This view just outside the Alcazar in Sevilla is of the Patio de la Monteria. The Alcazar in Sevilla is the oldest royal residence in Europe still in use today. When the king of Spain, Juan Carlos, visits Sevilla, he stays here. Ferdinand and Isabella at one time lived her, and this is where they welcomed back Columbus upon his return from the New World.
The picture above shows a beautiful example of Mudejar architectural
style. The Mudejar style is characterized by work in plaster, wood, tile,
and fabric. The mudejars ("permitted to remain") were Muslims who were
permitted to remain in places like Sevilla after the Christians began to
rule. This section of the Alcazar dates from the 14th century,
but the site of the palace has some remains of the original 12th
century Moorish building.
This is a view of the Patio de las Doncellas in the Alcazar of Sevilla. Again the Moorish influence on the architecture can clearly be seen. Construction of the Alcazar began during the reign of Pedro the Cruel (1350-1369).
Pedro inherited the throne at the age of 15, being the eldest of 5 brothers.
Some of the events surrounding his life likely give rise to his less than
complementary title. History generally reports that Pedro murdered an archbishop,
several cousins, brothers, friends, and likely his own French queen. Furthermore,
while living in the Alcazar, legend has it that he murdered the King of
Granada. As the story goes, the Muslim ruler visited wearing a priceless
ruby in his turban that Pedro coveted. He invited the King and his guards
for a banquet, where he proceeded to kill all the men to obtain the ruby.
Later while quarrelling with his brother Enrique over the throne, Pedro
acquired the help of Edward, England’s Black Prince. Out of gratitude,
Pedro gave the Black Prince’s wife the ruby. To this day the gem still
adorns England’s imperial crown.
This is a view of a lovely fountain to which the inner halls of the
Alcazar open up. Beyond the fountain are some amazing gardens that are
all part of the palace.
In 1929 Sevilla hosted the Spanish-American Exhibition. Despite the
worldwide depression at the time, numerous buildings and pavilions were
constructed. Shown above is the Plaza de Espana. This building has Renaissance-style
architecture and now houses government office buildings. In the curved
wall at the base of this building are tile murals depicting characteristics
of Spain’s 50 provinces.
This shows a side view of the impressive Plaza de Espana.
This is a barrel of sherry that is located in the Gonzalez Byass bodega (winery) in Jerez. About 100 bodegas are present in and around Jerez. This particular barrel was originally set-aside for the dictator Francisco Franco. Franco was one of the leaders of a military uprising that eventually turned into a civil war that lasted from 1936 to 1939. This brutal and bloody civil war was characterized by incredibly abhorrent acts to many, especially clergy and middle class people. Some 50,000 people were executed by General Franco’s Nationalist death-squads in the first 6 months of the uprising. With significant help from Italy (Mussolini), Germany (Hitler), and a splintering Republic, caused by a Stalinist influence, the Nationalist uprising succeeded. And so the Spanish Civil War that many saw as a dress rehearsal for World War II brought General Francisco Franco to power. During his 36 years of rule, Franco made very many enemies. The barrel above is a testimony to this fact. The barrel is coated with glass to make it easier to remove the spit that many bathe this barrel with out of distaste for Franco.
Incidentally the town of Jerez is about 3000 years old and has been
known by many names, including Scheris, which the English corrupted to
Sherry – the origin of the name of this type of wine.
This is a view of one of the sides of Gibraltar that faces the Mediterranean Sea. Even though geographically on the tip of Spain, Gibraltar is now controlled by Great Britain and has been since 1713. The Rock of Gibraltar overlooks the Gibraltar strait, a key site that links the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is also the closest point that the continent of Europe comes to the continent of Africa. Many historians feel that when Great Britain seized control of Gibraltar, it began its rise to world power status.
The picture above shows a series of collectors that used to capture
rainwater. Until recently, all the freshwater for Gibraltar’s residents
came from rainwater. They now desalinize seawater.
A view of Gibraltar with a mosque in the foreground.
These are Barbary apes (i.e. the really hairy ones). They are native
to Gibraltar and live wild on the Rock. They are found nowhere else in
Europe, but their cousins are found in North Africa. Geologically Gibraltar
is unlike the rest of Europe, but is very similar to North Africa. Long
ago the Rock of Gibraltar broke off from North Africa, forever splitting
the two continents.
This is a picture of the main cathedral in Granada. Construction on this cathedral started in 1521 and was finished in 1714. Its main claims to fame are the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella.