My Trip to Spain

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Sunday 31/08/2003:

 

Our trip began at 5:15 in the morning with a Transit flight to Athens on the board of Olympic Airlines from Beirut International Airport from Gate 13 specifically.  We arrived to Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos at 7:15 am. The Transit area in the airport was small with some shops. We departed to Madrid at 9:40 from Gate 25 and we arrived to Barajas Airport and to the capital of Spain Madrid at 2:00, local time which is only one hour behind Beirut local time.  

 

The history and the growth of the city of Madrid& Origin of the name

It used to be thought that the city had mythological origins though these theories have since been proven to be the result more of a desire to emulate the history of other European cities than of true scientific rigor. Other beliefs alternatively had Madrid founded by Ocnus, Roman king and son of a goddess who named the city Mantua. Some said the city had originally been called Ursa bear in Latin, due to the large number of these animals to be found in the surrounding mountains and which along with the madrona tree has been the symbol of the city since mediaeval times. The truth is that its name dates back to the Arab foundation of the city and is derived from “Macher- It” that is the mother of plentiful water a reference to the abundance of water in the city and land around it. After the city was taken by the Christians this word entered the Spanish language as “Magerit” over time changing to Madrit and finally becoming Madrid.   

 

 

 

 

Medieval Madrid

 

Archeological discoveries on the banks of the River Manzanares prove that people have been dwelling around what is now known as Madrid for more than one hundred thousand years. But the first recordings of Madrid’s existence as a city are much more recent. Its foundation has been attributed to Muhammad I, son of the Emir of Cordoba Abdurrahman II who in 852 or there-abouts erected a fortress on the site today occupied by the Royal Palace to defend Toledo against Christian incursions from Leon and Castille. A Muslim population gathered around this fortress living among the narrow winding streets of a small civil medina, architectural evidence of this first period is found in the remains of the Arab city walls preserved at Cuesta de la Vega behind the cathedral. This evidence consists of traces of the city walls raised in the 9th  and 10th  centuries to strengthen the fortress and the medina  whose site extended slightly beyond the ground now occupied by the Royal Palace and the Plaza de Oriente. After Toledo was taken by Alphonse VI in 1085 Madrid came under Christian influence for good. Its new population settled in the original medina sharing with existing Muslim residents and were granted privileges to allow them to build Christian churches and monasteries. The fortress was converted into an occasional residence for the kings of Castille who frequently came to hunt in the wood around the town. In 1202 the town was granted parliamentary privileges by Alphonse VIII. Fields of wheat barley and vines were laid out alongside the ancient Arab waterwheels and gardens increasing through commercial activity of the town where by the 14th century several permanents markets were established. Of the many churches built during this period only two survive, San Nicolas de Los Servitas and San Pedro El Viego now extensively altered but both originally in the Mudejar style. The fortress itself was extended by Henry II (1369-1379) who also built a hunting lodge in the neighboring Pardo Mountains and later by Henry IV (1454-1474). The latter conceded to the town the title of “Muy noble y muy leal” (very noble and very loyal) and his sister Isabel la Catolica his successor on the throne was the first monarch to regulate life in the city.

 

The centuries of the House of Austria

 

With the crowing of Emperor Charles I of Spain and V of Germany (1516-1555) the house of Austria came into power in Spain. The emperor developed a great fondness for the town and in 1534 he conceded it the crown from his shield. Madrid’s greenery and wildlife created a privileged setting for hunting his favorite pastime. And he too made extensive alterations to the fortress. But it was above all his son and successor, Philip II (1556-1598) who by his decision in 1561 to move the court from Toledo to Madrid made the city start to develop in earnest. From then on except for a brief interruption between 1601 and 1606 when the court was moved to Valladolid, Madrid has always been the capital of Spain. This decision of Philip II was very controversial since the Madrid of the time had only 20,000 inhabitants very much less than Toledo, Seville, or Valladolid. Not only did it not have a cathedral it also lacked adequate infrastructures and other important services. However, its strategic position right in the centre of the peninsula made it the ideal setting for the monarch to establish the heart of his country. By the end of Philip II’s reign the population has already risen to 60,000. So in spite of the feverish building activities in the city at the time, this increase led to an enormous shortage of dwellings. The law of Royal prerogative and lodging was intended to resolve this problem by forcing city residents to give up parts of their homes to accommodate distinguished guests arriving in the capital. However, all that happened was to get round the law residents built houses that came to be known as houses of malice Deliberately built in such a way to make division impossible. The greatest work of architecture of Philip II’s reign was located 49 km outside Madrid the monastery of El Escorial also housing the Royal Mausoleum. There are very few surviving palaces from this period many having been demolished or so altered that almost to be found in the Plaza de la villa and its surrounding areas. Of note among religious buildings is the monastery of the Decalzas Reales. During the reign of Philip III (1528-1621) extensive alterations were made to the city affecting both its planning and its architecture with first Francisco de Mora in charge of the works. These were the first municipal architects of the city and they gave Madrid a definite style more in keeping with its standing as a capital city facades graced with uniforms small framed windows Flemish style capitals and the use of red brick in combination with grayish stone on cornices and other decorative features. This reign was also responsible for the Plaza Mayor and improvements to the Calle Mayor.

