For a small town the cathedral is an immense building and one of the most important late Romanesque buildings in Spain which was built to symbolise the power of Bishop Don Bernardo who began construction in the twelfth century. It has three naves and a main chapel with an ambulatory and a dome and around the outer walls are a series of commemorative chapels which reads like a who’s who of the local campaigns of the Reconquista.
Posted in Cathedrals, El Cid, History, Literature, Postcards, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Atienza, ‘el doncel de Sigüenza’, Cathedral of Siguenza, Culture, Don Martín Vázquez de Arce, El Cid, Life, Sigüenza
“It gave me vertigo to imagine what it must be like living up there, a permanent aviator above the trees” Ted Walker – ‘In Spain’
Posted in Arts and Crafts, El Cid, Europe, Food, History, Natural Environment, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Hanging Houses, Life, Photography, Travel
El Cid is the national hero Spain, the knight who reclaimed Iberia from the Moors of North Africa. He was born (nearby) and buried in Burgos and the modern city doesn’t let you forget it.
The Puente de San Pablo (San Pablo Bridge) is the most famous in Burgos, crossing the Arlanzón River in the spot where the San Pablo gate to the city used to stand.
The bridge is decorated with statues of nobleman and famous sons from Castille, including El Cid and his warrior allies and also his wife, Doña Ximena Díaz.
Posted in Arts and Crafts, Cathedrals, El Cid, Europe, Postcards, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Burgos, El Cid, medieval weapons, Poema de Mio Cid, Reconquista, Ximena
In my A to Z, W and X were difficult and Y has been no easier. This is a hotel balcony in Segovia in Castilla y Leon in Spain…
We were staying at the Sercotel Infanta Isabel and we had one of the best rooms in the hotel on the second floor with a perfect view of the Plaza Mayor lined with cafés and bars and with the Cathedral directly opposite.
As it went dark it was nice to sit and watch the square melting from afternoon into evening with plenty of sociable activity. There were lots of Segovians walking out in families and we joined them in the busy streets and looked for somewhere to eat.
Click on an image to view the Gallery…
Posted in Cathedrals, El Cid, Europe, History, Hotels, Literature, Postcards, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Culture, Life, Photography, Roman Empire, Segovia, Travel
Hopefully we are on the countdown to overseas travel but until that happy event happens I continue to trawl through the archives. On 11th April 2014 I was in the town of Sigüenza in Spain…
It was raining so we took our time over breakfast and it was mid morning by the time we left the hotel and there was a simple choice – up the hill to the Alcazar or down the hill to the Cathedral. We decided to start at the top of the town and make our way to the bottom.
Lined on each side with caramel coloured houses with terracotta tiled roofs, the Calle de Valencia followed the line of the old medieval town wall and half way to the castle we passed through the Puerto del Porto Mayor which was once the main gateway into the narrow streets of the old town and from here there was a final twisting climb to the Plaza del Castillo and the inevitable Parador Hotel.
Due to geography, tradition and culture, Antequera is called the heart of Andalucía and was once considered as a suitable candidate as a base for the regional government but it eventually and inevitably lost out to Seville.
It is a delightful town with a castle and a cathedral and tiny narrow streets where balconies spill over with flowers. Andalucía does wonderful balconies.
Posted in Arts and Crafts, Cathedrals, El Cid, Europe, History, Natural Environment, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Andalucía, Andalusia, Antequera, Culture, El Cid, Life, Reconquesta, Ronda
First of all we walked to the town’s market place and I was distressed to find scruffy dog following us again. Christine had been fussing it and it must have considered this to be an invitation to tag along. I tried to get rid of it, Kim tried to get rid of it, but we both failed. I’m not sure just what Micky did but he took it around the corner to get rid of it and we didn’t see it again for the rest of the morning. Micky has an understanding with dogs it would seem!
Posted in Cathedrals, El Cid, Europe, Food, History, Literature, Postcards, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Andalusia, Carmona, Culture, Life, Photography, Seville, Spain Castles, Spain Tapas, Travel
The bad news this morning was that Micky had gone down with a nasty little case of man flu and he wasn’t feeling very good at all. This was the strain that affects the sense of humour and after breakfast Mick invited us to go out without him. Naturally we said we would do no such thing and then as we watched his normally stoic temperament evaporating in front of us he demanded firmly that we should go out without him and we took the hint.
After a walk around the town and back at the Puerto de Sevilla there was a sunny pavement with café tables so we stopped for a drink before going back to the hotel to see if there was any sign of Micky.
Micky wasn’t there but the scruffy dog was and Christine started to play with the horrible thing and this unfortunately encouraged it to then join us as we continued our walk around the town.
Posted in Arts and Crafts, El Cid, Europe, Food, History, Hotels, Literature, Postcards, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Andalucía, Carmona, Culture, Life, Photography, Seville, tapas, Travel
The seven hundred year period between 722 and 1492 has long been known to historians of Spain as the ‘Reconquista’ and the Spanish have organised their medieval history around the drama of this glorious event which over time has become a cherished feature of the self-image of the Spanish people.
Posted in Africa, Cathedrals, El Cid, Europe, History, Literature, Spain, Travel, World Heritage
Tagged Babieca, Burgos, Castilla y Leon, Cordoba, El Cid, Gladiator, La Tizona, Moors in Spain, Reconquista
My pal John Corden asked if I could post a picture of the entire collection.
I am happy to oblige…
Not great pictures I am afraid due to the poor light in the shed where they are on display.
Has anyone else got a completely pointless collection?
Have Bag, Will Travel 