|
La Tomatina festival •
A knight to remember • Brutal
Ballet With Bullets • Ancient Vintages
& Modern Spain
Richly diverse, Spain convincingly assumes
many disguises for Hollywood • Spain
beyond the Costa
The cities • The
villages • Camino de Santiago
• Spain's unknown villages
Put your best foot forward: Dance in Spain
and afar
Barcelona shopping
Dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges such as the Pyrenees
or the Sierra Nevada. Mainland Spain has major rivers running
from these heights such as the Tajo, the Ebro, the Duero, the
Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along
the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir
in Andalusia, in the east there are alluvial plains with medium
rivers like Segura, Júcar and Turia. Spain is bound to
the east by Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic Islands),
to the north by the Bay of Biscay and to its west by the Atlantic
Ocean, where the Canary Islands off the African coast are found.
The intense Mediterranean-ness of Spain anifests itself in a
hundred subtle ways: in uncommon kindness and hospitality, in
multi-cultural culinary traditions based on ingredients from
Spain's own market gardens and orchards, in vibrant street life
by day and by night, in a rich program of contemporary cultural
activities, in the ever-present willingness to share a break
from the stultifying routine of modern life-"una copa,"
"un cafelito," "un paseo," "una noche
de marcha…" The Spanards need no excuse to get together
and enjoy life. One of their favorite pastimes of friends and
families is simply to "echar un rato juntos…"
"spend some time together…" Therein, along with
the olive oil & tapas cuisine, the music, dance, fiestas
and the siesta, lies the part of essence of 21st century Mediterranean
civilization.
If you’ve ever seen El Cid, you know that the Moors conquered
Iberia then the Catholics took over. Of course, that took almost
800 years—and in the process created Europe’s most
fascinating and frankly gorgeous fusion of cultures and traditions.
Andalusia (Andalucía in Spanish) is one of the seventeen
autonomous communities that constitute Spain. Its capital is
Seville. Andalucia is bounded on the north by Extremadura and
Castile-La Mancha, on the east by Murcia, on the south by the
Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and Gibraltar, and on
the west by Portugal. Tartessos, the capital of a once great
power, was located in Andalusia.
More can be found in the entry Hispania Baetica, the name of
the Roman province that corresponds to the region. The Islamic
history can be found in the entry al-Andalus; "Andalusia"
derives from this name the Moors gave to this land. The Spanish
spoken in the Americas is largely descended from the Andalusian
dialect of Castilian Spanish due to the role played by Seville
as the gateway to Spain's American territories in the 16th and
17th centuries.
A lot of Moorish architecture is found in Andalusia, because
it was the last stronghold of the Moors before the reconquista
by the Catholic Monarchs completed in 1492. The most famous
are the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Córdoba
and the Torre del Oro and Giralda towers in Sevilla. Archaeological
remains include Medina Azahara, near Córdoba.
The patios of Seville and the Alhambra Palace of Granada demonstrate
a unique beauty that stimulates more than just the eye.The flowers,
aromas and the way water in all its gurgling, splashing variety
is used to cool the air that whispers through beautiful stone
fretwork is unimaginable. The vastness of la vega—the
province’s plain—is truly cinematic, scattered with
whitewashed villages, punctuated by ruined alcazares (fortresses),
and carpeted in vineyards, swatches of gnarled olive trees and
stately groves of poplar. And the walks in the Pueblos Blancos
--white-washed medieval villages—are gentle revelations
every step of the way.
The rich nature in Andalusia offers the traveler snow and sea,
mountains and plains, cities and towns enveloped in a historical
ambience that, at times is as magical as the legends.Our resident
guides are exceptionally well-connected so you get introductions
to ceramicists, the families that own the olive groves, even
into the kitchen or a private art studio in Sevilla. Can you
tell? Andalucia is one of our favorite places on earth.
Seville, the former royal port became the richest city in Europe
after Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Its now rich in
tapas cuisine, art, olive oil, architecture, bulls, Flamenco
dancers and hospitality. Seville’s beauty inspired Mozart,
Rossini and Bizet to compose operas such as “El Barbero
de Sevilla” , "Don Juan" and "Carmen".
Famous for its old monuments and intense nightlife, Seville
will inspire you on many levels. Those who appreciate architecture
should stop to see the 15th century Cathedral of Seville, the
largest gothic Cathedral in the world. Another heavenly inspiration
is the Giralda Tower, consisting of 5 naves and 25 chapels offering
great views. While you’re there, take time to soak up
the scenery of the small plazas and winding narrow streets where
you’re sure to find tapas and a flamenco festival.
Giralda Tower: The most striking monument in Seville without
a doubt, this dominating tower that can be seen from all parts
of the horizon with its ringing toll bells. Its construction
over Roman stonework dates back to 1184, whose gold had cost
4,000 dinars in 1198 during the Spanish Moorish period. Be sure
to climb the 300 feet to the top of Europe's tallest medieval
towers for a excellent panoramic view of 2000 year old Sevilla!
The oldest royal residence in Europe still in use was built
by Peter the Cruel (1350-69) in 1364, 78 years after the Moors
left Seville. Ferdinand and Isabella once lived here. It is
a example of the Mudéjar, or Moorish style and it was
done by workers from the Alhambra in Granada.
The Christians
are not the only occupants of Seville who considered this site
holy; an enormous mosque stood here before the Reconquista.
To quote the Christians who built the cathedral, they planned
one "so immense that everyone, on beholding it, will take
us for madmen." They succeeded. After St. Peter's in Rome
and St. Paul's in London, the cathedral of this Andalusian capital
is the largest in Europe.
, the prototype
of the Andalusian palace. The construction began at the end
of the 15th century and was finished by Don Fadrique de Ribera,
first Marquee of Tarifa, upon returning from his trip to Jerusalem
in 1519. The name of Pontius Pilot comes from a popular belief
that Don Fadrique reproduced the palace from the Roman's house
in Jerusalem
The Prado doesn't own all the great Spanish
art in the country. Located in the early 17th-century convent
of La Merced, this Andalusian museum is famous for its works
by such Spanish masters as Valdés Leal, Zurbarán,
and Murillo. Spain's golden age is best exemplified by Murillo's
monumental Immaculate Conception and Zurbaran's Apotheosis of
St. Thomas Aquinas.
Gracious Mediterranean Lifestyle Granada tends to take first-time
visitors by surprise. Most of them anticipate experiencing the
city's stellar collection of historic architectural monuments
from both the Arab and Christian traditions, starting with the
Alhambra, Spain's most visited monumental complex. Many of them
are acquainted with Granada's cultural heritage from pre-history
down through San Juan de la Cruz, Santa Teresa and Federico
García Lorca to our own times. All of them count on abundant
sunshine for their visit. But not many tourists visiting Granada
for the first-time are expecting the full immersion in the gracious
Mediterranean lifestyle which they find here.
The city which is today Granada was founded by the Romans under
the name of "Illibris." It was the Moors, who invaded
in the eighth century A.D. and stayed on for seven centuries,
who deemed the city "Granada." Ferdinand and Isabella,
Spain's revered "Catholic Monarchs," conquered the
Kingdom of Granada in 1492, culminating the Reconquest of the
Iberian Peninsula for Christiandom.
It was during the siege of the city that Isabella of Castille
conceded to Christopher Columbus the resources necessary to
launch his expedición to the West Indies. This long and
colorful history has left numerous imprints on Granada in the
form of palaces, churches and other noble buildings which proclaim
the rich cultural heritage of the city. The monumental duo comprised
by the Alhambra and the Generalife, fortress, medina and palace
of the Nazarí monarchs, is world renowned both for its
evocative architecture and for its privileged vantage point
overlooking the city of Granada. Within the same complex lies
the Renaissance Palace built there in the 16th century by the
emperor Charles the Fifth, grandson of the conquering Catholic
Monarchs.
On the opposite side of the valley of the River Darro lies the
Albaicín quarter, a fascinating collection of narrow
white-walled streets which half hide the traditional town houses
with gracious gardens which the Granadinos call "cármenes."
Here in the Albaicín is located the Mirador de San Nicolás,
the famous plaza where visitors are feted with one of the most
renowned views in the world, that of the Alhambra and Generalife,
with the snowy Sierra Nevada providing a backdrop so beautiful
it's almost kitsch.
Adjacent to the Albaicín, just a bit farther up the
River Darro but still with a commanding view of the Alhambra,
is Sacromonte, with its hallowed abbey and traditional Gypsy-cave
residences (most of which are now occupied by astute foreign
residents). It is here that Granada's "zambra" flamenco
shows have traditionally been staged in elaborate cave settings,
and it is here that the Granada town hall has recently installed
the Centro Flamenco de Estudios Escénicos. The new flamenco
studies center is under the direction of flamenco dancer, Mario
Maya, who initiated his distinguished career here in the zambras
of Sacromonte at the age of nine.
