Spain is a great European country with a Mauritanian accent
Three things make a man happy: love,
interesting job and opportunity to travel…”
(Ivan Bunin)
Spain is a country of mountains, picturesque bays and sandy beaches, ancient castles, majestic cathedrals and ancient cities, the birthplace of bullfighting, fiesta, fiery flamenco and famous red wines ...It was Celtic and Greek, Roman and Gothic, Arabic and, finally, Christian. Spain has managed to merge together the most diverse traditions and form a great and beautiful culture. What is it, today's Spain? It is difficult to create a general portrait, since the different regions of the country and the Spaniards are very diverse. Having visited all the regions of mainland Spain, having traveled from the east to Cape Finisterre, from north to south, I decided to write separately about each region to create a general portrait of the country, and then, combining like puzzles, put everything into a single picture.
About the Basques, their country and history
The Basque Country, the Basque Country or Euskal Erria is one of the most unusual historical regions not only in Spain, but throughout Western Europe. Lying in the north of the country, in the western spurs of the Pyrenees and the eastern part of the Cantabrian mountains, this autonomous community differs markedly from the rest of Spain both in ethnic composition and language of mysterious origin, unlike others, and in climate and level of industry. Euskal Erria, as the Basques themselves call this land, includes three regions - the Basque Country itself plus two vast provinces inhabited by the Basques in France and Navarre (the latter are not administratively part of the Basque Country). The Spanish Basque separatists of the ETA organization (“Basque Country and Freedom”) have been fighting for many years for the creation of an independent Basque state.
From the 1st century BC e. to the middle of the 5th century AD. e.
the territory inhabited by the Basques was nominally subject to Rome. Due to the mountainous nature of the area, the Romans only managed to penetrate into the province of Alava, which allowed the Basque Country to preserve its language and national identity. During the period of domination of the Visigoths, and later the Arabs in the Iberian Peninsula, most of the territory of the Basques remained independent and became the stronghold of the Reconquista. In the XI - XV centuries, the Basque states - under the rule of Navarre, Castile; at the end of the 15th - beginning of the 16th centuries they became part of the unified Spanish state, retaining some autonomy until 1876. The three provinces that now make up this area were united only in the 19th century, during civil wars. In 1876, the Basque Country lost its fueros, that is, rights and privileges. After the victory of the Popular Front in 1936, an autonomous region was created, called the Basque Country. With the fall of the republic in 1939, the Basque Country was deprived of self-government.
In accordance with the constitution of 1978, the Basque Country received first temporary, since January 1980 - permanent autonomy.
The Basques are a unique people. No one knows either their origin or the history of their appearance in Europe. Genetically, they are almost not related to any of the modern peoples of the Mediterranean, which is easily traced even at the level of blood composition. Local traditions and customs, folk cuisine, and especially dance and song rituals are just as original.
The Basque language (Euscara) has no direct relatives anywhere in the world. It is believed that he is the only surviving relic left from the pre-Indo-European era in Europe. At the same time, the Basque language does not have a standard pronunciation, but the differences between dialects are small. All this together allows us to classify it as a group of Proto-Indo-European languages.
Despite the fact that this is the most industrialized region of the peninsula (and therefore one of the richest), the nature of the interior of the Basque Country is little affected by man - neat and quiet villages coexist here with rough mountain vegetation and a wild rocky coast, the transport system is excellently developed, and the proximity of the border supports trade and tourism. All this allows us to attribute the Basque Country to one of the most interesting regions of Spain.
Journey to the Basque Country, or Euskadi
The Basque Country, or Baskonia, welcomes us with cool rainy weather, uncharacteristic for this time of year. This area is located at the junction of the Pyrenees and Cantabrian mountains, on the shores of the Bay of Biscay, which the Spaniards call the Cantambrian Sea, and covers an area of .7, 234 square meters. km. The Basque Country, which is home to 2.2 million people, is divided into three provinces: Biscay, Hyposcoa, Alava.
Against the background of other Spanish autonomies, it stands out due to its completely different culture and language from the rest of Spain. All names in this area have a double name: Spanish and Basque.