 

Under Philip IV (1621-1665) Madrid grew to have 100,000 inhabitants. In 1625 Philip ordered the building of the wall that was to surround the capital until 1868. Its course ran along the present Calle de la Princesa to Plaza de Colon and then continued along Paseo Del Prado before ending at the rondas of Toledo of Toledo and Segovia. But Philip IV’s most important building was the palace of the Buen Retiro built on the outskirts of the city in 1631. He put Velasquez in charge of its design and interior decoration and Zurbaran was also commissioned to undertake parts of the work. Badly damaged during the war of independence the palace and its Royal gardens were later to become the Municipal Park of el Retiro.

Apart from this old rural paths became new public ways such as Calle Mayor and the streets of Atocha. The 16th century also the proliferation in Madrid of churches and convents as a result of the definite establishment of the court in the city. Another contributing factor here was the competitiveness of Royalty noble’s important gentlemen religious orders and congregations in the sponsoring of new church buildings. The city’s cramped layout did not easily lend itself to the construction of very showy buildings, its narrow streets making it almost impossible to appreciate pretentious facades such as those of the high baroque style. This meant that architects made use of height to impress, having recourses to towers and domes rather than facades and these were used as distinctive elements among the churches they designed. Many of these can still be seen such as the churches of San Isidro and San Gines.

 

The Bourbons and the enlightenment:

 

With the Bourbons important reforms and building works took place that changed the face of the city. Enlightenment ideas made rulers more conscious of the need to modernize and Madrid as capital of the kingdom became the main centre of attention. The 18th century therefore saw radical changes in the city’s access ways, its surroundings, its infrastructures and its public services. Under Philip V (1701-1746) institutions such as the Royal Academies, the Royal Library, and the Hospice came into being. The most striking innovation however was the Royal Palace built between 1737 and 1764 after the original fortress was burnt down in 1734. The Puerta de Alcala was built in 1778 and in 1785. A large neoclassical museum was built at this mid-point to house a natural history collection; in 1819 it became the Prado Museum.  Moreover, Charles IV (1788-1808) gave orders to reconstruct the Plaza Mayor which was destroyed by a fire previously.

 

By the end of the 18th century the population of Madrid was already nearing 170,000. The aristocracy started to build palaces with great emphasis on external details using this as a sign of social status. The 19th century began with the French invasion on 2 May 1808 the city rose up against the French but the revolt was brutally put down just one day later. There then followed the reign of Joseph I (1808-1814) brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. These were chaotic years for Spain divided between patriots and French sympathizers the end of the war of independence heralded the reign of Ferdinand VII (1814-1833) under whom absolutism again held sway. Immediately after this during the long reign of Isabel II (1833-1870) the city underwent an almost total transformation. As a result of the laws of entailment on church property 540 properties belonging to religious orders were sold off. These properties fell into the hands of the middle classes. The opening of streets and squares went on apace, of particularly importance the reforms of the Puerta Del Sol and the Plaza Del Oriente. By the middle of this century the old city walls were demolished and new district were born such as Salamanca and Arguelles.

 

By the start of the twentieth century Madrid had a population of 580,000 and by 1930 this figure had increased still further to 950,000. In 1929 the city council concerned at the disproportionate growth taking place in the city decided to bring some order to the matter they put a  bid for a project to design the extension of the northern part of the city. As a result to this project the Paseo de Las Delicias de la Princesa changed its name to the Paseo de la Castellana extending to the Plaza de Castilla. 1910 had already seen the inauguration of Gran Via and in 1919 the first Metro Line had come into service. Buildings such as the luxury Ritz and palace hotels and the Palace of Communications had been built around the Plaza de la Cibeles. During the Second Republic the Parque Del Retiro and the Casa de Campo passed into public ownership.

The Civil War was particularly bitter in Madrid. It opened the way to the Government of General Franco who was to direct the fate of Spain for the next 41 years from his residence in the Royal Palace of El Pardo on the outskirts of the city. By 1950, Madrid had a million and a half inhabitants and by 1960 this number has increased to more than two million. This outstanding growth was due partly to heavy immigration in the city but it was also the result of taking in surroundings villages on the way to becoming the Metropolitan area it is today. Also in the 1950’s new outlying districts were springing up and skyscrapers appeared in Plaza de Espana. In 1959, the M 30 was built right along the course of the old Abronigal River. In 1970, the population reached 3 million. After the death of General Franco on 20 November 1975 Juan Carlos I was declared King of Spain and head of state and democracy was reestablished. In the 1980’d areas such as La Castellana, the Plaza de Colon and the Plaza de Castilla were transformed while new areas were forming with concentrations of the best example of avant gardes architecture such as the Azca complex and the Torres Puerta de Europa. In 1986, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia opened its doors and exhibited Guernica Picasso’s most famous work.