Granada also offers visitors a Renaissance cathedral considered
the first of its kind in Spain. Adjacent to the cathedral is
the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), commissioned by Ferdinand and
Isabella as their last resting place. (Their first resting place
was a tiny chapel on the Alhambra hill which is today subsumed
by a hotel, the Parador de Turismo de Granada.) The city is
also blessed with a score of historic churches built by the
Christians after the Reconquest in a unique style which incorporated
Moorish architectural themes and came to be known as "mudéjar."
Another obligatory stop on anyone's discerning Granada itinerary
is the Casa-Museo Federico García Lorca in the Huerta
de San Vicente, located in the municipal park dedicated to Granada's
best-known and best-loved poet. The intimate little museum occupies
the house and gardens where Lorca spent his summers as a child.
Besides this opulent monumental legacy, Granada offers a wide
gamut of contemporary cultural attractions, starting with the
city's annual International Festival of Music and Dance, with
concerts and recitals staged in the Alhambra, the Palace of
Charles the Fifth and the gardens of the Generalife. Other annual
festival events in Granada are devoted to jazz, theater, and
the tango. Add to this the stable offerings of Granada's museums,
art galleries, public exhibition halls, theaters and auditoria
and you have one of Europe's most evocative and best endowed
destinations for cultural tourism.
The historic capital of the Catalan kingdom that once controlled
much of Mediterranean, is full of architecture that is unique
& inspiring. It has world class museums include the Picasso
Museum & the Fundacio Joan Miro. There is a fascinating
old quarter, the Barri Gotic and a night scene that rivals any
in the country. There are hundreds of cafes, bars, shops and
sights. The greatest concentration of bars and restaurants is
within walking distance of La Rambla. There is a Gothic cathedral
where each Sunday at noon crowds gather for the performance
of the sardana, a traditional Catalan dance. Also the architecture
of Anton Guadí and others of modernista style is incredible!
There are various one-of-a-kind home designed inside and out
by this Catalan genius in Barcelona. The park was started by
Gaudí as a real-estate venture for a friend, the wealthy,
well-known Catalan industrialist Count Eusebi Güell. However,
the project was never completed. Only two houses were constructed.
In 1926 the city took over the property and turned it into a
public park. Throughout the homes and park you will see the
surreal architecture for which Gaudí is famous.
Known as the Barri
Gótic, this is the old town district which is host to
a wealth of Gothic monuments. This area was formerly an ancient
fortified Roman village. It is the site of both historic monuments
and modern institutions. Here you can see the Plaça Nova
with its twin semicircular towers of the well-preserved Roman
walls, the aqueduct which transported water from the Collserola
hills, the Cathedral which dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Picasso enthusiasts
will not want to miss this. Two old palaces were converted into
a museum to house a collection of works by Pablo Picasso. He
donated 2,500 of his paintings, engravings and drawings to the
museum in 1970. La Sagrada Familia: This amazing church, the
Church of the Holy Family, is Gaudís masterpiece and
one of the most recognizable landmarks of Barcelona. Unfortunately
Gaudí died before it could be completed. Today work continues
on the structure, but without any true idea of what Gaudí
intended. Some speculate that the church will be completed by
the middle of the 21st century.
This fantastic boulevard
runs between Plaça de Catalunya and the port. Here you
will find people of all ages and social classes enjoying the
small stands that sell flowers, vegetables, books and newspapers
as well as the street-theatres, cafes and terraces. Marvel at
the street performers such as jugglers, singers, dancers, sidewalk
artists and living statues.
This cosmopolitan city is the capital of Spain as well as the
home of the Spanish Royal Family. Characterized by intense cultural
& artistic activity & a very lively nightlife, there’s
little time for a siesta. Madrid really does stay open 24 hours
a day – restaurants do not even open until eight or nine
o'clock and many nightclubs are open until the early morning
hours. A pleasant refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city
is the Retiro Park, filled with statues and fountains and the
occasional exhibitions held in Crystal Palace. Another place
to escape is the Prado Museum, one of the world's finest art
museums with works by El Greco, Goya and Velázquez. Of
course, your trip would not be complete without a visit to the
Royal Palace, an enormous 18th century palace whose 2800 rooms
include tapestries, a royal clock collection and five Stradivarius
violins.
First opened
to the public in 1819, the Prado Art Museum remains one of Europe's
key art galleries. It houses all the finest works collected
by Spanish royalty. There are over 3,000 paintings including
the world's finest collections of Velázquez, Bosch and
Goya.
The most important
historical square in Old Madrid. Dating back to the 17th century,
it was originally planned by Phillip II as the public meeting
place for the new capital. Kings were crowned here, and demonstrations
and festivals took place here. It is still widely used. In the
summer months, it is an music stage and outdoor theatre; in
the fall it hosts a book fair; and around Christmas, it takes
on festive look with holiday decorations.
This is the most
popular of Madrid's parks and it covers 330 acres. It is situated
behind the Prado Art Museum and offers a nice combination of
wide open spaces and formal gardens. You can just sit on one
of the many park benches or if you prefer, you can take a jog,
row a boat, have a picnic or even have your fortune told.
Once the principal
royal residence until Alfonso XIII went into exile in 1931,
the Royal Palace is used by the present royal family only on
state occasions. It has more rooms and more pompous portraits
of the monarchs than any other palace in Europe and its library
has one of the biggest collections of maps, books, manuscripts
and musical scores in the world.
The Festival
de Otoño has a lineup that attracts the cream of the
European and Latin American musical communities. The usual roster
of chamber music, symphonic pieces, and orchestral works is
supplemented by a program of zarzuela (musical comedy), as well
as Arabic and Sephardic pieces that were composed during the
Middle Ages.
Passionate Flamenco: song, guitar & dance: It's best heard
in some old tavern, in a neighborhood like the Barrio de Triana
in Seville. From the lowliest taberna to the poshest nightclub,
you can hear the staccato heel clicking, foot stomping, castanet
rattling, hand clapping, and sultry guitar & tambourine
sound. Some say its origins lie deep in Asia, but the Spanish
gypsy has given the art form, which dramatizes inner conflict
& pain, an original style. Performed Flamenco is a song,
music and dance style which is strongly influenced by the Gitanos,
but which has its deeper roots in Moorish and Jewish musical
traditions.
Flamenco culture originated in Andalusia (Spain), but has since
become one of the icons of Spanish music and even Spanish culture
in general.
Etymologically, the word Flamenco in Spanish language originally
meant Flemish. probably because minorities targeted by the Spanish
Inquisition fled to more tolerant Flanders to avoid persecution.
These songs were referred to as flamenco songs by their kin
who remained in Spain, and later the term was applied to anything
scandalous, loud, libertarian and bordering on bad taste. [1]
Originally, flamenco consisted of unaccompanied singing (cante).
Later the songs were accompanied by flamenco guitar (toque),
rhythmic hand clapping (palmas), rhythmic feet stamping and
dance (baile). The toque and baile are also often found without
the cante, although the song remains at the heart of the flamenco
tradition. More recently other instruments like the cajón
(a wooden box used as a percussion instrument) and castanets
(castañuelas) have been introduced.
"Nuevo Flamenco", or New Flamenco, is a recent variant
of Flamenco which has been influenced by modern musical genres,
like rumba, salsa, pop, rock and jazz.
Many of the details of the development of flamenco are lost
in Spanish history. There are several reasons for this lack
of historical evidence: The turbulent times of the people involved
in flamenco culture. The Moors, the Gitanos and the Jews were
all persecuted and expelled by the Spanish Inquisition at various
points in time as part of the Reconquista. The Gitanos mainly
had an oral culture. Their folk songs were passed on to new
generations by repeated performances in their social community.
Flamenco was for a long time not really considered an art form
worth writing about according to Spaniards. Flamenco music has
also slipped in and out of fashion several times during its
existence.
Granada, the last Muslim stronghold, fell in 1492 when the
armies of the catholic king Ferdinand II of Aragon and queen
Isabella of Castile reconquered this city after about 800 years
of mainly Moorish rule. The Treaty of Granada was created to
have a formal base for upholding religious tolerance, and this
paved the way for the Moors to surrender peacefully. For a few
years there was a tense calm in and around Granada, however
the inquisition did not like the religious tolerance towards
Muslims and Jews. Therefore the inquisition used religious arguments
to convince Ferdinand and Isabella to break the treaty and force
the Moors and Jews to become Christians or leave Spain for good.