We begin our acquaintance with the Basque Country from the main city of the province of Guipuzcoa, San Sebastian (or Donostia), which is located on the shores of the Bay of Biscay and which many consider the most beautiful city in Spain. Its population is 183 thousand people, and it is located 103 km from the capital of the Basque Country, Vitoria, 473 km from Madrid and only 18 km from the French border.
We rise to the Miramar Palace, which was built in 1893 by order of the royal house of Spain according to the project of the English architect Selden Wornum for the Dowager Queen Maria Cristina.
After the death of Maria Cristina in 1929, the palace was inherited by Alfonso XIII, and with the establishment of the Second Republic, the building passed to the mayor's office of San Sebastian, while retaining the status of a summer residence, but now the president of the country. After the restoration of the House of Bourbon during the Franco dictatorship, the palace was again in the hands of the royal family. In 1963, the huge estate was divided into parts and sold. The last plot, owned by Infante Juan, was purchased by the city authorities in 1972. Currently, the palace is open to tourists, and is also used as an educational building for the summer courses of the University of the Basque Country and the office of the Higher Music Center. In addition, Miramar is often used for various celebrations, such as the San Sebastian Film Festival.
Surrounded by a beautiful park with beautiful flower beds, it is located on the coast of the sea bay, opposite the island of Santa Clara, between two beaches with the finest white sand. These beaches are the pride of the city: the largest is La Concha, the most elite is Ondaterra, at the end of which is the composition of the famous local sculptor Eduardo Chillida "The Comb of the Wind".
From Ondaretta. from the square, which is called Funicular Square, we take the funicular up Mount Igueldo, located on the south side of La Concha bay. The observation deck of Mount Igueldo offers a very beautiful view of the surroundings of San Sebastian, the amazing bay of La Concha in the shape of a seashell, Zurriola beach is a real paradise for surfing. You can see the castle of La Mota and the statue of Christ on the top of Mount Urgull from the northern side of the bay.
Here, on the mountain, there is a local amusement park built in the early twentieth century.
Descending from Mount Igueldo, we head to Mount Urgull, located on the northern side of the bay of La Concha. Both beaches, the promenade and the island of Santa Clara are clearly visible from the mountain, which can be reached by boat, and sometimes even walk at low tide. Located on the top of Mount Urgull, the statue of Christ blesses the marvelous city and gives an atmosphere of tranquility and spiritual harmony.
We descend from Mount Urgull and continue our acquaintance with the city, taking a walk through the Parte-Viechta (Old Town) quarter, located between the Urumea River and the Bay of Biscay. It is where the main life of San Sebastian flows. Near the port, our attention is drawn to a hill strewn with houses of different ages.
The main attraction of Constitution Square is the building of the former City Hall, which today serves as a library. Along the edges of the square there are cafes with tables and umbrellas in the open air.
Every year, two major holidays are celebrated on this square - St. Thomas (December 21) and Tamborrada (January 20). The balconies of the buildings that frame the square are state property and are rented out for money to those who wish to watch the celebrations from the VIP boxes.
Of the cultural attractions, you can not miss the Gothic churches of Santa Maria and San Vicente,
San Sebastian is divided into two parts by the Urumea River with amazingly beautiful bridges across it. Of these, the bridges of Maria Christina and Kursaal stand out in particular.
Another interesting object is a modern architectural complex of two large buildings, known as the Congress Palace and the Kursaal Auditorium, located on Zurriola Avenue at the mouth of the Urumea River. The name "Kursaal" connects the modern building with its historical prototype, on the site of which the complex was built.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the building called "Kursaal" (in German Kur - "priest", Saal - "hall, salon", that is, literally - "hall of the priests"), was an integral part of the infrastructure of European resorts. Traditionally, these entertainment clubs (in the Romanesque countries they were called casinos) were the venue for theatrical performances and concerts, dances, games and banquets. San Sebastian's "Great Seaside Kursaal" was opened in 1921, becoming one of the largest buildings of the first quarter of the century. Along with the palace, a new bridge across the river was built, linking Kursaal with the city center. The fate of Bolshoi Kursaal was not very successful - within a few years after its construction, gambling houses were banned by law, and the building was used for other purposes for decades. In the 60s, it was decided to destroy the building and build another in its place. In 1973, an appropriate project was adopted and the Great Kursaal was demolished.