 

A nice Chauffeur was waiting for us at the Airport from Julia tours, our tour operator in Spain.  We rode in a Mercedes 500 on our way to the Mayorazgo Hotel in Gran Via.

 

Gran Via is one of the most animated and commercial through ways in the city was already famous in 1862 when it was still at the planning stage. The first section runs between Alcala and the fountain of Saint Louis. The second section runs around Plaza de Callao. The last section is the Plaza de Espana which is a huge esplanade. Presiding over its central gardens is the monument to Cervantes designed in 1915. Other characteristic features of the square are the two skyscrapers, theTorre de Madrid and the Edificio Espana.  The Calle de la Princesa was planned as a continuation of Gran Via under the project of creating an east-west axis perpendicular to la Castellana. At the end of this street is the Air force headquarters with the Victory Arch.

 

Thus, we arrived at Hotel Mayorazgo which is located in downtown Madrid on the Gran Via and within walking distance to such interesting landmarks as the Plaza de Espana, the Palacio Real and the Plaza Mayor.

Being so exited we just put our bags and went to the nearest Metro Station where we bought a 10 voyages ticket and we went to Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the official stade of the Real Madrid football Club. Our Metro Line was the following: Line 1: Gran Via to Tribunal- Change to Line 10- Alonso Martinez- Gregorio Maranon- Nuevo Ministerias- Santiago Bernabeu

 

We visited the wonderful Stadium which was inaugurated in 1947 then we entered to the Hall of Fame (the Real Madrid Official Museum) with a ticket of 4 Euro for each.   In the museum there were several trophies such as several Champion League trophy and pictures of all the players that played with the club and television screens showing all the time great matches fro the club.  The room I liked much is a dark room full of screens and sounds recording of the supporters and the “We are the Champion” songs with laser lights posted on the Champion League last Trophy.   

Then we went to the official store which is inside the Stadium (La Esquina Del Bernabeu). We bought several shirts and caps and some souvenirs for friends and family. Afterwards, we walked through the Paseo de la Castellana and we saw the Azca complex, Torre Picasso, BBVA building, the Torres Puerta de Europa, and finally the Diagonal Kio Towers appeared in front of us. The Kio buildings form a superb architecture and design leaning like a triangle from the sky.  

Then,   we returned to Gran Via where we took pictures in front of La Cibeles and the Palace of Communications. We had lunch at the McDonald in Gran Via then we took a tour in the touristic bus.  Every city in Spain has its own touristic bus to discover the city with ease. We had a hard time to know where does it stop and we asked several policemen in a weak Spanish.   The funny thing is that each time we crossed the road in Gran Via which is a four line street and very wide the bus stopped from the opposite direction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally, we got into the red undecked bus and we paid 10 Euro each and the bus performed its Route 1 itinerary.

Ruta 1:Teatro Real Campo Del Moro- Puerta Toledo- San Francisco- Plaza Mayor- Puerta Del Sol- Museo Thyssen- Museo Reina Sofia- Atocha- Jardin Botanico- Museo Del Prado- P. De Alfonso  XII- Puerta de Alcala- Barrio de Salamanca- Plaza Colon- Plaza de la Cibeles- Gran Via- Plaza de Espana

 

Alcala is without doubt the most famous street in Madrid and also one of the longest. It came into existence in the 17th century, the result of the gradual inclusion within the city limits of the different sections of the path taken by university students coming and going from Alcala de Henares. The Puerta De Alcala the gateway is one of the most famous monuments in Madrid. Commissioned in 1778 as a triumphal arch by King Charles III in his desire to endow the city with worthy entrances the work was entrusted to Sabatini. 

 

The fountain of Cibeles shows the Greek God of fertility in carriage drawn by lions. This fountain is the meeting place of the followers of Real Madrid, the city’ main football team whenever it wins a match. Followers of Atletico Madrid the other important city club use the fountain of Neptune for the same purpose. In the Plaza de la Cibeles next to Calle Alcala are the bank of Spain and the Palace of Buenavista. On the other side of the square there is the palace of Linares but undoubtedly the most historical building in this Plaza is the palace of communications built in 1904 to accommodate the Post Office headquarters. Two other museums in the area must be mentioned apart from the Prado, the Thyssen Bornemisza and the Arte Reina Sofia.

