14 years of travels in Europe, and a few non-European countries, and still going. Random photos taken over the years with some commentary and background info. Thanks Rick Steves!
El Palacio de Monterrey.
El Palacio de Monterrey, built in 1539, is one of the greatest exponents of the plateresque artistic style in Spain.Salamanca is a city in western Spain, the capital of the province of Salamanca, which belongs to the autonomous community of Castile and Leon (Castilla y León). The Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
Mazapan de Toledo.
Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal. It derives its characteristic flavor from bitter almonds, which constitute 4% to 6% of the total almond content by weight. Some marzipan is also flavored with rosewater. Mazapán is Toledo's most famous dessert. Almonds have to be at least 50% of the total weight, following the directives of Mazapán de Toledo regulator council. It is often made into sweets: common uses are marzipan-filled chocolate and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables. It is also rolled into thin sheets and glazed for icing cakes, primarily birthday and wedding cakes and Christmas cakes. This use is particularly common in England, on large fruitcakes. – wikipediaComments [0]
San Pedro Church.
Construction of the church of San Pedro began in 1100, at around the same time as the basilica of San Vicente. It was built in the Romanesque style. The most striking feature of the façade is its Cistercian rose window. The church has three naves and a triple apse. The exterior is also marked by a great square tower, from the same period.Ávila, sometimes called Ávila de los Caballeros or Ávila del Rey is the capital of the province of the same name, now part of the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. – wikipediaComments [0]
Alcazar gardens.
The Alcázar of Seville (Spanish "Alcázares Reales de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville") is a royal palace in Seville, Spain. The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture. Subsequent monarchs have added their own additions to the Alcázar. The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional. – Wikipedia
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Calle Calderería Nueva.
Calle Calderería Nueva is a stepped street in the Albayzin neighborhood of Granada consisting of Moroccan eateries and pastry shops, vendors of imported North African goods, halal butchers, and teterias (Moorish tea rooms). – ricksteves
El Albayzín (also Albaicín or El Albaicín) is a district of present day Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain, that retains the narrow winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past. It was declared a world heritage site in 1984, along with the more famous Alhambra. It rises on a hill facing the Alhambra and many tourists journey into the Albayzin primarily for the spectactular views of the Alhambra from the viewing point by the church of San Nicolas. Highlights within the area include the remains of an Arab bath complex, Granada's archeological museum, and the church of San Salvador, built on the remains of a Moorish mosque. The Albayzin also contains some original Moorish houses and a wide-range of restaurants, including several streets whose eateries are inspired by North Africa. – Wikipedia
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Plaza de España.
The Plaza de España is one of Seville's most easily recognized buildings and the epitome of the Moorish Revival in Spanish architecture. In 1929 Seville hosted the Spanish-American Exhibition and numerous buildings were constructed for the exhibition in Maria Luisa Park, among them the Plaza designed by Aníbal González. On the Park's edge was built the current Plaza de España to showcase Spain's industry and technology exhibits.
The Plaza is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge accessible over the moat by numerous beautiful bridges. In the center is a large fountain. Today the plaza mainly consists of government buildings, including El Ayuntamiento, but the beauty remains. A popular way to view the exhibition is by renting out a rowing boat and drifting around the moat. By the walls of the Plaza are many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain. Tourists can have their photo taken by their own home province. – Wikipedia
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Convento de Santa Teresa.
The Convento de Santa Teresa (Convent of St. Teresa) is the primary shrine of St. Teresa in Ávila. Located on the Plaza de la Santa, it stands over the site of Teresa's birth.
It is an active convent and much of it remains closed to visitors, but pilgrims can visit the site of Teresa's birthplace, now an elaborate chapel within the Baroque church. The chapel is decorated with scenes of the saint demonstrating her powers of levitation. – sacred-destinations.com
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New Cathedral.
The New Cathedral (Spanish: Catedral Nueva) of Salamanca, Spain, is, near the Old Cathedral, one of the two cathedrals of the city. It was constructed between the 16th in and 18th centuries in two styles: late Gothic and Baroque. Building began in 1513 and the cathedral was consecrated in 1733. It was commissioned by Ferdinand V of Castile of Spain. – Wikipedia
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Marqués de Larios.
Málaga’s swanky shopping street, Marqués de Larios is traffic-free and luxurious with glossy marble pavements and expensive shops. On either side are alleyways and tiny squares and a number of churches and museums, all within close range. – andalucia.comComments [0]
Seville Cathedral.
The Cathedral of Seville in Seville, Andalucia is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world. It is also known as Catedral de Santa María de la Sede (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See)
At the time of its completion in the 1500s, it supplanted the Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world. Previously, the Hagia Sophia had held the title for more than a thousand years. The cathedral also serves as the burial site of Christopher Columbus. – Wikipedia
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