Construction of the new building began only in the early 1990s and ended in 1999.
San Sebastian, which its inhabitants affectionately call "Sanse", is very beautiful and original, there are many flower beds, plane trees and various palm trees on the streets. And the beautiful beaches, mild sea climate, excellent conditions for surfing have made it one of the best resorts in Spain.
The next day we go on a tour "Visiting Neighbors" to continue our acquaintance with the Basque Country. We visit the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz - the administrative center of the province of Alava, famous for its vineyards, and since 1980 - of the entire Basque Country, a city with almost a thousand years of history, one of the greenest cities in Spain.
The city was founded in 1181 by the Navarrese king Sancho VI, who built walls around the city and endowed it with all sorts of privileges.
We start our acquaintance with the central square of the Virgin Mary Blanc, in the center of which there is a monument in honor of the “Battle of Vitoria”, when in 1813 the allied army of Portugal, Great Britain and Spain defeated Napoleon Bonaparte and liberated Spain. On the square is the church of St. Michael the Archangel - a Gothic church with elements of the Renaissance style, built in the XIV century.
The old city looks quite attractive, it's nice to walk along its cozy neat streets.
Pleasing to the eye and draw attention to the house, decorated with beautiful wall paintings.
Administrative institutions next to such plantations also look attractive.
The city has interesting Catholic churches built in different styles. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Virgin Mary (New Cathedral) is located in the heart of the city in the Lovaina quarter.
It was built in neo-gothic style in the first half of the 20th century and is one of the largest cathedrals in Spain. It received the name of the New Cathedral due to the fact that the city already had the Cathedral of St. Mary, and they had to be distinguished.
The economy of Vitoria-Gasteiz is diverse, many manufacturers have their offices here and the city is the second largest city in Spain in terms of living standards. In a relatively small city (approximately 230 thousand people) there are many green parks, cultural places and interesting museums: the Museum of Art, the Museum of Weapons and the Museum of Maps.
Vitoria-Gasteiz was proclaimed the Green Capital of Europe in 2012, and managed to get an honorary title thanks to the landscaping work. Now the city is surrounded by a green belt, which makes life in the city more enjoyable. The city has also taken a number of measures to conserve biodiversity.
In particular, the city began to treat flora and fauna more carefully in order to reduce the fragmentation of biotopes. In addition, the city administration has started implementing projects to improve water supply and water quality.
The next day we continue our journey through the Basque Country. On the way to Bilbao, we make a stop in the small typical Basque town of Getaria, located on the coast of the Bay of Biscay in the province of Gipuzkoa.
The first mention of Getaria dates back to 1209, and thanks to archaeological finds, it is known that this city was already inhabited in Roman times. Despite the small size of the city, it has many historical monuments. The Gothic church of San Salvador, built in the 14th century, has been declared a national treasure. The church was constantly upset and restored after numerous wars.
Today, Getaria is a small town of about 3.000 people with two magnificent beaches and a fishing port, whose inhabitants are mainly engaged in fishing, and recently tourism and wine trade have been developed.
The inhabitants of Getaria have always been famous for their valor and courage. In the summer of 1638, the French squadron, carrying out the plan of Cardinal Richelieu to capture the strategic objects of Gipuzkoa, suddenly attacked the Spanish warships stationed in the port of Getaria. Only one Spanish ship survived the battle, but when the French wanted to land in the port, they were met with a fierce rebuff from the local population, which did not allow them to enter the city. The attackers were forced to retreat and all they could do was destroy the city with naval artillery. But not a single French soldier ever entered the land of Getaria.
During its history, the city has experienced several destructions, but has always been restored.
The most famous historical figure, originally from Getaria, was Juan Sebastian Elcano, the skipper of the ship Neo Victoria, who in 1519, under the leadership of Captain Magellan, set off on a round-the-world voyage. During the voyage, Magellan died, after which Sebastian Elcano took command of the expedition and, returning in 1522, became the first navigator to circumnavigate the world. Monument to Juan Sebastian Elcano, was built in 1922-1924 in honor of the four hundredth anniversary of the return of Elcano from the first trip around the world.