 

 

Monday 01/09/2003:

Our day began early at 7 O' clock and we had our breakfast at 7:30. Then we asked the conciergerie at the hotel to reconfirm our way back tickets to Beirut.

We took the Metro to Atocha Station. The Atocha railway station is located on the site of one of the old city gates of Madrid and was inaugurated in 1851. It was the first railway station in Madrid.

We were lost a little bit because Atocha is a very big station with hundreds of lines. However, we asked the guide at the tourist office and he showed us a map to the train lines. We took a train to Pinto station and from there we changed the line to go to Parque de Ocio Martin de la Vega, our destination which is the Warner Bros Park.

The train line was as follows: Atocha- Villa Verde Bajo- San Cristobal de los Angeles- San Cristobal Industrial- El Casar- Getafe Industrial.

The Movie World, Universal Studio Pictures fun Park is an amazing theme park.  The entrance to the park is 32 Euro by person. The park is divided into several villages such as the Cartoon Village, the Old West Territory, Hollywood Boulevard, Warner Bros Studio and Dc Super Hero’s World.

We played in and visited several games such as the water slides, three D dimensions shows, Superman show,  batman show,  and the ride in electronic cars through Beverly Hills .   The ones I remember are the Water Show with Jet Ski, the Batman game, the Lex Luthor area, the Montana Russa, La Aventura de Rio Bravo, the Music Tea cups, the Looney Tunes houses such as Sylvester, Scooby Doo and Bugs Bunny.  

We spent about 5 hours in the Park and Mohammad won a Scooby Doo dog Peluche from a  game of horse carriage race.

 

The streets of Carmen and Preciados are now pedestrianised and leading to the Plaza Del Callao, the hub of busy commercial activity. Classical establishment rub shoulders with more modern shops and it also houses the first branch to be opened by the popular department store El Corte Ingles.

Therefore in the afternoon we went to the Calle de Preciados near the hotel where we visited  FNAC bookstore. It is a huge bookstore consisted of 4 floors for books, magazines, electronics, DVD’s, videos, etc.  Afterwards, we made a quick visit to the Corte Ingles mall then we walked to the Puerta Del

Sol.

This square has always been one of the most populated areas of Madrid and so has been the scene of important events in the history of the city and of Spain:  the uprising of 2 May 1808, in 1919 the inauguration of the first line of Metro(Sol-Cuatro Camino) ,  in 1931 the proclamation of the second republic. It also contains Kilometer 0 of the roads of Spain. Originally, this area was surrounded by a wall with a gate facing the sun hence its name. From 1560, onwards various buildings together with the bookshops cheap eating houses and jewelers shops established there brought about a rivalry with Plaza Mayor later; the Mari Blanca fountain was added. It was during the reign of Isabel II when the definitive reforms of this area were carried out giving it the elliptical shape it has today. In one corner opposite the Calle de Carmen a statue in bronze of the bear and the Madrona represents the coat of arms in Madrid.

 

On foot, we reached Plaza Mayor.  It was constructed by Juan Gomes de Mora commissioned by Philip II who wanted to build a great square which would give prestige to his kingdom. Work began in 1617 and was completed 2 years later. The rational project in Madrilenian baroque style characteristic of the period of Austria’s was an innovation in town planning in the city. The plans left standing the Casa de la Panaderia on whose ground floor was a bakery built by Diego Sillero in 1590. At present the former headquarters of this guild houses the Civil Registry. The remaining house immediately opposite is the former Casa de la Carniceria. The square contains 136 houses with 437 balconies from which 50,000 people were able to witness the many events held here, tourneys, bullfights, Royal wedding executions and local festivities.  The character of this square has remained unaltered over the years and is still a meeting place and the site of evening strolls of many Madrilenians particularly lively on Sunday mornings due to the stamps and old coins market set up under its colonnades. In its centre stands the equestrian statue of Philip III sponsor of the building of this square and the first monarch of the house of Austria to be born in Madrid.  

 

We had lunch in the Burger King restaurant in Puerta Del Sol. Walking also we continued our day to Plaza de Espana which in its centre there is a monument in tribute to Cervantes, author of Don Quichote.   

 

Tuesday 02/09/2003:

 

This day we walked up early at 6:30 and we had our breakfast at 7 O' Clock. We went to Julia Tour Agency in front of the hotel where a Pullman was waiting for us and a group of 10 persons from the United States, Lebanon, Columbia and Egypt to take us to The Royal Palace (Palacio Real) and to The Prado Museum (El Prado Museo). Our guide for this day was a very nice old lady. Inside the Palace it was forbidden to take pictures. Also, through our tour at the Palace we saw the room which hosted the Madrid Peace talks in 1991.

