Spain natural and cultural monuments. III.Historical and cultural heritage of Spain

Among the many cultural and historical sights of the country, there are even entire islands included in the World Heritage. So, the Spanish Ibiza is almost entirely included in this list. All thanks to the amazing nature and unique architectural monuments... Rare marine organisms live off the coast of the island. They feed on Posidonia. This is a type of algae that is considered endemic, that is, very rare. But not only this fact makes him known to the whole world. Posidonia is the longest type of algae, reaching up to 8 m. In addition, Mediterranean pine grows on our island. Like the olive bushes, these trees have formed the landscape of Ibiza for seven thousand years.

As for the architectural sights that make up the UNESCO heritage in Spain, among them it is worth noting the Cathedral in the city of Burgos. This is one of the oldest Catholic sanctuaries in the country, built in the Gothic style. Its history goes back over eight hundred years. Not only the external, but also the internal decoration of the cathedral is an object of admiration. Inside you can see a gilded staircase, sculptures and altars, as well as relief images of gospel stories. In addition, the cathedral is decorated with beautiful stained-glass windows.

A true engineering wonder, protected by UNESCO in Spain, is the Biscay Transporter Bridge. It was built at the end of the 19th century. The bridge was the first of its kind in the world. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it allows you to transport goods across the river, which does not become an obstacle for ships passing through it.

Speaking of the natural heritage of Spain, it is worth mentioning the Garajonay National Park on the island of Homer. There are virgin forests with laurel trees. In addition to them, you can find here over five hundred different types of plants and trees. There are many water sources in the park, which leads to lush vegetation. This ecosystem is truly unique, which determined the inclusion of this reserve in the World Heritage.

UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites in Spain

First World Heritage Site: Island and City of Ibiza

Cultural heritage

Second World Heritage Site: Archaeological Site of Merida

Third World Heritage Site: Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe

UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage sites in India

Taj Mahal

Present time

Red Fort (Agra)

Agra, Red Fort consists of several palaces, which were intended for recreation, living and state needs. Placed around

Ajanta Caves - World Heritage Site

What does the cave complex look like?

Scientists cannot explain how in the twilight of the caves the monks painted the walls with the finest drawings using several colors. The essence

One way or another, Ajanta has become a cult place for thousands of people who come every day to see the famous caves with their own eyes.

UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites in the USA

Statue of Liberty

Yellowstone national park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites in Russia

Western Caucasus

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are places of special cultural or natural significance. In total, there are 44 such objects in Spain, of which 39 are cultural, 3 are natural, and another 2 are mixed.

It is worth noting that only a few of them are described here, since there is simply not enough space to describe all such significant monuments. So let's take a look at some UNESCO heritage sites in Spain.

The heart of the historic center of Cordoba is the Cordoba Cathedral Mosque -
Catholic church, built in the 7th century, converted into a mosque after the conquest of Cordoba by the Moors in the 8th century and converted back into a church in the 13th century after the return of Cordoba by the Christians. During the reign of Cordoba by the Moors, there were about 300 mosques in Cordoba, and its architecture was compared to Constantinople, Baghdad and Damascus.

Cathedral of Burgos

This gothic cathedral built between the 13th and 16th century. The national hero of Spain, the famous El Cid, is buried here.

Works by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona, ​​Catalonia

Gaudí's architectural style is usually described with the term "modernism", but it is a very peculiar modernism. Originally, Park Guell, Palau Guell and Casa Mila were added to the World Heritage List, and in 2005 Casa Vicens, one of the facades of the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlo and the Colonia Guell chapel were added to the list.

Altamira Cave and Paleolithic Art in Northern Spain

The Altamira Cave contains images from the Upper Paleolithic era from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. In total, the list includes seventeen caves. The drawings are well preserved due to the isolation of the caves from climatic changes.

The old town of Segovia and its aqueduct

The Roman aqueduct in Segovia was built in the 1st century AD, the medieval Alcazar in the 11th century, and the cathedral in the 16th.

Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of Asturias

The Kingdom of Asturias remained the only Christian region in Spain in the 9th century. A special style of pre-Romanesque architecture was formed here, in which churches and other historical buildings of that time were built. Initially, only Asturian churches were included in the World Heritage List, but later others were also included. historical monuments as, for example, La Foncalada - an ancient fountain of drinking water.

Old town of Santiago de Compostela

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is considered the burial place of St. Jacob, it is also the end point of the pilgrimage of the Way of St. northern Spain... The old city was destroyed by Muslims in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 11th century.

Vila old town, Castile and Leon

Defensive wall surrounding Old city was built in the 11th century. With its 82 semicircular towers and 9 gates, it is one of the best-preserved defensive walls in Spain.

Mudejar-style architecture of Aragon

The list includes ten buildings built between the 12th and 17th centuries in the Mudejar style, a mixture of traditional Islamic and modern European architecture.

Historic center of Toledo

Toledo was founded by the Romans, was the capital of the Visigoth Kingdom, was an important city in Islamic Spain and during the reconquest, and at one time was even the capital of Spain. Christian, Islamic and Jewish influences can be traced in the architecture of the city.

Garajonay National Park, La Gomera, Canary Islands

Territory national park 70% covered with laurel forests - vegetation characteristic of the Tertiary period and disappeared in Europe due to climate change, although such forests once covered the entire territory of southern Europe.

Caceres old town, Extremadura

The architecture of the old city can be traced to the influence of Roman, Muslim, North Gothic and Renaissance architecture. There are thirty well-preserved towers of the Moorish style.

Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzin, Granada, Andalusia

These three sites are the result of Muslim ownership of southern Spain.
The Alhambra Fortress and the Generalife's Palace were built by the rulers of the Emirate of Granada. The Albayzin area of ​​Granada is home to outstanding examples of characteristic Moorish architecture.

Cathedral, Alcazar and Archives of the Indies, Seville, Spain

Alcazar is Royal Palace, built during the reign of Seville by the Moorish dynasty of the Almohads. The cafderal cathedral was built in the 15th century and is where Ferdinand III and Christopher Columbus are buried. The Archives contains documents detailing the colonization of America.

Salamanca old town

Salamanca has a reputation as a student city, as the local university was founded in 1218 and is the oldest in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe. The city was first conquered by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century and then under the control of the Romans and Moors. The city center of Salamanca is a mixture of Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

Poblet Monastery, Vimbody, Catalonia

The monastery was founded by the Cistercians in 1151 and is one of the oldest in Spain. It was the seat of many of the medieval royal families of Spain, especially the kings of Aragon. Here are buried the monarchs of Aragon - Alfonso II, Joan I, Joan II, Jacob I, Ferdinan I and Pere IV.

Archaeological ensemble of Merida

Merida was founded in 25 BC and was the capital of the province of Lusitania. From the Roman era, an aqueduct, a bridge, an amphitheater, a theater, a circus and a forum have remained here.

Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe, Extremadura

The monastery houses a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe, discovered in the 13th century after being buried by Muslims in 714. The monastery and shrine served as an important symbol during the reconquest, which ended in 1492. The shrine was also a symbol of the conversion of American Indians to Christianity.

Way of Saint James

This pilgrimage route runs from the French-Spanish border to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where according to legend, the Apostle James is buried.

Historic city of Cuenca

The Moors built a fortified city in the 8th century. In the 12th century, it was captured by Christians. Cuenca Cathedral is the first Gothic cathedral in all of Spain. The city is also famous for the houses that seem to hang from the rocks.

Valencia Silk Exchange

The Silk Exchange is a group of Gothic buildings in the center of Valencia, highlighting its power and wealth during the Middle Ages.

Palace of Catalan Music and Hospital Sant Pau, Barcelona

Both buildings were built in the early 20th century by Lewis Domenech y Montaner in the Art Nouveau style that was very common in Barcelona at the time.