The monument to all the sailors of the Elcano team who participated in the round-the-world voyage was built from blocks cut at an angle in the form of a pyramid, with the bow of the Neo Victoria ship protruding in its upper part.
We arrive in Bilbao - the administrative center of the province of Biscay. With a population of over 360.000
people, Bilbao is the largest city of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The city was founded in June 1300 by Diego Ló pez V de Haro, ruler of the province of Biscay. Until that time, fishermen settled on the local lands, trading exclusively in fishing. By the middle of the 19th century, Bilbao had become a major industrial center with a developed economy, and to this day is the economic engine of the Basque Country and its most representative city. Bilbao is a historic city filled with ultra-modernity, a constant progress, a desire to live, develop and innovate. Bilbao received worldwide recognition in 2010 with the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, considered the "Nobel Prize" for cities. It became the first city in the world to receive this honor for being an outstanding example of the level and quality of life.
The city is located at the mouth of the Nervion River, its suburbs overlook the coast of the Bay of Biscay.
We make a stop at the Zubizuri pedestrian bridge, designed by the world famous architect Santiago Calatrava.
Near the bridge is the famous Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. The building, which looks like a giant sculpture of a striking silhouette of either a bird, or a futuristic ship, or an ocean liner, is recognized as one of the most spectacular deconstructivist buildings in the world and has been called "the greatest building of our time. " The Guggenheim Museum is in a magnificent location on the banks of the river, opposite the University of Deusto, the Temple of Knowledge. From the shore where the university is located, the silhouette of the museum looks like a ship on the waterfront, a reminder of Bilbao's industrial past and maritime transport.
At the entrance to the museum there is an interesting composition - a huge dog made of flowers.
Along the embankment, not far from the main entrance, stands the fruit of the design thought of Louise Bourgeois, embodied in the form of a giant spider, created as an addition to the Guggenheim Museum, and symbolizing the age of technological world progress.
Bilbao is one of those unique cities where the past and the present are intricately intertwined, where the tranquility and charm of antiquity is diluted with modern technology and the bustle of the present day, and ancient temples and limestone stones covered with the dust of eternity coexist with luxurious mansions and majestic buildings of architecture. Bilbao enjoys great prestige in Europe and annually attracts thousands of foreign visitors to its shores, fascinated by its history, architecture and lifestyle. The city stands out for restraint, elegance, sophistication, which breathes every detail of the city from objects to inhabitants.
The most interesting objects include the most beautiful and ancient church of San Nicolá s de Bari, the Cathedral of St. James, made in the Basque Gothic style, the modern Congress Center, the Arriga Theater.
One of the symbols of past years is the Art Nouveau Mercado de la Ribera market, located on the banks of the Nervió n. Here you can try numerous seafood, buy souvenirs and enjoy being away from noisy city streets. The city has many modern buildings and the latest shopping centers.
Eating in Bilbao is a unique treat, a must-try date. Cuisine in Bilbao is an art that combines indigenous traditions with the latest trends. The Old Town is full of bars and restaurants, including centuries-old restaurants specializing in pintxos, miniature gastronomic art.
A trip to these establishments is part of the local culture and a kind of ritual, so we simply could not ignore such an attractive old restaurant.
Pintxos counters turn gastronomy into a pleasure for the most demanding taste, making it possible to savor every bite like a true work of art.
On a visit to the Basques ...to Navarre
We finish our acquaintance with the Basques ...in the capital of Navarre. But we were not mistaken, because for the Basques Pamplona (Iruñ a) is the historical capital of the Basque Country, and the historical region of the Basque Country also includes Navarre. The current Spanish province of Navarre is only the southern half of the medieval kingdom of the same name - Upper Navarre (Lower Navarre, located on the northern slope of the Pyrenees, is part of France). In this autonomy area of .1.