 

The Plaza Del Oriente, the Royal Palace and the cathedral

 

Its name is due to the fact that the square adjoins the Eastern front of the Royal Palace and its construction to Joseph Bonaparte’s wish to create a space from which the beauty of this monumental palace could be contemplated. Development of the square was completed in the time of Isabel II according to plans drawn up by Augustin Arguelles and Martin de Los Heros. The central statue of Philip IV was laid in 1843 and is a beautiful 17th century sculpture in whose completion various artists worked. The buildings surrounding the square date back to the 19th century. One of the most interesting of these is the Teatro Real. This Teatro was inaugurated in 1997 as an Opera house.

During the second republic the land to the north of the Royal Palace formerly occupied by the palace stables was transformed into the Sabatini gardens. This peaceful park with its hedges laid out in geometric figures, bears the name of Francisco Sabatini one of the favorite architects of Charles III: he was granted the title of the king’s master architect among others. And it was for the king that he carried out his most important commissions including the extension to and refurbishment of the Royal Palace and that of the Palace of EL Pardo and the Puerta de Alcala. 

The entrance to the Royal Palace is in Calle Bailen through the spacious Patio de Armas. The old alcazar fortress a cold and inhospitable Moorish construction extended by the kings of the House of Austria was completely burnt down on Christmas Eve 1734 in one of the fastest and most terrible fires recorded. The flames devoured a marvelous collection of paintings and objets d’art but also gave the new Bourbon dynasty the opportunity to fashion a building more appropriate as the setting for the official activities of the country and as the Royal residence following the examples set by the principal courts of Europe. Philip V summoned Filippo Juvara from Italy and proposed that he build a huge building comparable to the palace of Versailles. Shortly after completing the plans Juvara died and the king commissioned its pupil Giovanni Battista Sachetti to carry out the work. The Palace was completed in 1764 and the first monarch to make his residence was Charles III. The overall design is in the style of Baroque classicism whilst there is a mixture of French and Italian influences in the elements used in its construction and decoration.

This splendid building forms a quadrilateral made up of four almost identical facades and the series of pillars and embedded columns and the combination of granite and white stones are perhaps the most outstanding features of its composition. The palace is now used for official occasions whilst part houses a museum which cannot be missed by visitors for it offers the chance to appreciate one for the best furnished palaces of Europe. In fact, the original furniture ahs been conserved and outstanding amongst its dependencies being the rooms decorated by Gasparini formerly the private chamber of Charles III the throne room and the state dining room. The demands of the protocol and the social life of the monarchs caused a wealth of sumptuous objects to be accumulating here now part of the palace collections and which were enriched over various reigns. These collections have incalculable artistic, historic, and documentary value containing some of the most important pieces of their type, tapestries, porcelain, gold and silver work, Royal mantles, religious robes, clocks, sculptures, bronzes, chanDeliers, furniture, carpets, etc.

Several museums are housed within the building such as the Music museum, the Royal Pharmacy, the Royal Library, the Royal Armory and the Carriage Museum.  These museums are set in the Campo Del Moro (gardens of the Palace).

On the Ground Floor of the Palace, there is the official souvenir shop where the tourist can buy shirts, books, postcards, plates,  etc showing the Royal Palace picture.

After the visit to the Palace we went to the Prado Museum which is a neo-classical building built in 1785. Also, photos were not allowed inside the museum. The Prado Museum is renowned as being the largest art gallery in the world. It also exhibits sculptures, drawings, coins and other works of arts, but it is undoubtedly its large collection of paintings which has given it fame worldwide. It houses more than 8,600 paintings, of which they exhibit less than 2,000 because of lack of space available. Many museums throughout the world have less artistic riches in their halls than the Prado Museum has in storage. The present day art gallery comes from the Royal collections of the old Trinidad Museum, as well as acquisitions, donations and bequests. Its history began during the reign of Charles III, when he tried to create a single art collection under one roof. But it was not until the reign of Fernando VII when the Royal Museum of Painting and Sculpture was created, on 19th November 1819. The king’s death caused inheritance problems and endangered the unity of the collection, but with the disappearance of the monarchy in Spain the museum became national property and became known as the Prado National Museum. From then to this date, the works of art have survived several challenges and were transferred several times during the Spanish Civil War, ending up in the Swiss city of Geneva and being returned to Madrid during the Second World War. Nowadays, its treasures are exhibited in two adjacent buildings: the Villanueva Building where the majority of the works are housed, and the Cason Del Buen Retiro.

 

The multiple origins of the paintings of the Prado Museum allow us to classify its works according to the nationality of the original school:
 

 The Italian School has among others, works by Andrea Mantenga, Sandro Botticelli, Rafael, Andrea Del Sarto, Correggio, Lorenzo Lotte, Tintoretto, Verones, Tiepolo and above all, Tiziano.
 