In 1499, about 50,000 Moors were coerced into taking part in
a mass baptism. During the uprising that followed, people who
refused the choices of baptism or deportation to Africa, were
systematically eliminated. What followed was a mass exodus of
Moors, Jews and Gitanos from Granada city and the villages to
the mountain regions (and their hills) and the rural country.
It was in this socially and economically difficult situation
that the musical cultures of the Moors, Jews and Gitanos started
to form the basics of flamenco music: a Moorish singing style
expressing their hard life in Andalusia, the different compas
(rhythm styles), rhythmic hand clapping and basic dance movements,
see Andalusian cadence. Many of the songs in flamenco still
reflect the spirit of desperation, struggle, hope, pride, and
late-night partying of the people during this time. Much later
other local traditional Spanish musical traditions would also
influence, and be influenced by, the traditional flamenco styles.
The first time flamenco is mentioned in literature is in 1774
in the book Cartas Marruecas by José Cadalso. The origin
of the name flamenco however, is a much-debated topic. Some
people believe it is a word of Spanish origin and originally
meant Flemish (Flamende). However, there are several other theories.
One theory suggest an Arabic origin taken from the words felag
mengu (meaning: 'peasant in flight' or 'fugitive peasant').
During the so-called golden age of flamenco, between 1869-1910,
flamenco music developed rapidly in music cafés called
cafés cantantes. Flamenco dancers also became one of
the major attractions for the public of those cafés.
Similarly, guitar players supporting the dancers increasingly
gained a reputation, and so flamenco guitar as an art form by
itself was born. Julián Arcas was one of the first composers
to write flamenco music especially for the guitar.
The flamenco guitar (and the very similar classical guitar)
is a descendent from the lute. The first guitars are thought
to have originated in Spain in the 15th century. The traditional
flamenco guitar is made of Spanish cypress and spruce, and is
lighter in weight and a bit smaller than a classical guitar,
to give the output a 'sharper' sound.
In 1922, one of Spain's greatest writers, Federico García
Lorca and renowned composer Manuel de Falla organised the Fiesta
del Cante Jondo, a folk music festival dedicated to cante jondo
("deep song"). They did this to stimulate interest
in this, by that time unfashionable, flamenco music style. Two
of Lorca's most important poetic works, Poema del Cante Jondo
and Romancero Gitano, show Lorca's fascination with flamenco
styles.
Flamenco Stylistic origins:Spanish, Gitano, Arab, Jewish folk
music
Cultural origins:Granada, Cádiz, Jérez de la
Frontera, Cordoba and Sevilla Typical instruments:Guitar, hand
clapping, cajón
Mainstream popularity:Sporadic except among Gitanos, mostly
popular in Spain and France
Derivative forms: Subgenres
Alegrías - Bulerias - Tangos - Fandangos - Farruca -
Guajiras - Peteneras - Sevillana - Siguiriyas - Soleares - Tientos
- Zambra - and many others, see the palos list below.
Fusion genres
New Flamenco Regional scenes
Other topics - Cante Chico - Cante Jondo - Cante Intermedio
- Falseta
Flamenco music styles are called palos in Spanish. There are
over 50 different styles of flamenco. A palo can be defined
as the basic rhythmic pattern of a flamenco style, but also
covers the whole musical and cultural context of a particular
flamenco style.
The rhythmic patterns of the palo's are also often called compás.
A compás is characterised by a recurring pattern of beats
and accents. These recurring patterns make up a number of differentrhythmic
and musical forms known as toques.
To really understand the different palos it is also important
to understand their musical and cultural context: The mood intention
of the palo (dancing - Fandango, consolation - Solea, fun -
Buleria, etc.). The set of typical melodic phrases, called falseta's,
which are often used in performances of a certain palo. The
relation to similar palos.
Cultural traditions associated with a palo (mens dance - Farruca).
Palos by a great artist, flamenco can tear your heart out with
its soulful singing. The most fundamental palos are: Toná,
Soleá, Fandango and Seguiriya. These four palos all belong
in the cante jondo category and form therhythmic basis for nearly
all the other palos.
Flamenco cante consists of a number of traditional (and not-so-traditional)
forms, with characteristic rhythmic and harmonic structures.
The rhythm (compas) is perhaps the most fundamental distinguishing
feature of the different flamenco forms. The cante jondo, called
the mother of flamenco, consists of 12 beats, with accents on
the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th beats. Songs are composed
of several falseta's with rhythms defined by the song form.
Some of the forms are sung unaccompanied, while others usually
have a guitar and sometimes other accompaniment. Some forms
are danced while others traditionally are not. Amongst both
thesongs and the dances, some are traditionally the preserve
of men and others of women, while still others would be performed
by either sex. Many of these traditional distinctions are now
breaking down; for example the Farruca is traditionally a man's
dance, but is now commonly performed by women too.
The classification of flamenco forms is not entirely uncontentious,
but a common and convenient first classification is into three
groups. The deepest, most serious forms are known as cante jondo
(or cante grande), while relatively light, frivolous forms are
called cante chico. Forms which do not fit into either category
but lie somewhere between them are classified as cante intermedio.
Many flamenco artists, including some considered to be amongst
the greatest, have specialised in a single flamenco form.
Cantes of Flamenco - Cante Jondo Cante Intermedio Cante
Chico
Siguiriyas Bulerias Alegrías - Soleares Tangos
Fandangos
Tientos Farruca - Peteneras Guajiras - Sevillana - Verdiales
Tapas, those bite-size portions washed down with wine, beer,
or sherry, are reason enough to go to Spain! Tapas bars, called
tascas, are a quintessential Spanish experience. Originally
tapas were cured ham or chorizo (spicy sausage). Today they
are likely to include everything--gambas (deep-fried shrimp),
anchovies marinated in vinegar, stuffed peppers, a cool, spicy
gazpacho, or hake salad. These dazzling spreads will hold you
over until the fashionable 10pm dining hour."
Spanish cuisine is made of very different kinds of dishes due
to the differences in geography, culture and climate. It is
heavily influenced by the variety of seafood available from
the waters that surround the country, Spain being the second
(after Japan) consumer of fish. As Spain has had a history with
many different cultural influences, the richness and variety
of its cuisine is overwhelming, but all these ingredients have
made up a unique cuisine with thousands of recipes and flavours.
The international influences are perhaps most obvious in Barcelona.
Next door to a shop selling ready-made falafels might be an
Asian food restaurant, which is next to a traditional tapas
bar, and on and on in amazing variety.
Much influence on Spanish cuisine has come from the Jewish
and Moorish traditions. The Moors were a strong influence in
Spain for many centuries and some of their food is still eaten
in Spain today. However, pork is popular and for centuries eating
pork was also a statement of ethnical limpieza de sangre. Several
products of the Americas were introduced in Europe through Spain,
and a modern Spanish cook couldn't do without potatoes, tomatoes,
peppers or beans. These are some of the primary influences that
have differentiated Spanish cuisine from Mediterranean cuisine,
of which Spanish cuisine shares many techniques and food items.
Daily meals eaten by the Spanish in many areas of the country
are still very often made traditionally by hand, from fresh
ingredients bought daily from the local market. This is more
common in the rural areas and less common in the large urban
areas like Madrid, where supermarkets are beginning to displace
the open air markets. However, even in Madrid food can be bought
from the local shops, bread from the panadería, meat
from the carnicería, etc.
Traditional Spanish cooking also often revolves around outdoor
cooking over a fire, perhaps in a special clay or brick oven.
One popular custom when going out is to take tapas with your
drink (sherry, wine, beer...). In some places, like Granada,
tapas are given for free with your drink and have become very
famous for that reason. It should be noted that almost every
tapas bar serves something comestible when a drink is ordered,
without charge.
Another traditional favorite is the churro with a mug of thick
hot chocolate to dip the churro in. Churrerías, or stores
that serve churros, are quite common. Specifically the Chocolatería
de San Ginés in Madrid is very famous as a place to stop
and have some chocolate with churros, often late into the night
(even dawn) after being out on the town. Often traditional Spanish
singers will be seen to entertain the guests.
