Spain is a great European country with a Mauritanian accent (part 6)
Andalusia - the soul of Spain, Seville - the heart of Andalusia
Andalusia is the southernmost, most colorful, second largest (87.595 sq. km) and the first in terms of population (about 8 million people) autonomous region of Spain, consisting of eight provinces: Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaé n, Malaga and Seville. This is where continents meet - cultures collide and mix. This is the real Spain, exactly the way tourists imagine it in books and films, music, songs and stories; it is the bridge between Europe and Africa, the place where the waters of the Atlantic meet the Mediterranean; these are fabulous villages, UNESCO cities and stunning monuments of Arab art that add color to Spanish landscapes; it is the birthplace of bullfighting and flamenco; sherry wine and cold gazpacho soup; it's traditions and fiesta, incendiary extravaganzas all year round and a cheerful population! Andalusia can rightly be called the soul of Spain. The name "Andalusia" comes from the Arabic Al-Andalus (so from 711 to 1492 the entire Iberian Peninsula was called by Muslims, with the exception of Asturias). During the Reconquista, Christians used this name in relation to the south of the peninsula, later the name was assigned to the last occupied territory.
The capital and heart of Andalusia is Seville - a city in southern Spain, the fourth most populous city in Spain (700 thousand inhabitants). The history of the emergence of the city is rooted in the distant past, when in the 3rd millennium BC. e. on the territory of Seville, the Phoenician settlement of Sefele (“lowland”) arose, and as a city it was founded by the Tartesses in the distant VIII century BC. e. called Ispalis. The Arabs conquered the city in 712 and the first thing they do is adapt the name of the city to their language and call it Ishbilia, from which the modern name of Seville comes. In 1248 Seville was conquered by the Spaniards. Some time later, King Ferdinand III of Castile ordered the construction of a shipyard in the city. It was from this moment that the infrastructure of the city began to develop rapidly.
In the 15th century, from the port of Seville, the famous navigator and discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus began his long journey to the shores of India, which in 1492 became the famous discovery of the New World. This time was the beginning of the flourishing of the city's economy, since it was only Seville that had the right to trade with the newly discovered countries. The city became a port of world importance, where you could see the treasures brought from different parts of the world. The Arab historian Al Sakundi wrote about this extraordinary city: "He who has not been to Seville has not seen a miracle, " and Federico Garcia Lorca called Seville "A turret in a jagged crown. "
The inhabitants of Seville, known in Spanish as "sevillanos", are known for their wit and brilliance, and the city itself impresses with its cheerfulness. The townspeople are outstanding actors and give their spectacular performances at the annual Feria de Abril fair in April. It is a week-long celebration of dance, food and wine, which continues day and night and becomes the occasion for the tailoring of numerous traditional folk costumes and their details - mantillas, mantons and castanuels, which allows men in colorful national costumes to show their beautiful horses in the parade of riders, and women - dance in their bright dresses.
We begin our acquaintance with the sights of this beautiful sultry city from the Golden Tower (Torre del Oro), located on the embankment of the Guadalquivir River. This is a Moorish twelve-sided tower with loopholes, built in 1220 under the rule of the Almohads to protect the harbor of Seville. The tower was part of the now disappeared fortified walls that encompassed the ancient center of Arab Seville. Once on the other side of the river there was the same watchtower and a huge chain stretched between them in wartime closed the entrance to the harbor. Torre del Oro is relatively little rebuilt, only the upper part with a dome and semicircular windows date back to the 18th century. The origin of the name of this tower is a matter of controversy. Some argue that the name comes from the golden color of the tiles covering it, while others claim that gold brought from the New World was stored in it.
Over the past centuries, the Golden Tower has changed its purpose more than once: it served as a prison, a chapel, for some time the treasures of King Pedro the Cruel were stored here, ships that arrived from the New World were unloaded near its walls. Later, the tower became owned by the city council. In the 20th century, a small Maritime Museum was located in this tower.
Not far from the Golden Tower is the Maestranza bullring, which is an oval amphitheater that can accommodate 18.000 people. It was built in 1763 and is the second largest arena in Spain after Madrid.
We visit the Alcazar palace-fortress - a small "state within a state", standing in the middle of the city, with Moorish-style palaces, galleries, marble-paved courtyards, fountains, waterfalls, sculptures, gardens.