 Early Flemish, with works by Rogier van der Veyden, Flemish master Hans Memling, Jochim Patinir, Quentin Metsys, Bernard van Orley, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Brueghel and the Flemish school with Rubens, Jordaens and Anton van Dyck.
 

  The German, French and Dutch schools with works by Lucas Cranach, Albert Dürer, Nicolas Poussin, Claudio de Lorena and Rembrandt
 

  The Spanish school is represented with works by our grand masters Bartolomé Bermejo, Pedro Berruguete, Luis de Morales, El Greco, Juan B. Maino, José de Ribera, Alonso Cano, Caudio Coello, Zurbarn, Velzquez, Murillo, Luis Meléndez,Goya  and a long list of great artists

 

    

After the tour ended we did not return with the group to the hotel. Rather we walked trough the Calle de Velasquez and we entered to the Retiro Park.  This is Madrid most important park not because of its size (12 hectares) but due to its rich history as it originally formed part of the Palace of Buen Retiro constructed in the 17th century by Philip IV. For this the king employed Italian artists who conceived the park as a succession of spaces in which plants and trees alternated with ponds statues or small shrines formerly a veritable labyrinth.  The park now is the property of the city council and is now an area where a wide range of leisure activities are available sailing and rowing in the lake on whose banks stands the monument to Alphonse XII, many types of sports exhibitions at the Palace of Velasquez and the Crystal Palace or simply as the site of pleasant relaxing walks.



After the walk in the Retiro relaxing Park, we had Lunch in Pans and Company, a Spanish fast food restaurant.  

 

After a little rest in the hotel we took the Metro again to ABC Serrano Mall. The Metro Line was as follows: Banco De Espana- Seville- Gran Via - Callao- Chueca- Alonso Martinez-   Ruben Dario’s.

The Serrano mall is a very nice and classic mall. We visited the Chicco store where we bought gifts. The furniture gallery in this mall are wonderful.

 

 

Wednesday 03/09/2003:

 

We woke up at 7:30 and had our breakfast at 8 O' Clock.

This day began with a visit to Las Ventas Plaza &  the Museo Taurino.  As always our transporataion was the Metro:  Gran Via- Chueco- Alonso Martinez- Ruben Dario- Nunez de Bilbao- Diego De Leon- Ventas. The Plaza monumental de Las Ventas is designed in the Mudejar style. It is the largest in Spain with a capacity of 22,000 and it is the most important in Spain with the top bullfighters. In the museum we saw several head of bulls, bullfighters’ clothes, pictures and statues. It was a small and nice museum and the entrance was free.  

 

Our next attraction was La Vaguada Mall:  Metro: Gran Via to Tribunal- Change to Line 10- Alonso Martinez Gregorio Maranon- Nuevo Ministerias- Santiago Bernabeu - Cuzco- Plaza de Castilla- Ventilla- Barrio Del Pilar.

We spent 3 hours Shopping in this complex mall which also contains a market for fish, fruits, vegetables and a big supermarket with over 50 cashiers!!!   

 

The next direction was to Casa de Campo. Casa De Campo is the largest park in Madrid 1800 hectares. It came now under city ownership. It is an Entertainment Park and a zoo. We visited the zoo and spent 2 hours seeing different kinds of animals.

 

At 9:30 in the evening we went to Vincente Calderon stadium the home of the Atletico de Madrid to watch a game with Albacete team .  We went also by Metro from the hotel to the Pyramides station and we visted this square which contains  2 obelisks from Egypt.   We bought tickets for 20 euro each. We sat at the back but we had a very wonderful view and the Atletico won 1-0. It was a different experience of supporting different from our coutry.  

 

Thursday 04/09/2003:

 

We woke up early ready for the beginning of the tour at 6:30 and we had our breakfast at 7 O' clock.

 

We departed at 7:45 to Cordoba and to AL Andalus via the land of Don Quichote by means of “Autocares” or the Pullman of Julia Tour, with Magdalena our nice guide and Angel the driver. The group consisted of two American ladies, two Italian couples one in honeymoon and the other one living in Australia,  two Mexican ladies and a couple from Argentina and of course us the youngest in the whole group.

 

Andalusia is situated in the Southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the largest of all the Spanish autonomous regions having an area of 87,268 square kilometers and a population of approximately 6,500,000. The eight provinces which make up this region are: Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga and Seville. The geographical structure of Andalusia is typically Mediterranean with three different orographic regions which from north to south are: the Sierra Morena, a arrange of mountains which crosses Andalusia from east to west acting as a natural border with the Castilian plateau, the Guadalquivir valley triangular in shape which lied between the Sierra Morena and the Betica mountains and through which the Guadalquivir river passes, collecting water from the Sierra Morena and from the larger parts of the Betica mountains, the third area is the Betica mountain range occupying almost half of he Andalusian territory along the Mediterranean coat from Cape Gata in Almeria to Gibraltar. Ronda, Las Alpujarras and Sierra Nevada are all parts of this range of mountains. The highest point in the Iberian Peninsula is the Mulhacen in Sierra Nevada.