391 km² with a population of over 600 thousand inhabitants, ethnic Basques make up about 47%. The Basque language, unlike the other languages of Spain, does not belong to the Romance and, in general, to the Indo-European. In accordance with the formal law of December 15.1986, Navarre is linguistically divided into 3 zones according to the nature of the distribution of the Basque language: Basque-speaking, mixed and non-Basque-speaking. In the Basque-speaking and mixed zones, Basque has official status along with Spanish, while in the non-Basque-speaking zone, only Spanish is the official language. The official status of Basque implies, among other things, the use of Basque place names and the right of a citizen to use the Basque language when communicating in state institutions.
We start the tour on Sarasate Avenue near the Fueros Monument, which was erected in 1903 as a symbol of the freedom of the inhabitants of Navarre.
The weather didn’t spoil us anyway in the Basque Country, and Pamplona even met us with heavy rain and very cool weather (5 degrees C), but the desire to get to know an interesting city drove us out of a cozy bus onto the wet streets of the city, because Pamplona is not only the oldest city of Spain, but also one of the most beautiful cities in the country. Founded in the 70s by the Roman general Pompey, after whom it is named, Pamplona became the capital of the independent kingdom of Navarre in the 7th century.
The old walls of the fortress can be considered the most striking attraction of Pamplona - until now, three of the four sides of the city walls, the citadel and the fort are perfectly preserved, although they have long been used only as parks and recreation areas.
Although Pamplona is quite a large city (183 thousand inhabitants), its historical center of Casco Antico is very compact, which allows you to find the most characteristic historical buildings within a radius of literally ten minutes on foot from the main square of Plaza del Castillo. Trees are planted in a neat square on the square, benches under them. During the days of mass festivities, it can be overcrowded here. The most famous sights on the square are the 18th-century Baroque Goyenes Palace and the music kiosk.
The main square of Pamplona is surrounded by cafes and restaurants, many of which have outdoor terraces. Ernest Hemingway (there is a bronze statue of him inside), who vividly described the San Fermin festival in his novel Fiesta (“The Sun Also Rises”), was sitting here, in the Iruñ a cafe.
It is no coincidence that the inhabitants of Pamplona honor this American writer so much, one of the streets of the city is named after him, and a monument was erected to him near the arena where the bullfight is held.
We approach the Consistory (City Hall). From an architectural point of view, the building looks rather strange: the lower floors in the Baroque style support the upper parts of the building with Ionic and Doric columns. At the main door of the Town Hall there are statues of Prudence and Justice.
Every year on July 6 at noon, a rocket takes off from the balcony of the city hall announcing the beginning of the annual San Fermin festival, and with it the start of the race with the bulls. Pamplona is famous for this unique attraction - every year from July 6 to 14, a festival takes place here, during which the bullfight and race become the main attraction of the city. We did not have a chance to become its participants, but we walked along Relay Street and took pictures at the Ensierro Monument.
Nearby is the Encierro Museum, where you can watch videos of last year's races, learn about the history of Encierro and buy themed souvenirs.
Pamplona is also known for its other attractions: the oldest "civilian" building in the city - the house of Camara de Comptos (the court of auditors of the kingdom of Navarre, XIV century), the medieval palace of Sant Peter (used as a royal and episcopal residence, as well as an office of a military Governor of Navarre) was almost completely destroyed during the fighting of the Civil War and, after restoration, is used to house the Navarre archive. There are also several medieval bridges across the Arga River - Santa Engracia, Miluse, Magdalena and San Pedro.
We approach the Cathedral of Santa Maria.
Rebuilt and restored over the centuries, the cathedral is now a mixture of styles: a neoclassical faç ade hides gothic interiors, and some elements of the interior have been preserved from the 14th century. There is also a museum that includes a monastery, a chapel, a dining room, an exhibition of paintings and historical artifacts.
It's time to say goodbye to the Basque Country, which sees us off with a fine rain of "chirimiri", which has replaced the downpour. However, an abundance of rain, along with a mild maritime climate, is characteristic of this region, which is why it is always so fresh, green, with lush vegetation. This is how I remember this Country with an interesting past: hospitable, well-maintained and well-groomed, very picturesque, rainy ...Ahead is a meeting with other autonomies of such a diverse and beautiful country as Spain.