A few Typical Spanish foods also include
Paella (saffron rice)
Fabada Asturiana (bean stew)
Mariscos (shellfish)
Gazpacho Soup
Lechazo asado (roasted milk-fed lamb)
Chuletillas (grilled chops of milk-fed lamb)
Tortilla de patatas (egg omelette, with potatoes)
Chorizo (spicy sausage)
Jamón serrano (cured ham)
Cocido (a chickpea and meat stew of sorts)
Arroz a la Cubana
Turrón, a dessert with almonds and honey, typical of
Christmas
Tortas de Aceite from Seville, a sweet Olive Oil pastry
Cooking
Catalan cuisine is based on the ingredients of the Mediterranean
area: fresh vegetables (especially tomato, garlic, aubergine,
red pepper, and artichoke), wheat products (bread, pasta), olive
oils, wines, legumes (beans, chick peas), mushrooms, all sorts
of pork preparations (sausages, ham), all sorts of cheese, poultry,
lamb, and many types of fish like sardine, anchovy, tuna, and
cod.
Some of the characteristic tendencies of traditional Catalan
cuisine have been fondness for pasta (only second to the Italian
cuisine) and for cod (salted, dried, fresh, etc.), preparations
that mix sweet and salty, stews with sauces based on botifarra
(raw pork sausage) and the characteristic picada (grinded almonds,
hazelnuts, pine nuts, etc. sometimes with garlic, herbs, biscuits).
Some concoctions that have been exported or adapted beyond their
original places are:
Calçots (grilled green onions)
Cod Catalan style, cod with raisins and pine nuts
Escalivada (various grilled vegetables)
Escudella (a soup)
Esqueixada, salted cod salad with tomato and onion
Fuet (a characteristic type of dried sausage)
Mongetes amb botifarra (beans and pork sausage)
Pa amb tomaquet (bread and tomato)
Tonyina en escabetx, tuna marinated in a characteristic sauce
with vinegar and herbs, named Salsa catalana even on canned
tuna packed in Galicia
Allioli, a thick sauce made of garlic and olive oil, used with
grilled meats or vegetables, and some dishes like Valencian
Fideua
Sweets and desserts:
Crema catalana (not so crème brûlée)
Mel i mató, a plain dessert of mató cheese with
honey.
Mona de Pasqua
Coca de llardons
Coca de Sant Joan
Panellets
Tortell, a typical O-shaped pastry stuffed with marzipan, that
on some special occasions is topped with glazed fruit.
Torró or nougat is a traditional Christmas confectionery
from Alicante to Perpignan. Nowadays many variants and flavours
exist, but the traditional ones are these kinds based on almonds
and honey:
Agramunt nougat
Marzipan
Alacant nougat
Xixona nougat
With origins as old
as pagan Spain and even the Roman gladiators, the art of bullfighting
is the expression of Iberian temperament and passions. Detractors
object to the sport as cruel, bloody, violent, hot, and savage.
Fans, however, view bullfighting as a microcosm of death, catharsis,
and rebirth. These philosophical underpinnings may not be immediately
apparent, but if you strive to understand the bullfight, it
can be one of the most evocative and memorable events in Spain.
Head for the plaza de toros (bullring) in any major city, but
particularly in Madrid, Seville, or Granada. Tickets are either
sol (sunny side) or sombra (in the shade); you'll pay more to
get out of the sun. Observe how the feverish crowds appreciate
the ballet of the banderilleros, the thundering fury of the
bull, the arrogance of the matador--all leading to "death
in the afternoon."
The running of the bulls in Pamplona: In 1926, Ernest Hemingway
brought the frenetic charge of Pamplona's Festival of San Fermin
to life in The Sun Also Rises. Today, that same energy still
exists for the thousands who descend upon the city each July.
At the center of the celebration is the famous encierro -- the
running of the bulls. It is held at eight o'clock each morning
from the 7th to the 14th of July inclusive. It consists largely
of young men (although it admits all types) who run in front
of the bulls to lead them from their pen up and into the bull-ring.
It usually lasts from two to three minutes - although if there
are complications due to loose bulls it can last much longer.
The length of the run is some 800 metres (about half a mile)
and you don’t have to sign up anywhere to take part; you
just enter into the run and choose the street where you will
run and try to do as best as you can.
In agriculture, olive oil is an oil extracted from the fruit
of the European olive tree (Olea europaea L.), which originated
in the Mediterranean area. It is used in cooking, cosmetics,
and soaps. It is also used by Eastern Orthodox Christians as
a fuel for their traditional oil lamps. Olive oil is regarded
as a healthful dietary oil because of its high content of monounsaturated
fat.
The extraction of Olive oil is traditionally, olive oil
was produced by beating the trees with sticks to knock the olives
off and crushing them in stone or wooden mortars or beam presses.
Nowadays, olives are ground to tiny bits, obtaining a paste
that is mixed with water and processed by a centrifuge, which
extracts the oil from the paste, leaving behind pomace.
In the United States, producers of olive oil may place the following
health claim on product labels:
Limited and not conclusive scientific evidence suggests that
eating about two tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily may
reduce the risk of coronary heart disease due to the monounsaturated
fat in olive oil. To achieve this possible benefit, olive oil
is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase
the total number of calories you eat in a day.
This decision was announced November 1, 2004 by the Food and
Drug Administration after application was made to the FDA by
producers. Similar labels are permitted for walnuts and omega-3
fatty acids which also contain monounsaturated oil.
One of the earliest documented historical uses of olive oil
is in religious ceremonies of the ancient Minoans. Olive oil
was a central product of the Minoan civilization, where it is
thought to have represented wealth. The Minoans put the pulp
into settling tanks and, when the oil had risen to the top,
drained the water from the bottom. It was also very common in
the cuisine of Ancient Greece and classical Rome.
Olive Oil was also used by the ancient hebrews, they poured
daily into the seven cups of the golden candelabrum in the Holy
Temple in Jerusalem. Olive oil was also used for anointing the
kings of Israel.
Historically, olive oil has been used for medicines, as a fuel
in oil lamps, and to make soap.
The main producing countries in 2003 were:
Country
Production
ConsumptionAnnual
Consumption/pp (liters)
Spain
44%
23%
15.0
Italy
20%
28%
13.5
Greece
13%
11%
26.1
Turkey
7%
2%
Syria
7%
4%
North Africa
4%
4%
United States
ni
8%
0.6
France
nil
4%
Othe
5%
16%
The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) sets standards of
quality used by the major olive oil producing countries. It
officially governs 95 percent of global production, and holds
great influence over the rest. IOOC terminology is precise,
but it can lead to confusion between the words that describe
production and the words used on retail labels.
Classifying production
Olive oil is classified by how it was produced, by its chemistry,
and by its flavor.
All production begins by transforming the olive fruit into olive
paste. This paste is then macerated in order to allow the microscopic
olive droplets to concentrate, then the oil is extracted by
means of pressure (traditional method) or centrifugation (modern
method). After extraction the remnant solid substance, called
pomace, still contains a small quantity of oil. The several
oils extracted from the olive fruit can be classified as:
Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means
and no chemical treatment. The term virgin oil referring to
production is different than Virgin Oil on a retail label.
Refined means that the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize
strong tastes (characterized as defects) and neutralize the
acid content (free fatty acids). Refined oil is commonly regarded
as lower quality than virgin oil; the retail labels extra-virgin
olive oil and virgin olive oil cannot contain any refined oil.
Olive-pomace oil means oil extracted from the pomace using chemical
solvents — mostly hexane — and by heat.
Quantitative analytical methods determine the oil's acidity,
defined as the percent, measured by weight, of free oleic acid
in it. This is a measure of the oil's chemical degradation —
as the oil degrades, more fatty acids get free from the glycerides,
increasing the level of free acidity. Another measure of the
oil's chemical degradation is the peroxide level, which measures
the degree to which the oil is oxidized (rancid).
In order to classify olive oil by taste, it is subjectively
judged by a panel of professional tasters in a blind taste test.
This is also called its organoleptic quality.
Grades on retail labels
The IOOC standards are complicated. The labels in stores, however,
clearly show an oil's grade:
Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the
olives, contains no more than 0.8% acidity, and is judged to
have a superior taste. There can be no refined oil in extra-virgin
olive oil. Extra-virgin oil typically has a noticeable green
color.
Virgin olive oil with an acidity less than 2%, and judged to
have a good taste. There can be no refined oil in virgin olive
oil.
Olive oil is a blend of virgin oil and refined virgin oil, containing
at most 1% acidity. It commonly lacks a strong flavor.
Olive-pomace oil is a blend of refined olive-pomace oil and
possibly some virgin oil. It is fit for consumption, but it
may not be called olive oil. Olive-pomace oil is rarely found
in a grocery store; it is often used for certain kinds of cooking
in restaurants.
Lampante oil is olive oil not used for consumption; lampante
comes from olive oil's ancient use as fuel in oil-burning lamps.
Lampante oil is mostly used in the industrial market.
]Label wording
Olive oil vendors choose the wording on their labels very carefully.
"Imported from Italy" produces an impression that
the olives were grown in Italy, although in fact it only means
that the oil was bottled there. A corner of the same label may
note that the oil was packed in Italy with olives grown in Spain,
Italy, Greece, and Tunisia. Since Spain produces nearly half
of the world's olive harvest, it is likely the oil "imported
from Italy" comes from olives grown in Spain.
"100% Pure Olive Oil" sounds like a high-end product,
but in fact is often the lowest quality available in a retail
store: better grades would have "virgin" on the label.
Having said that, 100% pure olive oil might be perfect for baking
and frying, since high heat can destroy the rich flavor of extra-virgin
oil.
"Made from refined olive oils" suggests that the essence
was captured, but in fact means that the taste and acidity were
chemically produced.
"Lite olive oil" suggests a low fat content, whereas
in fact it refers to a lighter color. All olive oil—which
is, after all, fat—has 120 calories per tablespoon (33
kJ/ml).
"From hand-picked olives" gives the impression that
extraordinary care went into the oil's production, whereas it
is not clear that a manual harvest produces better oil than
the common tree-shaking method.
The market
The International Olive Oil Council is an inter-governmental
organization based in Madrid, Spain that promotes olive oil
around the world by tracking production, defining quality standards,
and monitoring authenticity. More than 99% of the world's olives
grow in nations that are members of the Council. Current member
countries are Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, the EU, Iran, Israel,
Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Monaco, Morocco, Serbia & Montenegro,
Syria, and Tunisia.The United States is not a member of the
IOOC, and the United States Department of Agriculture does not
legally recognize its classifications (such as extra-virgin
olive oil). The USDA uses a different system, which it defined
in 1948 before the IOOC existed. The California Olive Oil Council,
a private US trade group, is petitioning the Department to adopt
terminology and practices that shadow the IOOC's rules.Among
global producers, Spain leads with more than 40% of world production,
followed by Italy and Greece. Much of the Spanish crop is exported
to Italy, where it is both consumed and repackaged for sale
abroad as Italian olive oil. Although boutique groceries sell
high-quality Spanish olive oil at a premium, Italian olive oil
has the popular reputation for quality.
Used as a medicinal agent in ancient times, and as a cleanser
for athletes (athletes in the ancient world were slathered in
olive oil, then scraped to remove dirt), it also has religious
symbolism related to healing and strength and to "consecration"
-- God's setting a person or place apart for special work. The
Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches use olive oil for the
Oil of Catechumens (used to bless and strengthen those preparing
for Baptism), Oil of the Sick (used to confer the Sacrament
of Anointing of the Sick), and olive oil mixed with a perfuming
agent like balsam is consecrated by bishops as Sacred Chrism,
which is used in conferring the sacraments of Confirmation (as
a symbol of the strengthening of the Holy Spirit) and Holy Orders
(by which deacons, priests and bishops are made), in the consecration
of altars and churches and, traditionally, in the "consecration"
of monarchs at their coronation.
To this day, Eastern Orthodox Christians use oil lamps in their
churches and home prayer corners. To make a vigil lamp, a votive
glass with a half-inch of water on the bottom, is filled the
rest of the way with olive oil. The votive glass is placed in
a metal holder; different kinds of metal holders may hang from
a bracket on the wall, or one that sits on a table. A cork float
with a wick is placed in the glass and floats on top of the
oil. The wick is then lit. When it comes time to douse the flame,
the float can be (carefully!) pressed downward into the oil,
and the oil douses the flame.
After the 10:00 p.m. dinner hour the streets of Granada blossom
with bars, pubs and discotheques where young visitors can party
till the wee hours of the morning, something the locals have
elevated to a high science. The classic night out on the town
in Granada ends up with a 6-7:00 a.m. breakfast of "churros
con chocolate," the local version of donuts and hot chocolate.
For those who prefer something more traditional than the disco
club, Granada also offers bars and restaurants with the Andalusian
flamenco flavor which the granadinos call "duende."
The most popular venue for these flamenco evenings is the Sacromonte
cave district, once the traditional Gypsy quarter, but now more
favored by bohemian foreign residents attracted to the sunny
hillside with its curious cave dwellings and astonishing view
of the Alhambra on the opposite side of the valley of the River
Darro.
Official office hours in Spain are from 8:30 or 9:00 to 14:00
or 14:30. That is the best time to contact any Spanish companies
or institutions. In the afternoon, most public services are
closed, except emergency services. Private companies are normally
open from 17:00 to 20:30 or 21:00 in the afternoon. During the
summer, many companies work a "jornada intensiva"
from 8:00 am till 3:00 p.m. and take the afternoon off.
Granada has excellent accesses via train, plane and automobile.
The airport is just 15 kilometers from Granada, close to the
historic town of Santa Fe. Cars can be rented at the airport,
and there is also a frequent bus service to the city. The train
station is in the city center, making it particularly convenient.
The A-92 freeway takes motorists to Seville in two-and-a-half
hours, to Málaga in an hour and a half, making Granada
an excellent base for touring in Andalusia. The city's new four-lane
"circunvalación" ring road greatly facilitates
motor traffic in and around Granada, elegantly resolving access
to both the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada ski station. (See
Access Map . More information in Granadatur.com .) The new bus
station on the city's northern edge provides bus service with
the four corners of the Spanish geography.
Distance
in KM to other major Spanish cities from Granada |
| Albacete
363 |
Cuenca
479 |
Pontevedra
1057 |
Almería
166 |
Girona 968 |
San Sebastian
903 |
Ávila 534 |
Huelva 350 |
Santander 827 |
Badajoz 438 |
Jáen
99 |
Segovia 521 |
Barcelona 868 |
León
761 |
Sevilla 256 |
Bilbao 829 |
Lugo 770 |
Soria 665 |
Burgos 671 |
Madrid 434 |
Tarragona 770 |
Cádiz 335 |
Málaga
129 |
Toledo 397 |
Cáceres
485 |
Murcia 278 |
Valencia 519 |
Ciudad Real 278 |
Oviedo 885 |
Valladolid 627 |
Córdoba
166 |
Palencia 674 |
Vitoria 785 |
La Coruña
1034 |
Pamplona 841 |
Zaragoza 759 |
|
|
|
Granada is situated at the foot of Sierra Nevada, the highest
mountain range of the Iberian Peninsula. Besides providing a
dramatic backdrop for the city, Sierra Nevada is home to Europe's
southernmost ski station, of of Europe's best, and the scene
of important international ski championships in recent years.
The ski area is less than an hour's drive from the city, via
one of Europe's finest ski access roads.
The Mediterranean beach is also within easy striking distance
of Granada, less than an hour by car, with resort and residential
towns like Motril, Almuñecar, Salobreña and many
more. The traditional summering spot for local families, the
Granada coast, with it's sub-tropical climate, and agriculture
dedicated to exotic fruits, is increasingly attracting foreign
visitors and residents.
A prime choice for rural tourism in the province of Granada
is the Sierra Alpujarra, actually Sierra Nevada's southern slopes
which drop all the way to the Mediterranean. Tucked into the
region's canyons and valleys are more than 50 villages. Its
bucolic air, its forests of oaks and chestnut trees and its
welcoming villagers, not to mention their renowned rosé
wines, mountain hams and local handicrafts, make this region
a powerful attraction for visitors both from the rest of Spain
and abroad.
Thanks to the numerous geographical accidents in its makeup,
the province of Granada offers enormous climactic contrasts
in a relatively small area. Within its essentially Continental
climate matrix, and despite a median year-round temperature
of 14,8ºC, the month of January sees a median temperature of
6º but with maximum values in the 20's, while August enjoys
a 25º average, with maximums passing 40º. There is a marked
contrast between the long durations of summer and winter and
the brevity of spring and fall. Rainfall is meager, an average
of 474 liters annually, and falls mainly between the months
of October and May. Granada summers are practically rain free.
Three of the year's fiestas are considered essential in Granada:
Holy Week, the Crosses of May and Corpus Christi. The first
of these, "Semana Santa," is celebrated in March or
April when local "cofradías" take their precious
images of saints and virgens out on the streets in ritual processions
which attract thousands of visitors every year. The one-day
"Cruces de Mayo" fiesta is unique to Granada and is
perhaps the most delightful of all for its contest of flower-bedecked
giant crucifixes in most of the plazas of the city and its cheerful
and colorful rites of spring. Corpus Christi, Granada's principal
fiesta, takes place in June. The procession itself is limited
to Thursday but the festivities in the fairgrounds just outside
the city are spun out for a whole week. First-time visitors
are invariably captivated by the stellar levels of eating, drinking,
dancing, fun and high folderol.