Andalusia has the warmest climate in Spain typically Mediterranean hot and dry in summer with mil winter.

 

In the year 711 AD an Arab Berber army of some 12,000 men under Tarik defeated the King of the Visigoths, Rodrigo on the banks of the river Guadalete in Cadiz. At this point the history of Al Andalus begins. After an arduous siege Tarik occupied Cordoba and followed the Roman roads to Toledo. One year later a new army occupied Carmona, Seville and Merida. Al Andalus was to become the centre of Muslim Spain here a new civilization was formed where different cultures and religions would intermingle. In the year 755 AD Abdurrahman declared the first Emirate. In 922 AD Al Andalus reached a peak of economic and cultural splendor. During the caliphate Cordoba was to become the city with the largest population in all occident.

In the 10th century AD the Muladies (Muslim of Spanish origin) resentful of ethnic discrimination began a movement for independence. This was during the Umayyad monarchy of Cordoba and the result was the disintegration of Al Andalus into different Taifa kingdoms. In spite of being weak military wise these kingdoms being very strong culturally gave rise to the most splendid period of the history of Muslim Spain.

 

After the battle of Navas de Tolosa, in 1212 and the conquests of King Ferdinand III of Castille Al Andalus became part of the kingdom of Castille. The exception was Granada which would only be conquered in 1492 by he Catholic monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. 

 

During the seven centuries of Arab civilization in Spain their influences in linguistics, farming, science and art was enormous.

The Arabs introduced a whole range of technical botanical and economical innovations. Some examples are the watermill, paper, and the cultivation of the silkworm. A whole new wide range of perfumes and flavors previously unknowns to the European continent was also introduced such as Jasmine, saffron, rice, sugar, apricots, lemons, watermelons and aubergines.

In a period of 11 years the Catholic monarchs were to conquer all the territories of Granada a conquest which concluded with the surrender of Boabdil king of Granada whom his mother told him upon the surrender this famous historic phrase “ Do not cry as a child what you did not conserve as a man”.

 

Before arriving to Cordoba, we had a rest in La Venta de Don Quichote, the home of the famous novel of Don Quichote. It is a very old house preserving some antiques furniture’s surrounded by souvenirs shops that sell oil bottle as a souvenir from Spain because Andalusia is well known worldwide for its good and tasty oil.  It took us 5 hours to reach Cordoba.   

 

The capital city of Cordoba was founded by the Carthaginians. By 584 AD, it had become a meeting point for Visigoths and Byzantines. In 716 AD under Muslim occupation Cordoba became the capital of Al Andalus and the capital of the Caliphate later on. It was the most populated Western city with more than 250,000 inhabitants. The public granary, markets and public baths were situated around the Mosque.

The most important monument of the Muslim occupation is the Grand Mosque, the Mezquita Mayor. Other important monuments in the city of Cordoba are the Catholic monarchs Alcazabar and the synagogue which is one of only three existing in Spain and the only one in Andalusia. 

 

 

We arrived to Cordoba at about 1:30 pm; we had Lunch in el bandolero restaurant. We sat on the table with the Italian group.  The menu consisted of the cold traditional Spanish soup gazpacho, salad, chicken and the tasty Helado(Spanish cassata)

 

 

After the lunch we visited the Mosque with a local guide. The cathedral and historic Mosque of Cordoba is the first and foremost monument in western Islam and one of the most sublime of its type in the world. The temple is more than a historic and archeological monument, it is a unique embodiment of over eight centuries of architectural and artistic change and contains elements representing the peak of Hispanic-Moslem style alongside Hispanic-Flemish vaults and arches, Renaissance cupolas, early Baroque elements and other treasures from the predominant Christian styles of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The building today is an expansion of the Mosque built by Abdurrahman I over the old Christian Basilica of Saint Vincent whose material were used in the later building. Abdurrahman II, Al Hakam I and Al Mansour later expanded the initial Mosque to its current dimensions. The transept of the cathedral was built in the 16th century over part of the expansions of the Mosque.

Within the current tower of the Cathedral are the remains of the old minaret built by Abdurrahman II.

Outside the Mosque there is an orange tree patio where palm trees and orange trees and olive trees are planted there.

 

Abdurrahman I began the construction of the first Mosque over the old Christian Basilica of Saint Vincent whose materials were used in the later building. This section took 7 years to build consists of 11 naves and employs materials which recall the splendor of the Hellenic civilization. The most outstanding features of this section are the variety of its columns and capitals which are a remarkable example of Greco-Roman, Egyptian and Visighotic style. Over the round columns pilasters were raised to the desired height supporting in turn superimposed series of brick and stone arches. A number of chapels were later constructed in the western nave.