El Escorial Monastery, Autonomous Community of Madrid

El Escorial is one of the historic residences of the Spanish royal family. The palace was designed by King Felipe II and architect Juan Batista de Toledo. The main idea of ​​El Escorial is to designate the central place of Spain in the Christian world.

Spain is known to the whole world as a country famous for the unique sights presented to us thanks to its amazing story, as a result of which, in the architecture of Spanish cities, features of various cultures are combined, ranging from ancient, which came here during the time of the Holy Roman Empire, including - Islamic, left over from the period of Arab rule, ending with European, including Christian and Jewish, since the Middle Ages ... This is why many cities in Spain are protected by UNESCO. They are ready to offer tourists a lot of interesting excursion programs, during which you can appreciate the medieval beauty of Spain, the rarest antique monuments included in the "List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites". Today we will tell you about eight small but incredibly beautiful Spanish cities-monuments of UNESCO, with their Catholic temples, monasteries, Arab mosques and baths, Roman bridges and aqueducts, old mansions of the nobility and powerful fortress walls.

– oldest settlement country, founded by the ancient Romans in the ninetieth year BC. Today, Segovia is one of the three ancient cities-museums located near the Spanish capital - Madrid. The most recognizable landmarks of this city in Spain are the Aqueduct and the Alcazar.

Or "El Acueducto de Segovia" is an absolutely amazing architectural monument, included, along with the historical center of the city, on the UNESCO list. This is the longest antique aqueduct in Western Europe, preserved here from Roman times. The length of the structure is eight hundred and eighteen meters, the height is about thirty meters. The aqueduct consists of twenty thousand granite slabs, which are not fastened with cement mortars. It is divided into one hundred and sixty-seven huge arches. The aqueduct was built at the end of the first century AD and regularly performed its functions for many centuries, to this day it has been preserved in excellent condition, continuing until recently, constantly delivering water to the city of Segovia, mainly to the Alcazar castle. This roman building in 1884 it was named - "Monument of National Treasure", and in 1985 it was awarded the status - "World Heritage Site under the protection of UNESCO."

Or "El Alcazar de Segovia" - another no less amazing and charming city landmark. The Alcazar castle was built in Roman times, but the first written mentions of it are found only in the twelfth century. The Alcazar is located on a cliff between the rivers Eresma and Clamores. The fortress was built in the Roman-Gothic style, and the interiors were designed in the Mudejar style. The castle complex has a couple of courtyards, two towers: "del Homenaje" and "de Juan II". In addition, the Alcazar in Segovia has a lot of underground rooms, secret passages, some of which go to the river, others to other palaces in the city. Even today, scientists continue to study the secrets of the Alcazar Castle. Now it houses the military archive and the Museum of Artillery - "museo del Real Colegio de Artilleria".

- a huge building was erected in the sixteenth century in the Gothic style, with some elements of Renaissance architecture. The temple complex consists of a cathedral, a covered gallery adjacent to it, and a bell tower - one of the highest in Spain.

Of course, in Segovia, tourists will be able to see a lot of other interesting sights: the ruins of the ancient fortress wall, the Monastery of Santa Maria del Parral, the Church of Saint Stephen, Church of Vera Cruz, Church of Saint Millena, "House of Peak", stroll through the local gardens and parks: La Merced Garden , Garden of Alcazar, Garden of Huertos.

- a settlement, high in the mountains, was founded in the fifth century AD by the Veton tribe. Today, this city of Spain is under the protection of UNESCO, and its main attractions are the Avila Cathedral, fortress walls, churches and monasteries.

- the construction of which, which began in the 12th century in the Romanesque style, was completed in the fourteenth - already in the Gothic style. Today it is the oldest Spanish Gothic cathedral. It has an unusual structure: since it was built as part of the city's defensive structures, and one of the apses of the building is built right into the fortified city wall. The cathedral was erected in honor of Saint Salvador. Inside the temple is the tombstone of the famous Bishop Alonso de Madrigal. At the cathedral there is the Cathedral Museum, which has a rich collection of exhibits: sculptures, books, silver items, paintings, silver monstrances for processions.