More
information on the fiestas of Granada
Granada hosts one of Spain's most prestigious annual musical
events, the International Festival of Music and Dance, in its
52nd edition this year. This festival has grown over the past
half century in program, attendance and stature and this year
offers three stunning weeks (the last two of June and the first
of July) of musical programming. The concerts, camera music,
recitals, ballets, contemporary dance, antique music, electro-acoustic,
flamenco and contemporary music events
take place in the most beautiful settings all over the city:
in the Alhambra and Generalife, the Albaicín, the Cathedral
and many other evocative historical places.
The Granada Jazz Festival has also established itself as a
favorite in Granada and done its part to foment genuine "afición"
for this black American musical idiom. Since 1980 it has brought
to this city jazz legends like Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson,
Charlie Haden, Art Blakey, Tete Montoliu, Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne
Shorter, Herbie Hancock or Chano Domínguez.
Granada's Tango Festival is in its 15th edition this year and
has consolidated itself as one of this city's most interesting
initiatives, not only in musical terms, but as a valuable cultural
interchange between two cultures which are so close and, at
the same time, so distant.
Granada also hosts a series of other festivals which reinforce
this city's devotion to artistic and cultural matters. These
include the annual Theater and Short Film Festivals, as well
as other one-time events which arise periodically.
Cosme Damián Churruca (1761–1805), explorer, astronomer
and naval officer, mapped the Straight of Magallanes (1788–1789)
Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), conquistador
of old Mexico
Lope de Aguirre (1511–1561), soldier, adventurer, killer
and traitor, explored the Amazonas looking for El Dorado
Diego de Almagro (1475–1538), explorer and conquistador,
first European arriving Chile
Juan Bautista de Anza (1736–1788), soldier and explorer,
founded San Francisco, California
Pedro Arias de Ávila, Pedrarias Dávila (1440–1531),
conquistador, founder of Panama and governor of Nicaragua
Fray Tomás de Berlanga (1487–1551), bishop of Panama,
discovered the Galápagos Islands
Gaspar de Espinosa (1467/77?–1537), soldier and explorer,
first European reaching the coast of Nicaragua, co-founder of
Panama City
Hernando de Soto (1500–1542), explorer and conquistador,
first European exploring Florida and the plains of eastern North
America, discovered the Mississippi river and the Ohio river
Juan Sebastián Elcano (1476–1526), explorer and
sailor, first man circumnavigating the World
Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–1519), first
to sight the Pacific Ocean, founding Darién
Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca first European
exploring southwestern United States, 1527–1536, also
explored South America, 1540–1542.
Francisco de Orellana, first European exploring the Amazonas
river.
Francisco Pizarro (1471–1541), conqueror of the Inca Empire
in Peru
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo (1499–1543), explorer,
founded the city of San Diego, California
Pedro Almodóvar (born 1949)
Alejandro Amenábar (born 1972)
Montxo Armendáriz
Juanma Bajo Ulloa
Iciar Bollaín
José Luis Borau
Luis Buñuel (1900–1983)
Mario Camus
Isabel Coixet
Fernando León de Aranoa (born 1968)
Alex de la Iglesia
Agustín Díaz Yanes
Víctor Erice
Fernando Fernán Gómez
Marco Ferreri
Jesus Franco
José Luis Garci (born 1944)
Luis García Berlanga
Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón
Bigas Luna (born 1946)
Julio Medem (born 1958)
Fernando Méndez Leite
Pilar Miró
José Luis Sáenz de Heredia
Carlos Saura (born 1932)
Santiago Segura
David Trueba
Fernando Trueba
Benito Zambrano
Iván Zulueta (born 1943)
Trajan (53–117), Roman Emperor, 98–117
Hadrian (A.D. 117–138), Roman Emperor Under his orders
"Hadrian Wall" was built in the UK.
Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–80), Roman Empero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born 1960), President
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, Duke of Alba (1507–1582)
José María Aznar (born 1953), former President
Spanish monarchs - Juan Carlos de Borbón (born 1938),
King of Spain since 1975
Josep Borrell (born 1947), President of the European Parliament
José Antonio Cánovas del Castillo President and
historian
Rodrigo 'Ruy' Díaz de Vivar, El Cid (c. 1045–1099),
Spanish knight and hero
Buenaventura Durruti (1896–1936)
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, El Gran Capitán,
(1453–1515)
Francisco Franco (1892–1975), army general and political
leader. Ruled Spain for 41 years as 'Caudillo'
Felipe González (born 1942), former President
Queen Isabella I, Queen of Spain (1451–1504)
Casto Méndez Núñez (1830–1880), naval
officer
Leopoldo O'Donnell Y Jorris (1809–1861), former President
and military Spanish
Rodrigo Rato (born 1949) Director of the IMF
Javier Solana (born 1942), ex Secrtetary General of NATO, EU
foreign policy chief
Victoria Abril
Elena Anaya
Antonio Banderas
Celso Bugallo
Mark Consuelos
Penélope Cruz
Angelines Fernández
Fernando Fernán Gómez
Sancho Gracia
Alfredo Landa
Jordi Molla
Sara Montiel
Marisa Paredes
Francisco Rabal
Fernando Rey
Pepe Sancho
Paz Vega
Ricardo Bofill (born 1939)
Santiago Calatrava (born 1951)
Ildefons Cerdà (1815–1876)
Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926)
Rafael Moneo (born 1937)
Eduardo Torroja (1899–1961)
Enric Miralles (1955–2000)
Mateo Alemán (1547–c. 1609)
Vicente Aleixandre (1888–1984), poet, Nobel prize 1977
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (1836–1870), poet
Jacinto Benavente (1866–1954), dramatist, Nobel prize
1922
Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681), playwright
and poet
Rosalía de Castro (1837–1885), poet
Camilo José Cela (1916–2002), novelist, Nobel prize
1989
Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616), author and soldier, writer
of El Quijote, or Don Quixote
Miguel Delibes (born 1920), novelist
José Echegaray (1832–1916), dramatist, Nobel prize
1904
Leandro Fernández de Moratín (1760–1828),
dramatist and neoclassical poet
Antonio Gala
Benito Pérez Galdós
Federico García Lorca (1898–1936), poet and playwright
Luis de Góngora, poet and priest
Juan Ramón Jiménez (1881–1958), poet, Nobel
prize 1956
Jon Juaristi
Mariano José de Larra (1809–1837), journalist
Antonio Machado (1875–1939), poet
Salvador de Madariaga
Javier Marías (born 1951), novelist and translator
Juan Marsé (born 1933), novelist
Joanot Martorell
Tirso de Molina (1571–1648), playwright
Agustín Moreto y Cavana, playwright
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744–1811), statesman and
author
José Ortega y Gasset (1883–1955), author
Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851–1921), author
Arturo Pérez-Reverte (born 1951), novelist and war reporter
Francisco de Quevedo (1580–1645)
Fernando de Rojas
Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla, playwright
José Martínez Ruiz (1863–1967), journalis,
poet, political radical, writer
Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, playwright
Pedro Salinas, (1891–1951), poet
Ramón J. Sender (1901–1982), novelist, journalist
and anarchist
Torcuato Luca de Tena (1923–1999), novelist, journalist
and lawyer
Miguel Unamuno (1864–1931), existentialist author
Ramón María del Valle-Inclán (1866–1936),
author
Garcilaso de la Vega (1501–1586), poet
Félix Lope de Vega (1562–1635), poet and playwright
Cristóbal Zaragoza (1923–1999), novelist and philosopher
María de Zayas y Sotomayor
José Zorrilla y Moral, poet and playwright
Spanish language poets Musicians
Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909), composer
Pau Casals (1876–1973), cello
Manuel de Falla (1876–1946), composer
Enrique Granados (1867–1916), composer
Antonio Katrasca
Paco de Lucía (born 1947), guitar
Miguel Pardos (born 1989), guitar
Andrés Segovia (1893–1987), guitar
Joaquín Turina (1882–1949), composer
Xavier Cugat (1900–1990), bandleader
Edward Aguilera (born 1976), first European member of Menudo
Victoria de los Ángeles (born 1923), soprano
Miguel Bosé
Nino Bravo (1944–1973)
Montserrat Caballé (born 1933), soprano
José Carreras (born 1946), tenor
Charo
Plácido Domingo (born 1941), tenor
Enrique Iglesias (born 1975), pop singer
Julio Iglesias (born 1943), pop singer
Julio José Iglesias (born 1973), pop singer
Alfredo Kraus (1927–1999), tenor
La Pandilla teen group, all members are from Spain
Raphael
Los del Río
Enrique Urquijo (1960–1999), New Wave musician
Joan Manuel Serrat
Salvador Dalí (1904–1989), visionary artist
Francisco Goya (1746–1828), painter
El Greco
Juan Gris (1887–1927), cubist painter from Madrid
Jesús Mari Lazkano
Joan Miró
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618–1682), painter
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), painter
Antoni Tàpies
Darío Urzay
Diego Velázquez (1599–1660), painter
Ignacio Zuloaga (1870–1945), painter
Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1644), painter
Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia (1240– probably 1292), Philosopher,
an early cabbalist
Maimónides (1135–1204), Philosopher
José Ortega y Gasset
George Santayana (1863–1952), US writer
Fernando Savater (born 1947), Philosopher
Lucius Anneo Seneca (4 bC–65 aC), Philosopher
Algafequi, glasses inventor (Cordoba)
José María Algué (1856–1930), Meteorologist,
inventor of the barocyclometer, the nephoscope, and the microseismograph
Martín de Azpilicueta (1492–1586), economist, theologist
and philosopher
Ángel Cabrera (1879–1960), naturalist, investigated
the South-American fauna
José Celestino Bruno Mutis (1732–1808), botanicist,
doctor, philosopher and mathematician, carried out relevant
research about the American flora, founded one of the first
astronomic observatories in America (1762)
Mateo José Buenaventura Orfila (1787–1853), doctor
and chemist, father of modern toxicology, leading figure in
forensic toxicology.
