born at Alcalá de Henares near La Mancha in 1547.
He spent many years as a traveller and adventurer but eventually, when quite mature in years, he settled down and started writing - he had to write right handed because he had lost the use of his left hand during a skirmish in Italy!
His best-known work was his novel "Don Quixote de la Mancha", which is considered by many to be the first modern novel even though it was written 400 years ago! At any rate it is certainly one of the greatest works in Western literature - it is one of Encyclopaedia Britannica's "Great Books of the Western World" and is one of the most translated works of all time.
Cervantes wrote many other literary works including plays, poems, novels and short stories. Included among his finest work is "Exemplary Tales" which the literary world regards as er... exemplary!
Considering Cervantes status as the most important figure in Spanish literature it is interesting to note that he died on the same date as William Shakespeare - April 23 1616!
Cervantes lived for several years in Valladolid - his house, 'Casa de Cervantes', is open to the public.
more blogs by Robert Bovington...
"Photographs of
| |
"postcards from
| |
"you couldn't make it up!"
| |
"a grumpy old man in
| |
"bits and bobs"
| |
"Spanish Expressions"
| |
"Spanish Art"
| |
"Books About
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)