During the period of Abdurrahman II Cordoba experienced a period of prosperity and peace lending to the addition of 7 more naves to the south of the Mosque. Al Hakam also added columns to the Mosque followed by the larger expansion during the reign of AL Mansour to symbolize political power.

The most spectacular piece in the cathedral is the processional monstrance used during Corpus Christi.

 

After the Mosque, we visited the narrow streets and the Jewish quarter and the synagogue which is the only one in Andalusia and the third one in Spain. It is a simple building with nothing inside. I do not know what do they do inside!!!!!

 

After this tour we took the road again on our way to Seville which only took 2 hours.

 

Seville was colonized by the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians who lade foundations for its trade development. In 712, the Muslims reconquered Seville and rename it Isbiliya. The city underwent many urbanistic changes and under the first Almohad rule the great Mosque and its minaret the Giralda were built. In the reign of the Catholic monarchs a new age of splendor began for Seville. The cathedral was built and the first crown printers established at the university. The city was well ahead in the fields of industry and the arts. It became the major city of the kingdom due to its port. The port of Seville was the point of departure and arrival of all the expeditions of the New World especially once the trading house for the Americas was created in 1503. Seville became in a way the centre of the world, its original population growing to 150,000 in 1588. However, in the plague of 1649 around 60,000 died in Seville and in 1707 the trading house for the Americas was transferred to Cadiz. Seville would only recover from this decline in the beginning of the 19th century. The oldest historic remains of the city date from the Muslim period. The Torre Del Oro and its sister tower built on the opposite bank of the Guadalquivir formed part of the defense system of the fluvial port. In those times these two towers could be joined by a chain barrier and thus prevent any enemy ships from reaching the port. The Giralda the old minaret of the original Mosque is 117m high and looks out over the city standing as a complement to the cathedral’s beauty. The cathedral was built on the site of the old Mosque, its style is late Gothic and its size is only surpassed by Saint Peter’s in Rome and Saint Paul in London. Building was started in 1401 the sculptured alter piece of its main chapel is the largest in Spain.

 

 

We arrived at Don Paco hotel located close to the central train station and 12 km from San Pablo international airport around 5 o’clock and we had dinner and slept early dreaming of wonderful Andalusia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 05/09/2003:

 

After the breakfast, the tour started with a panoramic view of Seville. We passed through the area reserved for the 1929 exposition and we saw the Pabellon de Colombia, Morocco, Chile, Brazil, Guatemala, Cuba and Santo Domingo.

Afterwards, we visited the Parque de Maria Luisa. In 1893 the Infante Maria Luisa donated half of the gardens of the palace of Saint Telmo to the city of Seville. In 1929 the French architect Forestier created in the gardens one of a series of works of beautification of the world exposition that was celebrated during this same year.  The Park of Maria Luisa houses in its interior beautiful Plazas such as the Plaza of Americas also called the Plaza of the doves due to the abundance of these birds.

Then we took a look at Plaza D’ Espana where the Infante Maria Christina daughter of King Juan Carlos celebrated its wedding.  It is a cloistered two hundred meter building. Brick is the dominated material with the principal ornamental element being ceramics.

After that we went to the Jardins de Murilio, to the Santa Cruz Quarter or the Barrio de Santa Cruz, which is a labyrinth of narrow streets to reach finally the cathedral of Seville walking through narrow streets of white houses with balconies decorated with beautiful flowers.  

 

 

The Cathedral history began in 1184-1198 when the main Mosque was built including the minaret. Still visible today are the patio de Los Naranjos and the lower two thirds of the minaret built with brick known as the Giralda. In 1248-1401 the Mosque became a Christian cathedral. The total surface of the cathedral is 23,500 square meters and its is of Gothic construction  

Inside the cathedral there is the Tomb of Christopher Columbus who was buried for more than 5 times!!!!!

 

After the cathedral tour we decided to take the optional tour of the Boat Trip on the Guadalquivir River from Torre Del Oro.

The Torre Del Oro golden tower was one of the last contributions from the Almohade period in Seville. It formed part of the last wall of defence that ran from the Alcazar to the river. It’s believed that the tower was given its name because of the sun’s reflection of the gold tiles that once covered the dome. The tower has twelve sides. Today it is a naval museum with engravings letters and navigation instruments.   

The ticket was 15 Euro for each with a guide explaining in different languages what are the monuments awe are passing by. We crossed under several bridges each different in its structure and design. Some of these bridges are Puento Del Alamillo,  Puento de la Barquetta, Puento de Triana, amd Puento de  Generalissimo.

 

After the boat trip ended we started our exploration of Seville alone from T

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