Or "Las Murallas de Avila" - main character cities, medieval wall, which surrounded the old part of the city of Avila, with a length of two and a half kilometers. This ancient fortification is one of the finest examples of Spanish military engineering. The wall, three meters thick and twelve meters high, is equipped with nine city gates, there are eighty-eight towers and two and a half thousand small shelter-towers. This structure is in excellent condition to this day, and it is under the protection of UNESCO.

Or "Convento Santa Teresa" - was erected in the seventeenth century, after the canonization of Teresa, on the site of the house where she was born. Today it is an active nunnery, and most of it is closed to tourists, but pilgrims have the opportunity to get to the church chapel, decorated with scenes where the saint levitates. In the Hall of Relics there is a part of the relics of Saint Teresa - the finger of her right hand, the sole of her sandal, and a rosary. But the rest of the relics of Saint Teresa are in the Carmelite monastery of Alba de Tormes, it was there that she died.

Or "Basilica de San Vicente" - a Romanesque temple, is the second largest in Avila, second only to the Cathedral. He is a "monument national heritage Spain ". It began to be built in the twelfth century on the burial site of Catholic saints: Deacon Vincent de Huesca, who died in 304, his sister Sabina and sister Cristeta. It is clear why the main relic of this basilica is the “Cenotafio de los santos Vicente, Sabina y Cristeta” - a stunning tombstone built in the twelfth century.

Or “Real Monasterio de Santo Tomas” - was built in 1493, where the main Spanish “Catholic kings” planned to build their own palace, but the death of their son Juan forced them to reconsider their plans, and he was buried there. And later, the "Grand Inquisitor" of Spain, Thomas de Torquemada, was also buried.

- this is an ancient Celtic settlement, at one time, under the rule of the Romans, Moors, Arabs, then became a Spanish city, small, but with a lot of interesting historical sights and medieval monuments of different cultures: the Cathedral, the Moorish watchtower, the Church of San Miguel, with Arabic and Gothic features.

Or "Catedral de Santa María y San Julián de Cuenca" - the main city cathedral, which houses the Diocese of Cuenca, belonging to the Archdiocese of Toledo. This cathedral was built in the 12th century in the Norman Gothic style.

Or "Convento de la Merced" - was built in the period from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. Today it houses the Theological Seminary of St. Julian and the Society of Slaves of Holy Communion and the Immaculate Virgin. In 2003, the monastery received the title of National Monument History and Culture of Spain ".

Or “Palacio Episcopal de Cuenca y Museo Diocesano” - a single building was erected in 1250 from several Muslim houses, here you can still see Arabic inscriptions, a portal with Arabic patterns. From the end of the fifteenth century to 1530, the "Court of the Inquisition" worked here. Today the "Diocesan Cathedral Museum" - "Museo Diocesano Catedralicio" is located, with a huge collection of provincial religious art: tapestries, jewelry, art objects, paintings, sculptures.

Or "Casas Colgadas" - the symbol of the city of Cuenca. "Hanging houses", built over a river cliff, were previously a typical element of the city's architecture, but only three such structures have survived to this day: "House of the Sirena" - "Casa de la Sirena", Royal houses - "Casas de Rey", decorated with wooden balconies. They are located: a restaurant, "Museum of Abstract Art of Spain".
Apart from these interesting places cities you can visit the Church of St. Michael, Church of St. Nicholas, Church of St. Andrew, Tower Mangana, Cuenca Consistory - thanks to their presence, the Spanish city of Cuenca is under the protection of UNESCO.

- located on the island of Tenerife. The city was founded in 1496 and it was the capital Canary Islands, up to 1723. Since its inception, La Laguna has become the religious center of Tenerife, with its episcopal residence and numerous churches and monasteries. There is a unique colonial atmosphere in the historical center of the city; old quarters and streets, mansions of aristocrats. In 1999, this Spanish city is under the protection of UNESCO.

Or "Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Laguna" - the temple where the bishopric of Tenerife is located, built in 1511 on the site of an old monastery. But the building acquired its modern neoclassical appearance in 1825. His founding father, Alonso Fernandez Lugo, is buried in the cathedral.

