"Spain" a Spain Travel Page by VictoriaM.

Widely known for Flamenco music and dance, bull-fights,
fantastic beaches and lots of sunshine, Spain has to offer
much more than that. It is - and has been for thousands of
years - one of the cultural centers of Europe. It has
beautiful cities and towns, offering really old monuments
as well as futuristic architecture. Its various regions are all
different one to each other, geographically, climatically
and even in personality. It is a fascinating country to
know and to know more about it.

"Spain is different!", Spaniards use to say. They don't
specify compared to what: to the rest of Europe, to the
rest of the world, or even to itself ? We don't know it
either, but we do our best to supply you with loads of
information so you can find the answer to this question
and to many more by yourself.

Fiestas und Folklore

Best known among Spain's folkloristical traditions are certainly Flamenco and bullfights. Bullfights you will find indeed throughout
the country, the most popular event perhaps being the "Running of Bulls" during the Sanfermines in Pamplona. But bullfights are
part and parcel of any Fiesta.

Flamenco, on the other hand, is the musical tradition in the country's south, in particular in Andalusia. That is where you have to
move to see and listen first rate dancing and guitar playing. In April takes place Feria de Abril, in Seville, an entire week of singing
and dancing and trying that great Sherry wine, those delicious tasty snacks called "Tapas" and more Sherry wine ... and if you like
this sort of things you REALLY should not miss that event.
If you can arrange it (and find a hotel room) better arrive to Seville already two weeks before Feria, and see this city's other
outstanding event: Semana Santa, Easter week, with its world-famous processions.
Another most popular event of religious origin is El Rocio, a traditional pilgimship to the village El Rocio in the province of Huelva,
in May. This pilgrimship anyhow is not too solemn and serious, Flamenco and wine being indispensable components. Follow the
thousands who each year travel there and have yourself a ball.

Another outstanding Fiesta are "Las Fallas de San José" in Valencia, in March, when all the city becomes the scenery of an
enormous party with lots of good mood and excellent fireworks.
A wild week you can spend also in San Sebastian during February, when La Tamburrada takes place.
Madrid has its Fiesta, "San Isidro", in May. If you like bullfights, don't miss it.

Carnival is popular in all the country, the best is in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, but if you are at the peninsula, Cadiz and Sitges are the
places to go.

Architecture

The oldest works of architecture in Spain of which rests are left go back to the megalythical culture, approximately 3000 b.C.
Anyhow, they are probably not exactly what you expect to find here. Lots of Roman monuments are conserved too , among the
most important being the great aquaeduct of Segovia and the amphitheater of Mérida.

Absolutely stunning is what Moors have left in this country. The Great Mosque of Cordoba is one of the most visited sights by
tourists, the other of course being Granada's Alhambra which is perfectly conserved in its original condition. The Spanish
Moors created a style of their own that differs in many aspects from their traditional architecture which you may find in Africa and
introduced several novelties.This style is called Caliphal style. The Christians who lived in Muslim territory were called Mozarabes,
and so is called their particular architectonical style which combines Visigothic construction technics and caliphal style . After the
country was reconquered from the Muslims, Moorish architects who stayed developed another new style combining their traditional
architecture with Romanesque and Gothic elements, the Mudejar style.

While most of Spain was occupied by the Moors, there existed still Visigoth kingdoms in the country's north. There you can find
important monuments of Visigoth and Romanesque styles , of the latter in particular along the "Camino de Santiago". In 12th
century Gothic style was introduced in Spain , arriving to its greatest importance during 13th century when the cathedrals of
Burgos , Toledo and Leon were built. Gothic in Spain combines frequently with Mudejar-elements.
Plateresque style is the Spanish variation of Renaissance style. The word comes from "plata", silver, indicating that it is much richer
in ornamentation than for instance Italian Renaissance style . One of the most representative monuments is the University of
Salamanca .

Baroque in Spain falls together with the country's perhaps most glorious epoch. Two opposite approaches may be observed: the
works of Juan Herrera are remarkably austere (e.g. Monastery "El Escorial" , close to Madrid) while Churriguera used
extremely rich ornamentation. In Galicia exists another variation of baroque style, the so-called Baroco Compostelano , with
Santiago de Compostela as its center.

In Modernism Spain played again a highly important role. Most outstanding are perhaps the works of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona,
as his great cathedral "Sagrada Familia" . Until today Barcelona in particular has remained a center of modern and even
futuristical architecture.