The Alcazar is one of the oldest royal palaces in Europe. From the Alcazar fortress, originally built in Seville, created by the Muslim tribe of Abadié s, the fortress wall and the courtyard of Patio del Yeso, located in the continuation of the courtyard of Patio de Banderas, have been preserved. The Alcazar was later rebuilt by Don Pedro the Cruel and reformed by Juan II, Isabella and Ferdinand and Charles V.
Part of the Alcazar, made in the Mudé jar style, the work of Arab and Seville architects together with decorators from Toledo, 1326, makes an indelible impression in its color - blue, gold, red and green tones combined with filigree plaster and enamel. The main faç ade at the entrance from the Courtyard de la Monteria is one of the finest examples of Mudé jar art in Spain.
On the main floor of the palace, where a staircase of the 16th century leads, there are: the chapel of the Catholic kings with an interesting altar made of tiles, the work of Frasisco Niculoso Pisano of 1504, the bedroom of King Don Pedro, with a magnificent carved wooden ceiling and beautiful shutters made in the Mudé jar style, a dining room, Children's Room and Music Salon. Despite the majesty of all these rooms, they are perceived as cozy and intimate, reminding us of the old days.
Located next to the Alcazar, the Cathedral is the largest church in Spain and the third largest in Christendom, surpassed only by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The cathedral is also famous for the fact that there are the remains of Christopher Columbus, whose burial is located in the right wing of the transept. The construction of the Cathedral began in 1401 on the site where the largest mosque in Spain used to be. The cathedral was built in the late Gothic style on the basis of a giant rectangle 116 meters long and 76 meters wide. Its interior reflects a wide variety of styles and presents values that defy material expression: examples of Mudé jar art, plateresque grilles, Gothic carvings, copper images, icons, jewelry, paintings and more. In total, it took four centuries for the Cathedral to acquire its modern look.
As a separate attraction of Seville, it is customary to consider the bell tower of the Cathedral, the Giralda Tower, almost 100 meters high. The tower was built in the 12th century in the Mudé jar style. At a height of 93 meters there is an observation deck that can be reached by stairs.
To experience the life of the Sevilles, we visit the Santa Cruz quarter, the former Jewish quarter of Juderia. You can get here by passing through the so-called Murillo Gardens, or through the arch located next to the Banderas Courtyard, this is like a hallway leading to the Alcazar fortress.
The structure and names of the streets here are not accidental, almost each has its own history and legend: Life Street, Death Street, Sigh Street, Barrabas Street - they all have an individual character. It's like being transported into a fantasy world. Everything here breathes purity and intoxicates with aromas. The streets are small and narrow, framed by charming houses with white facades, immersed in the greenery of loaches and the green-white charm of jasmine, which saturates the air with its characteristic aroma. Santa Cruz is the true heart of Seville. The typicality of the quarter is inhaled in the street of Sighs by the romantic halo left by Don Juan Tenorio's campaigns. In the quarter you can see the house in which he lived, as well as the house of one of his lovers. Traveling around the quarter will help you go back in time, learn and see a lot of interesting things, get acquainted with the mysterious legends that fan this ancient mysterious place.
Seville is also famous for its extraordinary Plaza de Españ a, built for the International Exhibition "Iberoamericana". The square in a semicircular shape is decorated with numerous tiles and fountains. This square has a semicircular shape framed by a colonnade, it is spacious and, as it were, personifies the elegance of Seville. Plaza de Españ a is surrounded by buildings housing the Military Governorate, the Civil and Military Governments. The square faces towards the Guadalquivir, and the Park is in the center. Under the balustrades of the colonnade, curious mosaics with allegorical images representing the most important events for each of the Spanish provinces, with the corresponding coats of arms and a map on the floor, attract attention. Graceful bridges, giving the square a certain romantic Venetian spirit, hung over a semicircular pond, parallel to the colonnade.
The beautiful avenida of Isabella the Catholic leads to the Plaza de Españ a, passing through the very heart of Maria Luisa Park - the most famous and largest park in Seville. The date of its foundation is 1893, when the Duchess, the widow of Montpensier, donated half of the gardens of the San Telmo Palace to the city. The Mudé jar Pavilion is located on the territory of the park, in the building of which the Museum of Folk Art is located. The building was originally built to host the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. On two floors of the museum, you can see a huge collection, among the exhibits of which are national clothes of the 19th century, folk arts and crafts, furniture, household items, etc.
