Zamora

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


more blogs by Robert Bovington...

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

Semana Santa

The Spanish take Easter seriously. As the name La Semana Santa implies, it lasts for a week, starting on Palm Sunday and it signals the beginning of the greatest festival in the Christian calendar - the commemoration of Christ's Passion and Resurrection.

Most people participate in the fiesta. Processions take place in towns and villages throughout Spain and in most places la Pasión de Cristo is performed in the streets. The procession starts and finishes at the church during which some of the penitents walk without shoes, some on their knees, others are in chains and some walk flogging themselves.

photo: public domain (Txo)

Throughout Spain it is marked by ceremonies of holy images and passion plays that last all week especially in the Andalucian cities of Sevilla & Málaga. They are splendid affairs - penitents carry the magnificently ornate displays that comprise oodles of gold and silver set off with masses of flowers. The exhibits are extremely heavy comprising as they do of highly decorative floats supporting religious images. Brass bands, soldiers and señoritas, dressed in black, accompany the penitents. In fact, a large proportion of the population involve themselves in both the preparation and the weeklong celebrations.

Domingo de Ramos is the Spanish for Palm Sunday. On that day, the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem on a donkey is celebrated. Many children take part and the populace wave palm tree branches.

On the Monday, in the big cities, thousands of penitents follow the procession of Christ taken captive.

photo: public domain (Raizraiz)

On Jueves Santo - Maundy Thursday and Viernes Santo - Good Friday, every little town and village also get involved by bringing out their religious effigies, usually an image of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Maundy Thursday commemorates the 'Last Supper of Christ' whereas Good Friday is in remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus.

The last procession of Santa Semana is on Domingo de Resurrección - Easter Sunday to you, representing Christ risen from the dead.

Of course, the build up to the events start many months before. There is much planning involved. The authorities have to plan for roads to be closed, traffic to be diverted and publicity of the event. Temporary seating has to be arranged and erected along the main thoroughfares. Women get to work with needle and thread, as they and their children must look their best during the forthcoming celebrations. Of course, the richer señoras do not bother with all that but they still have to purchase their outfits and plan what restaurant the family will visit for their celebratory meals.

Semana Santa float in Almería Cathedral
photo: Robert Bovington

However, the biggest enterprise is preparing the floats and even after this is done rehearsing the carrying of them as they weigh many tons. The hermandades - brotherhoods do this. A hermandad comprises members of a particular church that organize the yearly processions and the hermanos are the actual members. Some of the hermanos are Nazarenos, who dress in long, flowing robes and special pointed hoods, which hide their identity when they walk in the procession. The colours of the outfits change every day, black on day one culminating with white and gold on day seven.

photo: public domain (Romerin)

Semana Santa float in Almería Cathedral
photo: Robert Bovington

Semana Santa sketch in chalk by Goya (1824) 

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

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

Soria

Soria is situated in Castile-León about 110 miles northeast of Madrid and lies on the western bank of the River Duero. The city's historic centre preserves an important Romanesque legacy as well as excellent examples of civic architecture.

In the delightful and typically Castilian Plaza Mayor stands a number of interesting buildings including the Casa de los Doce Linajes, a 17th-century building that is currently the town hall. The former town hall is next door but is currently used as a Cultural Centre. The Tower of Doña Urraca is situated in one corner of the square and the Church of Santa María La Mayor stands just behind it.

Plaza Mayor - photo: public domain (Txo)

Santa María La Mayor
photo: public domain (Zarataman)

Talking about churches, Soria is noted for its collection of architect-urally distinctive churches many of them Roman-esque. Let's take a look at some of them!

The 12th-century Church of Santo Domingo, situated in the historic quarter, is one of the town's most important places of worship. Its main front is considered to be one of the finest Romanesque façades in existence - so much so - that it has been declared a National Monument. This honour has also been bestowed on the cloisters of another religious building in Soria - the Procathedral of San Pedro. It was built at the end of the 12th century and reconstructed during the 16th. It has a Plateresque façade and three Gothic naves. The Church of San Juan de Rabanera is pretty impressive too - probably why it, too, is a National Monument! This 12th-century temple has a number of Byzantine influences. Its façade is particularly beautiful and the inside is also attractive, especially the apse and reredos.