Juan de la Cierva y Codorníu (1895–1936), aeronautical
engineer pioneer of rotary flight inventor of the autogyro
Jaime Ferrán (1852–1929), doctor and researcher,
discovered several vaccines
Francisco Hernández (1517–1587), botanicist, carried
out important research about the Mexican flora
Manuel Jalón Corominas (born 1925), aeronautical engineer,
inventor, and officer of the Spanish Air Force
Carlos Jiménez Díaz (1898–1967), doctor
and researcher, leading figure in pathology
Gregorio Marañón (1887–1960), doctor and
researcher, leading figure in endocrinology
Narcís Monturiol (1818–1885), physicist and inventor,
pioneer of underwater navigation
Severo Ochoa (1905–1993), doctor and biochemist, achieved
the synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA), Nobel prize in 1959
Joan Oró (born 1923), biochemist, carried out important
research about the origin of life
Julio Palacios Martínez (1891–1970), physicist
and mathematician
Isaac Peral y Caballero (1851–1895), engineer and sailor,
designer of the first operative submarine
Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852–1934), father of Neuroscience,
Nobel prize in 1906
Julio Rey Pastor (1888–1962), mathematician, leading figure
in geometry
Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente (1928–1980),
naturalist, leading figure in ornithology, ethology, ecology
and science divulgation
Miguel Servet (1511–1553), scientist, surgeon, geographer,
linguist, helenist, humanist, and philosopher
Leonardo Torres y Quevedo (1852–1936), engineer and mathematician,
pioneer of automatic calculation machines, inventor of the automatic
chess, pioneer of remote control, designer of the funicular
over the Niagara Falls
Antonio de Ulloa (1716–1795), scientist, soldier and author
Fernando Alonso (born 1981), Formula One driver
Severiano Ballesteros, golfer
Galo Blanco, tennis player
Fermin Cacho Ruiz, athlete, Olympic 1,500 Gold Medalist
Pedro Carrasco, world champion boxer
Javier Castillejo, world champion boxer
Juan Carlos Ferrero, tennis player, French Open champion
Sergio García, golfer
Pau Gasol, NBA basketball player
Miguel Induráin, Tour de France champion cyclist
Raúl López, NBA basketball player
Feliciano López,tennis player
Carlos Moyà, tennis player
Rafael Nadal,tennis player
Ángel Nieto, motorbikes pilot, 12+1 times champion of
the world
José María Olazábal, golfer
Manuel Orantes (born 1949), champion tennis player
Raúl, football player
Carlos Sainz, rally driver
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, tennis player, French Open champion
Javier Sánchez, tennis player, brother of Arantxa
Manuel Santana (born 1938), champion tennis player
Ferrán Adriá, cook
Karlos Arguiñano, cook and entertainer
Carlos D. Cidon, chef
Joaquín Cortés, dancer
Luis Miguel González Lucas, better known as Luis Miguel
Dominguín, bullfighter, father of Miguel Bosé
Chabeli Iglesias, reporter, daughter of Julio Iglesias
Federica Montseny, anarchist, politician, writer
Diego Salcedo, priest, first Spaniard killed by Puerto Rican
Taínos
Juan Sánchez Vidal, renowned collector
Pedro Subijana, cook
Cristina Sánchez, bullfighter
Aguas Santas Oca & Navarro, first lady of Honduras
Torquemada, inquisitor
Joan March Ordinas, political and businesmen.
The original peoples of the Iberian peninsula (in the sense
that they are not known to have come from elsewhere), consisting
of a number of separate tribes, are given the generic name of
Iberians. This may have included the Basques, the only pre-Celtic
people in Iberia surviving to the present day as a separate
ethnic group. The most important culture of this period is that
of the city of Tartessos. Beginning in the 9th century BC, Celtic
tribes entered the Iberian peninsula through the Pyrenees and
settled throughout the peninsula, becoming the Celt-Iberians.
The seafaring Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians successively
settled along the Mediterranean coast and founded trading colonies
there over a period of several centuries.
Around 1,100 BC Phoenician merchants founded the trading colony
of Gadir or Gades (modern day Cádiz) near Tartessos.
In the 8th century BC the first Greek colonies, such as Emporion
(modern Empúries), were founded along the Mediterranean
coast on the East, leaving the south coast to the Phoenicians.
The Greeks are responsible for the name Iberia, after the river
Iber (Ebro in Spanish). In the 6th century BC the Carthaginians
arrived in Iberia while struggling with the Greeks for control
of the Western Mediterranean. Their most important colony was
Carthago Nova (Latin name of modern day Cartagena).
The Romans arrived in the Iberian peninsula during the Second
Punic war in the 2nd century BC, and annexed it under Augustus
after two centuries of war with the Celtic and Iberian tribes
and the Phoenician, Greek and Carthaginian colonies becoming
the province of Hispania. It was divided in Hispania Ulterior
and Hispania Citerior during the late Roman Republic; and, during
the Roman Empire, Hispania Taraconensis in the northeast, Hispania
Baetica in the south and Lusitania in the southwest.
Hispania supplied the Roman Empire with food, olive oil, wine
and metal. The emperors Trajan, Hadrian and Theodosius I, the
philosopher Seneca and the poets Martial and Lucan were born
in Spain. The Spanish Bishops held the Council at Elvira in
306.
Most of Spain's present languages, religion, and laws originate
from this Roman period.
From the 8th to the 15th centuries, parts of the Iberian peninsula
were ruled by Muslims (the Moors) who had crossed over from
North Africa. Christian and Muslim kingdoms fought and allied
among themselves. The Muslim taifa kings competed in patronage
of the arts, the Way of Saint James attracted pilgrims from
all Western Europe and the Jewish population of Iberia set the
basis of Sephardic culture. Much of Spain's distinctive art
originates from this seven-hundred-year period, and many Arabic
words made their way into Spanish and Catalan, and from them
to other European languages.
By 1512, most of the kingdoms of present-day Spain were politically
unified, although not as a modern centralized state. The grandson
of Isabel and Fernando, Carlos I, extended his crown to other
places in Europe and the rest of the world. The unification
of Iberia was complete when Carlos I's son, Felipe II, became
King of Portugal in 1580, as well as of the other Iberian Kingdoms
(collectively known as "Spain" since this moment).
During the 16th century,with Carlos I and Felipe II, Spain
became the most powerful European nation, its territory covering
most of South and Central America, Asia - Pacific, the Iberian
peninsula, southern Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries. This
was later known as the Spanish Empire.
It was also the wealthiest nation but the uncontrolled influx
of goods and minerals from Spanish colonisation of the Americas
resulted in rampant inflation and economic depression.
In 1640, under Felipe IV, the centralist policy of the Count-Duke
of Olivares provoked wars in Portugal and Catalonia. Portugal
became an independent kingdom again and Catalonia enjoyed some
years of French-supported independence but was quickly returned
to the Spanish Crown, except Rosellon.
A series of long and costly wars and revolts followed in the
17th century, beginning a steady decline of Spanish power in
Europe. Controversy over succession to the throne consumed the
country during the first years of the 18th century (see War
of the Spanish Succession). It was only after this war ended
and a new dynasty was installed — the French Bourbons
(see House of Bourbon) — that a centralized Spanish state
was established and the first Borbon king Philip V of Spain
in 1707 cancelled the Aragon court and changed the title of
king of Castilla and Aragon for the current king of Spain.