The park was reconstructed by the French engineer Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestiè re, who also gave a romantic touch to the gardens of the Alhambra and the Alcazar in Seville. On the border with the park is America's Square with three former exhibition buildings.
Seville is also home to such cultural treasures of Seville as Pilate's house, City Hall, the Archive of the Indies, which houses historical records of the American continent, the Art Museum (the second largest art gallery in Spain), as well as monasteries, parish churches and palaces. The Cathedral, the Alcazar and the Archive of the Indies have been declared World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Arriving in Seville, you find yourself in the very center of Andalusian culture, in the center of bullfighting and flamenco music. In Seville, the fiery "sevillanas" was born - a folk dance, without which, they say, there would be no legendary flamenco. In this city, you want to take life easy, as Andalusians are used to, in order to fully enjoy its charm.
Cordoba - the former capital of the Caliphate of Cordoba
For eight centuries, a Muslim country existed on the territory of modern Spain - not a country, a state - not a state - "the fabulous land of al-Andalus", and its center was the city of Cordoba, conquered by Arab troops in 711. From 756 it was the capital of the Emirate of Cordoba, and from 929 - the Caliphate of Cordoba. In the X century, it reached its peak, had up to 1 million inhabitants, many palaces, mosques, caravanserais and was the center of Arabic science, poetry and art. While the rest of the continent was ruled mostly by uncouth tyrants, and the people were in superstition and ignorance, the sciences and arts flourished here, there was street lighting, public baths were in operation (men washed in the morning, women in the evening), cutlery and glass glasses were used. Astronomers and doctors, philosophers and musicians, historians and simply wise men flocked to the court of the caliphs. Three faiths peacefully coexisted here: Islamic, Jewish and Christian - this is always the case in enlightened societies. With the collapse of the Caliphate of Cordoba in 1031, Cordoba retained its independence only until 1070, when it was subjugated by the emir of Seville. During the Reconquista, Cordoba in 1236 came under the rule of the Castilian king Ferdinand III and its historical fate was intertwined with the fate of Castile, and then Spain. In January 1492, the Spaniards defeated the last Muslim stronghold in the Iberian Peninsula. The trophy wealth of this land went to the Spanish kings, who, after the victory, equipped the Columbus expedition with these funds. In October of the same year, the great navigator discovered America, and a completely different story began. In this new story, the brilliance and glory of Cordoba - the center of the once powerful Islamic empire - if not forgotten, then erased.
Today, Cordoba is a modern medium-sized city with a population of 321.000. We begin our acquaintance with the city from the ancient bridge built by the Romans in the 1st century AD. e. for commercial traffic along the ancient road of Augustus (from Rome to Cadiz) during the time of Emperor Octavian Augustus. The bridge served as an important strategic point, as it was the only way to cross the Guadalquivir River by land from south to north. It was later reconstructed by the Moors in the 8th century. The length of the bridge is 250 meters and is structurally made in the form of 16 arches. It is located in the center of the historical part of the city and connects the areas of the Holy Field of the Martyrs and the Cathedral. On May 1.2004, the bridge was made pedestrian and the passage of vehicles on it was prohibited.
On the left (south) bank of the Guadalquivir River near the Roman Bridge, the defensive tower of Torre de la Calahorra rises - the oldest fortress in the city, built in the 14th century. At the base, the tower has the shape of a Latin cross with three wings; the central part of the structure is made in the form of a cylinder. Now in the building of the tower there are 140 halls of the Museum of the Three Cultures, made in different styles and telling us about the history of the development of Cordoba. In the interior halls of the building there are a large number of decorative elements created in the Moorish style. With the help of 3D presentations, you can learn a lot about the history of Có rdoba, as well as the modern daily life of this city.
On the Roman bridge there is a statue depicting the patron saint of Cordoba - the Archangel Raphael. There are always many flowers and candles at the foot of this magnificent monument.
At the opposite end of the bridge is Puerta del Puente, built by architect German Ruiz in the 16th century on the site of an ancient Roman entrance gate on the occasion of Philip II's visit to the city. Puerta del Puente is mistakenly called the Arc de Triomphe. In fact, it was just the entrance to the ancient fortress wall. In 1931, the Puerta del Puente gate, as well as the Roman bridge and the Caraolla tower, located on its opposite side, were declared an architectural and historical monument.
Having passed over the bridge and through the gates of Puerta del Puente, we approach another monument to the patron saint of Cordoba - “The Triumph of the Archangel Raphael”. Since the 17th century, the archangel Raphael has been considered the patron saint of the city, because it was then, during the plague that devastated Cordoba, that he appeared to a sick priest in a dream and announced that he would save the city. After the epidemic subsided, sculptures began to be erected in honor of the heavenly savior in the squares and streets of Cordoba, and the name "Raphael" became the most common among the local natives. In total, there are about ten such monuments in Cordoba, of which the most famous are the statues on the Roman bridge and on the Puerta del Puente.
The hallmark of the city is the Mesquite Mosque (785-985) - the second largest after the Kaaba in Mecca. The construction of the Mezquita began around 600 and it was built as a Visigothic church of Vincent of Saragossa. Later it became a mosque (originally "Al-Jama Mosque"), in 711 it was destroyed, and in 784 Abd ar-Rahman I built a mosque on its foundation in honor of his wife. After that, the mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes and became the most magnificent of the more than 1.000 mosques in the city. The beauty and harmony of the building so shocked the Christians who conquered the city that no one dared to destroy it, however, a Christian cathedral was added to the complex, which turned the mosque into the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin (Cordoba Cathedral), and the minaret was modified and turned into a 60-meter Torre bell tower de Alminar, which is perfectly visible from any square in Juderia, the old Jewish district of Cordoba.
The significance and uniqueness of the Mezquita, and now the Cathedral of Cordoba, lies in the fact that many architectural styles are combined in this beautiful architectural monument of antiquity. Once inside the cathedral, you find yourself as if in a paradise forest, formed from a plexus of double arches made of yellow and pink bricks, and in the very center there is a majestic baroque choir and an altar. Today, in this architectural complex, you can see a fragment of an ancient Visigoth temple, a Muslim mosque, which was the main religious object of the Cordoba Caliphate, as well as a Christian cathedral. This architectural structure is so unique that it is classified as a World Heritage Site and is under the protection of UNESCO.
Alcazar (translated from Arabic as "fortress", "fortified castle") - the name of the Spanish city fortresses, residences of local rulers, of which there are several throughout the country. One of them is the Alcazar of the Christian Kings, also called the Alcazar of Cordoba, located in the city of Cordoba. The Alcazar of the Christian Kings was built in Có rdoba in 1328 by order of Alfonso XI, also called Alfonso the Just, and has since been the residence of the Christian Kings during their stay in Có rdoba. The Alcazar was built on the foundations of an old Moorish fortress, which, in turn, was built on the foundations of a Roman bastion. In the XIV and XV centuries, the territory of the residence was expanded and gardens and Arab baths were added to it. The fortress was rebuilt at the behest of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. In this residence they both lived and prepared a strategy for the military operations that led to the capture of Granada. In this palace, Christopher Columbus himself was received on a guest visit. In the period from 1490 to 1821, the Holy Inquisition was located in the building. Currently, various objects and things of Ancient Rome, memos, and the most skillful mosaics are exhibited here. The palace itself is almost a regular square. Created under the influence of Arabic architecture, it at the same time bears the features of European Gothic, as well as the styles of later eras. According to the plan of its creators, the Alcazar was to become a symbol of the victory of Christianity over Islam. The Tower of Respect is the main tower of the palace and has been preserved in its original form since the construction of the Alcazar. Here is the reception hall, and at the very top of the octagonal tower in the old days, oaths were taken to protect Cordoba from the enemy to the last drop of blood, and royal decrees were read from here. Clearly influenced by the French style of the time, the Tower of Respect features thin, soaring Gothic vaults and carved floral ornaments that adorn the rooms. Next to it is the Tower of the Inquisition or the Tower of Gardens, which was added by Christian monarchs in the 15th century - the highest in the palace, the open balcony of which served as a place for public executions by hanging. Various archives and valuable royal documents have been kept inside this tower for centuries. In the northwestern part of the Alcazar is the Lion Tower, named after one of the gargoyles that decorate its upper platform. This is the oldest tower of the palace, square in cross-section, with lancet windows and battlements, surprisingly combining Moorish and Gothic style. Finally, the fourth, destroyed in the 19th century and reconstructed in the 20th century, was the Dove Tower or Night Guard Tower.
At the very entrance, guests are greeted by a monument to Alfonso XI the Just. At the end of the alley there is a small square with a sculptural composition depicting the meeting of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon with Christopher Columbus. It was here, in the Alcazar of the Christian Kings, that the famous navigator had an audience with the monarchs in 1492, who gave him permission to sail and sponsored his journey. Since 1994, the Alcazar of the Christian Kings has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Alhambra - the former residence of the Emirate of Granada
We continue our acquaintance with Andalusia in the city of Granada, which was founded in the prehistoric period by local tribes and was called Ilbir. The Moors, who conquered Spain in the 8th century, gave it its modern name, Granada. It received its main development during the reign of the Muslim Nasrid dynasty (1230-1492), under which Granada became the capital of the Emirate of Granada on the Iberian Peninsula, and the Alhambra - their residence. Currently, Granada, with a population of 270 thousand people, is the capital of the province of the same name. But our attention is primarily attracted not by the modern city, but by the masterpiece of Moorish architecture, the Alhambra, an architectural complex of palaces and gardens built in the 14th century. The Mauritanian emirs wished to create a piece of earthly paradise on the conquered lands of sunny Spain - this is how the Alhambra arose among the shady gardens of Granada, which became the residence of the conquering emirs.
This grandiose ensemble, which includes the summer palace of the Generalife with its fountains and gardens, is located on top of a rocky plateau in the eastern part of the city of Granada at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, which looks down on the city and the fertile valley of Granada. Medieval poets described the structure as "an emerald pearl", noting the expressive structure against the backdrop of green forests, blue skies and mountain landscapes with snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. The name Alhambra literally translates from Arabic as "red castle", referring to the color of the sun-dried clay from which the palaces are built.
The Alhambra consists of the main parts: a military zone or Alcazaba (from the Arabic word al-kasba - "fortress"); palaces - Alcazar; the city or medina and the agricultural estate of the Generalife.
The structure of the Alcazaba - the citadel of the Alhambra includes many towers, both defensive, which are part of the fortress wall, and internal, serving for peaceful purposes. Some of their names: Cubic, Adarve, Sentinel, Ommazha, Hidalgo, Broken, Shield-bearer, Powder, Armory, Sultana - what are they worth!
We start our tour of the Alcazar from the Palace of Carlos V, located in the center of the Alhambra, built in the 16th century by order of the Roman king Charles V. The square structure hides a circular courtyard with an Ionic colonnade on the top floor and Tuscan columns on the bottom. Its Renaissance architecture in the spirit of Italian Mannerism (architect Pedro Machuca lived in Italy for a long time) contrasts sharply with neighboring buildings. The palace has two floors, on the facades of which pilasters alternate with pairs of windows - rectangular and round at the top. On the second floor of the building is the Museum of Fine Arts of Granada, in the south wing of the first floor - the Alhambra Museum, a museum of Islamic art, which exhibits mainly archaeological finds made in the Alhambra itself.
We are heading towards the Place de la Reservoirs, which is located between the Alcazaba on one side and the Nasrid palaces and the palace of Charles V on the other. The square takes its name from the underground cisterns dug in this place by the Comte de Tendilla in 1494. From there we entered the Alcazaba through the Gate of Justice or the Esplanade Gate, which was the main entrance to the residence of the Alhambra in the time of the Moors. On the huge arches of the horseshoe-shaped gate, there are inscriptions in Arabic script: “Praise be to God. There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. There is no other authority but God's. " Above the outer gate there is an Arabic image of a hand (possibly the hand of Fatima, the daughter of the prophet), above the inner one - a key, as well as a statue of the Madonna in a niche, made by Roberto Aleman already at the direction of the Catholic kings.
One of the most beautiful places of the Alhambra is the Palace of Lions - the emir's private quarters, in the center of which is the courtyard of the same name with an area of approximately 440 square meters. m. It was built during the time of Mohammed V and is distinguished by its unusual beauty: 124 slender columns rise along the entire perimeter. In the center is a fountain of Lions with twelve stone predators that support a stone bowl. There is an inscription on the fountain in Arabic script: “This is a garden, the buildings in it are so beautiful that Allah does not allow another beauty to exist that can compare with this. ”
The modern entrance to the Moorish Palace is a small door from which there is a corridor to the Myrtle Courtyard - the center of the composition of the entire palace, almost the most famous place in the Alhambra. A courtyard measuring 42x22 m, in the middle of which there is a marble reservoir measuring 34 ×.7. 1 m, where water is supplied from two fountains on the short sides of the rectangle, for which the courtyard is also called the Pond Patio. In the center is a large pond with goldfish, and myrtle grows along the banks. On the long sides of the courtyard are richly decorated entrances to the women's quarters.
The Generalife ("architect's garden") - the former country summer residence of the emirs of the Nasrid dynasty - is located to the east of the fortress itself and is connected to it by several roads. The Generalife is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as "an invaluable example of the royal Arab residences of the medieval period. " It has the status of the oldest of the Moorish gardens that have survived to this day, and is a true masterpiece of horticultural art, recreating the images of paradise from the Koran. The complex includes a palace, gardens and a number of minor structures. Its faç ade is deliberately kept simple and modest, contrasting with the rich interior in the style of the Alhambra palaces. The strongest impression in it is made by the Courtyard of the Irrigation Canal, through which the same canal passed, traces of which are visible in the Alhambra. Here it is framed by two rows of water jets, and flowers, bushes and trees are planted along the banks.
It leads to the observation deck (mirador), which offers a beautiful view of the city. To the east of the palace on a hill are the Upper Gardens, laid out in the 19th century. Here, attention is drawn to the Water Staircase, which runs along the cascade in the railing, and the Romantic Mirador of 1836 in the neo-Gothic style, which contrasts with the rest of the buildings.
The lower gardens with canals, fountains, and skillfully trimmed trees and bushes appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century; in 1952, an open theater was built in them for music and dance festivals.
The road from the Alhambra to Granada goes along the Cuesta de Gomeres slope through a wonderful park area.
We continue our acquaintance with the city through the oldest quarter of Granada - Albaicin. This white quarter, with its winding streets and narrow staircases, is located on the hill of the same name opposite the Alhambra. Meeting a rider on a horse and horse-drawn carriages is a common thing for the city.
Valencia - the ancient city of the future
On the territory of the community of Valencia in 23255 sq. km there are three provinces: Castellon, Valencia, Alicante, in which more than 5 million people live. The nature here is very picturesque, which is fully consistent with the Mediterranean ecosystem, having a coastline 518 km long. On the way, we “drop in” for an hour to the city of Alicante, the capital of the province of the same name. I only managed to walk along the embankment, but that was enough to fall in love with this snow-white city. Its main attractions are the Arab fortress and the fortress of St. Barbara, from where you can see the whole city with tall date palms.
I was especially impressed by the coastal Esplanade with the famous palm alley and mosaic pavement - a symbol of the sea soul of the city, since the city is located on the Costa Blanca - one of the main tourist centers in Spain.
In the community of Valencia, the Catalan language is spoken, which the locals call Valencian. In fact, the Valencian language is just a dialect of Catalan and they differ only in pronunciation.
The capital of the community is the city of the same name Valencia - the third largest city in Spain (800 thousand) after Madrid and Barcelona. The city's name comes from the Latin word meaning "brave". It is located at the confluence of the partially drained Turia River into the Mediterranean Sea. The city was founded by the Romans in 138 BC. e. , although on the site of the city there were settlements of the Greeks and Carthaginians before. The Roman period in the history of Valencia ended in 413, when Valencia was captured by the Visigoths. In 714, the city was conquered by the Moors, including it in the Caliphate of Cordoba. In 1094, the legendary Spanish commander Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, better known as Cid Campeador, was able to take Valencia and liberate it from the Moors, after which he ruled it until his death in 1099. During his reign, Cid turned Valencia from a Muslim city into one of the largest Christian centers in Spain at that time; by 1096, all Muslim mosques in Valencia were either destroyed or converted into churches. In the period from 1099 to 1102, Cid's wife Jimena ruled Valencia, but subsequently she was forced to leave the city to the Moors. During the retreat, the Christians burned Valencia. In 1102, Islamic rule was again established in the city. As for all of Spain at that time, this period is characterized by the peaceful coexistence of Christians, Muslims and Jews in conditions of religious tolerance. The city was finally recaptured by the Christians only in 1238, when King James I of Aragon successfully stormed the city and pushed the Moors from the territories adjacent to Valencia.
One of the biggest attractions of the city is the Cathedral of Santa Maria, built on the site of a mosque in the XIII-XV centuries, in the chapter hall of which the agate cup of the Holy Grail is kept. The Cathedral of Valencia is a grand building in the very center of the city, which is the main temple of the entire Valencian community and a real encyclopedia of architectural styles. Its centuries-old history and architecture reflect the cultural and spiritual life of Valencian Christians. Arising on the site of an ancient Roman temple, which was later turned into a Visigothic church, and later into a mosque, the cathedral began to be built in the 13th century. Since the temple was repeatedly completed, it cannot be considered a pure example of any style - samples of different trends are collected here: from Romanesque art and Gothic to Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassicism. The Holy Grail is the cup from which, according to legend, the apostles took communion at the Last Supper, and into which the blood of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross was later collected. Unlike the mystical chalice owned by the Templars, this chalice, whose delivery to Valencia in 1437 contributed to the strengthening of the power of the city, was officially recognized by the Vatican as one of the Instruments of the Passion.
The most beautiful square is the square of the Virgin Mary, from which, one might say, the city begins. Here, sitting comfortably at a table on the summer terrace of one of the restaurants, waiting for the ordered paella, we admired the views of the Cathedral of Valencia, the Basilica of the Virgin of the Les Misé rables and the amazing fountain located in the center of the square, which is a sculptural group, in the center of which, surrounded by seven virgins, is an expressive figure . This fountain symbolizes the Turia River with irrigation canals branching off from it.
We go to the Market Square of Valencia - one of the most beautiful and significant ensembles of the city, formed by buildings of three different styles: the Gothic Silk Exchange, the baroque church of Santos Juanes and the modernist Central Market. The masterpiece of Valencian Gothic Lonja de la Seda or the Silk Exchange is located in the historic center of the city, on the Market Square. The stock exchange building is one of the most important sights of Valencia and one of the best monuments of late Gothic civil architecture in Spain and throughout Europe. A striking building with beautiful historic interiors and a rich history reflecting the prosperity of Valencia as a major trading city during the 15th-16th centuries. Here you can see several magnificent halls with Gothic ceilings and intricate stone carvings, as well as a charming Orange Courtyard. A very interesting and unusual place that you should definitely visit during a trip to Valencia. A real miracle in stone, the Silk Exchange of Valencia has been a historical and cultural monument of national importance since 1931, and in 1996 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and recognized as “an exceptional example of civil architecture in the late Gothic style, magnificently demonstrating the power and wealth of one of the the greatest trading cities of the Mediterranean. The Silk Exchange is the most famous and beautiful building in Valencia and the only object in the entire Valencian Community that is under the protection of UNESCO.
Opposite the complex of buildings of the Silk Exchange is the historical complex of San Juan del Hospital, which includes the oldest church in Valencia. The complex was founded in 1238 by the Hospitable Order of Saint John (Order of Malta), the world's oldest religious order of chivalry. In gratitude for the help provided by the Hospitallers during the reconquest of Valencia from the Muslims, King Jaime I granted this spiritual and knightly order a former mosque, as well as some lands and houses that previously belonged to Muslims. The Order of Hospitallers established a whole complex here with a hospital, a cemetery, residential buildings and a church. The latter has survived to this day, retaining its original name. It was built on the site of a destroyed Arab mosque in 1240. Throughout its history, the church has been rebuilt many times, so now it is a combination of several architectural styles. Built in the 13th century, the Gothic church was significantly damaged by fires in the 14th and 16th centuries and underwent a number of changes. Only by the beginning of the 18th century did the church acquire its final baroque appearance.
Directly opposite the famous Silk Exchange, next to the church of Santos Juanes, is the Central Market of Valencia - one of the oldest food markets in Europe, although its current building was built not so long ago. While walking around Valencia, it is worth stopping by to admire the curious architecture in the Valencian Art Nouveau style, and at the same time to feel the local flavor, enjoy the bright colors and delicious smells, buy some goodies or even have a full lunch. In addition to the actual stalls with fish, sausages, vegetables, fruits, spices, etc. , there are many cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, tapas bars in the huge Valencian market and its environs). In total, the market has 959 trading places.
Valencia is an ancient city, but it struck us not with its medieval sights, which we have seen enough in other Spanish cities, but with the modern City of Art.