Or "Parroquia Matriz de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción" - the very first church on the island of Tenerife, built in the fifteenth century. The building features a mixture of several styles of architecture. It was in this temple that the indigenous local residents of Tenerife, the Guanches, were baptized.

Or "Real Santuario de Santísimo Cristo de La Laguna" - this Catholic Franciscan cathedral began to be built in 1506, and the title - "Royal", the temple received from Spanish king Alfonso the Twelfth in 1906. Outwardly, this is a very modest church, but it is incredibly popular among believers: pilgrims flock here even from mainland Spain. Inside the temple, on the main altar, stands the miraculous crucifixion Cristo de La Laguna - this is the real symbol of the city of San Cristobal de La Laguna. Thousands of believers come here in September to worship the Holy Cross, an ebony crucifix that Governor de Lugo brought back in 1520, and it is famous for its ability to heal the sick and perform other miracles.

- was founded in the twenty-ninth year of our era, but experienced its heyday under the rule of the Moors. To this day, the city retains the charm of the Middle Ages, striking tourists with a combination of Roman, Islamic, gothic architecture... The historic center of Caceres with its sights is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The main attractions of Caceres are: Cathedral of St. Mary, Main square, St. Paul's Monastery, St. John the Baptist Church, St. Matthew Church, Arch of the Star, Bukhako Tower, Stork Palace.

Or "Concatedral de Santa Maria de Caceres" - the main Christian temple of Caceres. Its construction began in the thirteenth century, but it was not completed until the sixteenth century. The cathedral has a transitional Roman-Gothic style. In 1931, he was included in the "List of Historical cultural heritage Spain ”, in 1957, made the center of the diocese of Coria Caceres.

Or "Iglesia de Santiago" - an old knightly Christian church, built in the thirteenth century and completely rebuilt in the sixteenth century. It has Roman-Gothic features and is located near the fortress wall. The main temple relic is the statue of Jesus Christ, by Thomas de la Huerta, as well as a retablo with illustrations of the life of Christ and his saints.

Or "Iglesia de San Mateo" - a very significant religious building of the city, since 1982, included in the "List of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Spain". The church began to be built in the sixteenth century on the site of a mosque, which was erected on the foundation of another, earlier christian temple... The noble inhabitants of Caceres are buried in the chapels. In the Chapel of St. John you can see the painting "Christ de la Ensina", which tells about a miracle that happened in America.

- a settlement in the western part of Spain, which was in the possession of the Romans and Arabs, but conquered by Hannibal. The richest city in the cultural and historical sense of the Spanish region of Castile and Leon, famous for its many attractions. The historical center of the city has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1988.

Or "Plaza Mayor" - in the Baroque style, considered one of the most beautiful in Spain, it was designed in the eighteenth century by architects Alberto and Nicholas Churriguera on the orders of King Philip the Fifth, in gratitude local residents for their support as a contender for the throne during the War of the Spanish Succession. The square is surrounded by amazing buildings, decorated with arcades. It can accommodate twenty thousand people. Previously, bullfights were held on the square, and now there are concerts.

Old cathedral or "La Vieja Catedral de Salamanca" - the cathedral was founded in the twelfth century in the Romanesque style, but was completed in the fourteenth century, already in the Gothic style. In the sixteenth century, there was no longer a place for the numerous students of the University of Salamanca and a new cathedral began to be built nearby. Today, the covered gallery of this cathedral, built in 1526, houses the Cathedral Museum, with a rich collection of paintings. Another very interesting attraction in the building of the cathedral is an old organ dating back to the fourteenth century.

The university or "La Universidad" - a beautiful structure in the "plateresque" style, there is an old university library, which contains one hundred and sixty thousand volumes of literary works. The University of Salamanca acquired its current luxurious appearance in 1534, and since then it has been considered an unsurpassed masterpiece of Spain in this style.