Spain was occupied by Napoleon in the early 1800s, but the Spaniards
rose in arms. After the War of Independence (1808–1814),
a series of revolts and armed conflicts between Liberals and
supporters of the ancien régime lasted throughout much
of the 19th century, complicated by a dispute over dynastic
succession by the Carlists which led to three civil wars. After
that, Spain was briefly a Republic, from 1871 to 1873, a year
in which a series of coups reinstalled the monarchy.
In the meantime, Spain lost all of its colonies in the Caribbean
region and Asia-Pacific region during the 19th century, a trend
which ended with the loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines
and Guam to the United States after the Spanish-American War
of 1898.
The 20th century initially brought little peace; colonisation
of Western Sahara, Spanish Morocco and Equatorial Guinea was
attempted. A period of dictatorial rule (1923–1931) ended
with the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic. The Republic
offered political autonomy to the Basque Country and Catalonia
and gave voting rights to women. However, with increasing political
polarisation, anti-clericalism and pressure from all sides,
coupled with growing and unchecked political violence, the Republic
ended with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936.
Following the victory of the nationalist forces in 1939, General
Francisco Franco ruled a nation exhausted politically and economically.
After World War II, being one of few surviving fascist regimes
in Europe, Spain was politically and economically isolated and
was kept out of the United Nations until 1955, when it became
strategically important for U.S. president Eisenhower to establish
a military presence in the Iberian peninsula. This opening to
Spain was aided by Franco's rabid anti-communism. In the 1960s,
more than a decade later than other western European countries,
Spain began to enjoy economic growth and gradually transformed
into a modern industrial economy with a thriving tourism sector.
Growth continued well into the 1970s, with Franco's government
going to great lengths to shield the Spanish people from the
effects of the oil crisis.
Upon the death of the dictator General Franco in November
1975, his personally-designated heir Prince Juan Carlos assumed
the position of king and head of state. With the approval of
the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the arrival of democracy,
the old historic nationalities — Basque Country, Catalonia,
Galicia and Andalusia— were given far-reaching autonomy,
which was then soon extended to all Spanish regions, resulting
in one of the most decentralized territorial organizations in
Western Europe. However, the radical nationalism in the Basque
country and the terrorist group ETA continues to be one of the
most important problems facing Spain.
Adolfo Suárez González, Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo
Bustelo, after an attempted coup d'état in 1981, Felipe
González Márquez (when Spain joined NATO and European
Union), José María Aznar López and José
Luis Rodríguez Zapatero have been prime ministers of
Spain.
Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch
and a bicameral parliament, the Cortes Generales or National
Assembly. The executive branch consists of a Council of Ministers
presided over by the President of Government (comparable to
a prime minister), proposed by the monarch and elected by the
National Assembly following legislative elections.
The legislative branch is made up of the Congress of Deputies
(Congreso de los Diputados) with 350 members, elected by popular
vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve
four-year terms, and a Senate or Senado with 259 seats of which
208 are directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed
by the regional legislatures to also serve four-year terms.
Spain is, at present, what is called a State of Autonomies,
formally unitary but, in fact, functioning as a Federation of
Autonomous Communities, each one with different powers (for
instance, some have their own educational and health systems,
others do not) and laws. There are some problems with this system,
since some autonomous governments (especially those dominated
by nationalist parties) are seeking a more federalist—or
even confederate—kind of relationship with Spain, while
the Central Government is trying to restrict what some see as
excessive autonomy of some autonomous communities (e.g. Basque
Country and Catalonia).
The terrorist group ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom) is trying
to achieve Basque independence through violent means, including
bombings and killings of politicians and police. Although the
Basque Autonomous government does not condone any kind of violence,
their different approaches to the separatist movement are a
source of tension between the federal and Basque governments.
On May 17, 2005, all the parties in the Congress of Deputies,
except the PP, passed the Central Government's motion of beginning
peace talks with the ETA with no political concessions and only
if it gives up all its weapons. PSOE, CiU, ERC, PNV, IU-ICV,
CC and the mixt group -BNG, CHA, EA y NB- supported it with
a total of 192 votes, while the 147 PP parliamentaris objected.
On February 20th 2005, Spain became the first country to allow
its people to vote on the European Union constitution that was
signed in October 2004. The rules states that if any country
rejects the constitution then the constitution will be declared
void. The final result was very strongly in affirmation of the
constitution, making Spain the first country to approve the
constitution via referendum (Hungary, Lithuania and Slovenia
approved it before Spain, but they did not hold referenda).
Administratively, Spain is divided into 50 provinces, grouped
into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities with
high degree of autonomy.
Autonomous communities
Autonomous communities of Spain Spain consists of 17 autonomous
communities (comunidades autónomas) and 2 autonomous
cities (ciudades autónomas; Ceuta and Melilla).
Andalusia (Andalucía)
Aragon (Aragón)
Principality of Asturias (Principáu d'Asturies in Asturian/Principado
de Asturias in Spanish)
Balearic Islands (Illes Balears in Catalan / Islas Baleares
in Spanish)
Basque Country (Euskadi in Basque/País Vasco in Spanish)
Cantabria
Castile-La Mancha (Castilla-La Mancha)
Castile-Leon (Castilla y León in Spanish)
Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan/Cataluña in Spanish/
Catalunha in Aranese)
Extremadura
Galicia (Galicia or Galiza in Galician)
La Rioja
Madrid
Murcia
Navarre (Nafarroa in Basque/Navarra in Spanish)
Valencia (Comunitat Valenciana in Valencian /Comunidad Valenciana
in Spanish, as official denominations).
The Spanish kingdom is also divided in 50 provinces (provincias).
Autonomous communities group provinces (for instance, Extremadura
is made of two provinces: Cáceres and Badajoz). The autonomous
communities of Asturias, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, La
Rioja, Navarre, Murcia, and Madrid are each composed of a single
province. Traditionally, provinces are usually subdivided into
historic regions or comarcas (main article: Comarcas of Spain).
There are also five places of sovereignty (plazas de soberanía)
on and off the African coast: the cities of Ceuta and Melilla
are administered as autonomous cities, an intermediate status
between cities and communities; the islands of the Islas Chafarinas,
Peñón de Alhucemas, and Peñón de
Vélez de la Gomera are under direct Spanish administration.
The Canary islands, Ceuta and Melilla, although not officially
historic communities, enjoy a special status.
Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges
such as the Pyrenees or the Sierra Nevada. Running from these
heights are several major rivers such as the Tajo, the Ebro,
the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains
are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the
Guadalquivir in Andalusia, in the east there are alluvial plains
with medium rivers like Segura, Júcar and Turia. Spain
is bound to the east by Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic
Islands), to the north by the Bay of Biscay and to its west
by the Atlantic Ocean, where the Canary Islands off the African
coast are found.
mostly temperate
in the eastern and southern part of the country; rainy seasons
are spring and autumn. Mild summers with pleasant temperatures.
Hot records: Murcia 47.2 ºC, Malaga 44.2 ºC, Valencia 42.5 ºC,
Alicante 41.4 ºC, Palma of Mallorca 40.6 ºC, Barcelona 39.8
ºC. Low records: Gerona -13.0 ºC, Barcelona -10.0 ºC, Valencia
-7.2 ºC, Murcia -6.0 ºC, Alicante -4.6 ºC, Malaga -3.8 ºC.
Very cold winters
(frequent snow in the north) and hot summers. Hot records: Sevilla
47.0 ºC, Cordoba 46.6 ºC, Badajoz 45.0 ºC, Albacete and Zaragoza
42.6 ºC, Madrid 42.2 ºC, Burgos 41.8 ºC, Valladolid 40.2 ºC.
Low records: Albacete -24.0 ºC, Burgos -22.0 ºC, Salamanca
-20.0 ºC, Teruel -19.0 ºC, Madrid -14.8 ºC, Sevilla -5.5 ºC.
precipitations
mostly on winter, with mild summers (slightly cold). Hot records:
Bilbao 42.0 ºC, La Coruña 37.6 ºC, Gijón 36.4
ºC. Low records: Bilbao -8.6 ºC, Oviedo -6.0 ºC, Gijon and La
Coruña -4.8 ºC.
subtropical
weather, with mild temperatures (18 ºC to 24 ºC Celsius) throughout
the year. Hot records: Santa Cruz de Tenerife 42.6 ºC. Low records:
Santa Cruz de Tenerife 8.1 ºC.
|