Santo Domingo
photo: public domain (Txo)

San Juan de Rabanera
photo: public domain (Elena FD)

Soria Concatedral de San Pedro
photo: public domain (Zarataman)

There are other fine churches in Soria but I don't want to weary you with all their details. I will, however, mention two other religious buildings - the Hermitage of San Saturio and the Monasterio de San Juan de Duero. Both are on the opposite side of the River Duero than the town centre. However, it is not too far to walk to the monastery - less than 500 metres! From the Plaza Mayor, walk along Calle Real and then Calle San Augustin, which crosses the river, and then turn left to find the monastery. It is well worth the short detour from the town centre because the site is one of the most original Romanesque monuments in Spain. A 12th-century church and a wonderful cloister are the only remains of the former monastery. The arches are quite splendid - and different! They are a mix of Romanesque, Mudéjar and Arabic styles. The monastery belonged to the order of the Knights Templar from the twelfth century until it was abandoned in the eighteenth. It is yet another National Monument and one of the most visited sites in Castilla y León. It is a delightful place to visit and the scenery is not bad either - situated as it is on the banks of the River Duero it has provided an inspiring landscape for Spanish artists and poets.

Monasterio de San Juan de Duero cloisters
photo: public domain ( Txo)

Hermitage of San Saturio
photo: public domain ( Zarataman)

Less than 1 kilometre down river is the Baroque Hermitage of San Saturio, patron saint of the town. It was carved out of the rock in the eighteenth century.

Before we leave Soria, we must explore some of the other delightful places in this attractive city. In the streets of the historic quarter there are many beautiful buildings - no more so than the Palacio de los Condes de Gómara. It is considered to be the jewel of Sorian civil architecture with its outstanding stone façade and quadrangular tower. It is a Renaissance building built in the 16th century and now houses the Provincial Court. It goes without saying that it has been declared a National Monument! Another fine residence is the Palacio de los Ríos y Salcedo. This 16th-century Renaissance building is also a National Monument and, these days, it serves as the Provincial Historic Archive.

Palacio de los Condes de Gómara
photo: public domain ( Numantino)

Soria isn't just ancient monuments however. There are green spaces like the Dehesa, which contains many exotic trees and shrubs, and the Parque El Castillo - a hill on which stands the Parador de Soria. It offers lovely panoramic views of the Duero, the countryside, the distant mountains and the city - a city that has inspired poets like Antonio Machado, Gerardo Diego and Gustavo Bécquer. Soria, situated in a natural beauty spot by the banks of the River Duero, is certainly worth visiting!

This is an extract of the text in the "Soria" section of "Spanish Impressions"
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more blogs by Robert Bovington...

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

Tomás Luis de Victoria

My record collection includes Requiems composed by Mozart, Verdi, Fauré and Victoria.

"Victoria!" those of you who are not into classical music might say,

"Who's that!" 

Of course, if you are anything like some of the 'Big Brother' contestants, you probably do not know who Verdi or Fauré are either but then you are probably not reading this! 

Tomás Luis de Victoria, to give him his full name, was a Spanish composer. He was born in Ávila in 1548 and at an early age he was sent to Rome by King Phillip II to prepare for holy orders. Whilst there, he studied music and became choirmaster at the German College in the city. 

In 1576, he became chaplain to the pious dowager Empress María, the sister of King Philip, and they both returned to Madrid - to the convent of Descalzas Reales - in 1583. Victoria took on the role of choirmaster at the convent which he continued until his death in 1611. 

He wrote only religious music, which is not surprising considering what a devout Christian he was. His works included the 'Officium Hebdonadae' (1585), lots of motets and masses and 'Officium Defunctorum', the Requiem Mass that he composed for the funeral of Empress María in 1603. Another excellent work, which is ideal to celebrate Christmas, is 'O Magnum Mysterium' (1572) - the 'Hallelujah' from it is a particularly inspiring piece of music. 

Victoria is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century along with Giovanni da Palestrina, Orlando de Lassus, and William Byrd. He was certainly the most significant Spanish composer of sacred music in the late Renaissance. Some critics rate his compositions greater than Palestrina who he allegedly studied with whilst in Rome. However, the biggest influence on Tomás Luis de Victoria is said to be Saint Theresa of his hometown of Ávila, which is probably why he was such a devout Christian. 

more blogs by Robert Bovington...

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

 

Vitoria-Gasteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the Basque region.

Old Cathedral
photo public domain (Zarataman)

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

Casa del Cordón
photo public domain (Mikelele)

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

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

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

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

New Cathedral
photo: public domain (Zarataman)

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

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

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

statue in Parque Florida
photo: public domain (Zarataman)

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

Please note:

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

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

more blogs by Robert Bovington... 

"Photographs of Spain" 

http://bovingtonphotosofspain.blogspot.com/

"postcards from Spain" 

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

"you couldn't make it up!" 

http://bovingtonycmitup.blogspot.com/

"a grumpy old man in Spain" 

http://grumpybobbov.blogspot.com/

"bits and bobs" 

http://bovingtonbitsandblogs.blogspot.com/

"Spanish Expressions" 

http://spanishsayingsbovington.blogspot.com/

"Spanish Art" 

http://bovingtonspanishart.blogspot.com/

"Books About Spain" 

http://bovingtonbooks.blogspot.com/