In Salamanca, tourists should visit a lot of other interesting sights: the Jesuit College of Cleresia, the Duenius Monastery, the Church and Monastery of San Esteban, the Monterey Palace, the Salina Palace, the Urusulino Monastery, the Roman Bridge, the Salamanca Cave - the place where the Devil taught.

- the settlement appeared on a consecrated place, a century after the execution of two children, which happened here by order of the emperor Diocletian in 306. And at the time when Madrid was a small village, the city of Alcala de Henares was considered the religious center of Spain. Since ancient times, there have been monasteries, castles, churches, and in 1998 the city was included in the "List of Cities of World Cultural Heritage".

Or "Palacio de Laredo" - the most beautiful landmark of the city, an eclectic building, built at the end of the nineteenth century by the artist, architect, designer Manuel José de Laredo. In his brainchild, he combined elements of several architectural styles: Neo-Gothic, Neo-Mudejar, Neo-Moorish.

The university- the building is real business card city, it was created by the architect Rodrigo Gil. It is possible to get inside the university only as part of an excursion group. Today there are twelve humanities faculties in the following specialties: pharmaceuticals, biology, chemistry, history, economics, philosophy, literature, librarianship, Spanish philology, English philology, history, architecture, sports, tourism and so on.

The city is full of attractions: the House-Museum of Cervantes, the Town Hall, the "Gate of the Martyrs", the Cathedral of the Holy Children, the Madrede Dios Monastery - and they are protected by UNESCO.

- a famous pilgrimage point located in the north-west of Spain. The city is included in the UNESCO list.

Or "Catedral de Santiago de Compostela" - located in Platerias Square, and is notable for the fact that the relics of the Apostle James are buried here, which made the city the main center of European pilgrimage along the "Way of St. James". Thousands of believers pass along this path today. The grave with the remains of St. James was discovered in the ninth century by Bishop Theodomir. It is located in the main altar of the cathedral's presbytery. And in the chapel "Ark", built in the sixteenth century, the relics of royalty are kept. The cathedral museum has richest collection Spanish art, the period from the ninth to the nineteenth century, including tapestries based on sketches by Rubens, Goya.

Or "Universidad de Santiago de Compostela" - the oldest in Europe, founded in 1495 as the "School of Grammar" by Lope Gomez de Marzoa.

Other monuments and sights of Santiago de Compostela that are no less worth exploring: Cappela Animas, the Rajoy Palace, the Monastery of St. Martin Pinario, also amaze with the beauty of their architecture and interesting history.

We talked about eight stunningly beautiful small Spanish cities that are protected by UNESCO, and are famous throughout the world for their magnificent architecture. And it is no wonder that more than fifty million tourists from different parts of the world come to Spain every year.

Incredibly mysterious and beautiful country, Spain has at least interesting story... Its position at the junction of Africa and Europe, the Islamic world and the world of Christianity, the endless Atlantic and the closed Mediterranean has left an indelible imprint on the image of Spain. There is always something to be surprised at. This country is rich in traditions and ancient history... She is unusually attractive, beautiful and diverse. The Spanish people love their country so much that they even rest without leaving their homeland.

Why Spain is called that way, now no one will say, not even the inhabitants of Spain themselves. In ancient times, this land was inhabited by the Iberian tribes, after whose name BC the peninsula was called Iberia. The Greeks called this country the Land of the Evening Star - Hesperia. After the division of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western, Western began to officially bear the name "Hesperia". After the Romans penetrated the Spanish lands, Spain received the name "Hispania".

The historical and cultural heritage of the country is rich and varied. The color of Spain, its unique beauty inspired Goya, Dali, Picasso ... Since ancient times, Spain has been the desired prey of various invaders. All generations of the country's rulers wanted to achieve unity in cultural development, but the country's cultural traditions, as before, are variegated. Some regions are still proud of their independence and originality. Almost all of Spain is huge history museum under open air surrounded by a ring of beautiful resort areas and seashores... This country has the most interesting architectural and historical sights.

Barcelona landmarks

In the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, ​​one of the most interesting provinces in Spain, many architectural monuments and the entire history Center, built in a unique Gothic style. The main attraction of the city is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, which was built on the site of the sanctuary of Jupiter.

Not far from the center of Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia. Gaudí dedicated most of his life to this Temple of Atonement for Sins. The most beautiful in the cathedral is the Nativity Facade, which includes 4 towers with rich decorations and original silhouettes. Today, these towers, with a hexagonal structure decorated with twisted staircases, are the graphic symbols of Barcelona.

Particular attention should be paid to the announced World heritage Mila's house, which was named "La Peddera", which means " stone cave". This strange structure with 6 light wells and 2 inner palaces is a complete concept of loyalty to nature. There is a terrace on the roof of the house, allowing you to admire the stone "menagerie", which consists of stairs, mysterious monsters in hoods, ventilation pipes, flowering gardens over deep courtyards. Park Guell is recognized as one of the most interesting works of Gaudí. The park's terrace serves as the roof of a hall cut into the hillside.

The heart of Barcelona is Plaza Catalunya, surrounded by a great variety of attractions, among them: Barcelona Exhibition Center, Palazzo Marcet, another famous creation of Gaudí - Casa Mila or "House without corners", maritime museum- Columbus monument, National Palace, the Baro de Cuadras Palace with the Music Museum, the Las Salesas Church and much more. The city also houses the Barcelona Aquarium, the largest aquarium in Europe. The most fascinating part is the oceanarium with moving walkways, an observation terrace, and a large exhibition hall.

Another attraction of Barcelona is Mount Tibidabo - this is the most high point cities. At the top of the mountain is the Temple of the Sacred Heart, which is crowned with a statue of Christ. Tibidabo is not just a pagan gibberish, these are words spoken in Latin from the Gospel. In translation, it means "I give to you." So the devil himself tempted Christ, demonstrating the beauty of the world from the top of the mountain. It is worth noting the Montjuic mountain, where the Olympic stadium with the Museum of the Olympics is located; life-size model of the ship "Santa Maria".

Montserrat

North of Barcelona is located mountain range Montserrat. These mountains are unusually beautiful, interesting stone formations, in places similar to huge idols, and in places resembling castles of wet sand, cause horror and admiration at the same time.

There is a monastery in the mountains, which houses the miraculous statue of the Black Madonna. According to legend, the statue was carved by Saint Luke and subsequently transferred by Saint Peter to Spain. To hide the Black Madonna from the robbers, she was hidden in the mountains of Montserrat, where she was lost. After 170 years, the shepherds miraculously found the statue in a cave, where they were led by angelic singing and a mysterious radiance. A chapel was erected on that site.

Ancient monuments in Andalusia

In Andalusia, you can see remarkably preserved ancient monuments: Arab towers and medieval fortresses 11th century, in the mountains - ancient Andalusian settlements and cathedrals... In Seville, the capital of Andalusia, the birthplace of flamenco, there is an interesting attraction, a miracle of Muslim architecture, the Algamra palace-fortress. During the day, depending on the lighting, the towers and the walls of the palace are changed. Insanely beautiful courtyard Lviv, which is surrounded by white marble columns. In the middle of the courtyard there is a fountain, the marble bowl of which rests on twelve lions. The palace has several wonderful rooms: Royal Hall, the Hall of Ambassadors with a large cedar dome and the Hall of Secrets with striking acoustic effects. The most famous monument Seville is recognized as a former minaret.

And much, much more ...

Spain is the largest "hunting" European country, where the richest and most beautiful hunting reserve, Somiedo, is located. It is considered a real miracle of nature mountainous relief Sierra de Cazorla. In addition, Spain is known for its magnificent carnivals, festivals, fairs and bullfights.

Spain stands out from the rest European countries its versatility, its appearance, each time opening up in a new way. The sights of the Spanish lands are the property not only of Europe, but of the whole world. Spain never ceases to amaze with its color, lifestyle, ancient cities, culture, sights, cuisine and many, many others, for the sake of which it is simply necessary to visit this amazing country.