Spain / Portugal / Gibraltar

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista. The valley of the Guadalete river, seen from the Parador, formerly "Casa del Corregidor", in the early morning hours. The Parador is located directly on top of the steep cliff.

Nativity scenes have a long tradition on the Hispanic peninsula. Well known are "Living Cribs" ("Belen Viviente"), one is in Arcos de la Frontera, where the streets are transformed to stages, where "real" people are starring. But as well miniature scenes, which are often full of details, are very popular. Many of these necessery details are offered in street markets. I found these tiny fruits and vegetables on a treet market in Seville.

Nativity scenes have a long tradition on the Hispanic peninsula. Well known are "Living Cribs" ("Belen Viviente"), one is in Arcos de la Frontera, where the streets are transformed to stages, where "real" people are starring. But as well miniature scenes, which are often full of details, are very popular. Many of these necessery details are offered in street markets. I found these pans with fried eggs with suausages on a treet market in Seville.

Seville was a Roman "colonia" since 45BC. The important city got looted by the Vandals in 428 and developed into a Bishopric seat under Visigothic rule. After the Moors had defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Guadalete, the conquered Seville and made it the capital of a province. Normans devastated Seville in 844 but Seville got rebuilt and flourished under the different Moorish dynasties. In 1248 Seville was conquered by the troops of Ferdinand III of Castile. The emigration of hundredthousands of Moors to Northern Africa led to a decrease of economics in the whole area. Seville recovered in the 16th and 17th century, when it became the hub of Spanish maritime trade. During this period, the port of Seville had a monopoly on overseas trade. Vespucci and Magellan planned and started their voyages here. As a result of the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1717 Seville lost the transatlantic trade monopoly to Cádiz. The cathedral was erected between 1401 and 1519 on the remains of the Great Mosque of Seville, built in the 12th century. The bell tower of the cathedral, named "La Giralda" was originally built in 1196 as the minaret for the Mosque from bricks. It was 82m high. The 32m high renaissance-style top on the former minaret was completed in 1568.

Seville was a Roman "colonia" since 45BC. The important city got looted by the Vandals in 428 and developed into a Bishopric seat under Visigothic rule. After the Moors had defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Guadalete, the conquered Seville and made it the capital of a province. Normans devastated Seville in 844 but Seville got rebuilt and flourished under the different Moorish dynasties. In 1248 Seville was conquered by the troops of Ferdinand III of Castile. The emigration of hundredthousands of Moors to Northern Africa led to a decrease of economics in the whole area. Seville recovered in the 16th and 17th century, when it became the hub of Spanish maritime trade. During this period, the port of Seville had a monopoly on overseas trade. Vespucci and Magellan planned and started their voyages here. The Cathedral "Catedral de Santa María de la Sede" was erected between 1401 and 1519 on the remains of the Great Mosque of Seville, built in the 12th century. With about 11,520m² this is the third-largest church in the world as well as the largest Gothic church. The Cathedral in Cologne covers about 7,900m². The Great Mosque of Seville was dedicated in 1172 and completed 1198. It was a rectangular building 113m x 135m including a minaret ("La Giralda") and a courtyard. After the conquest, the mosque was converted into the city's cathedral. The orientation was changed and it was divided into chapels by new walls. In 1401 it was decided to build a new cathedral and replace the mosque, that had served as a cathedral. In 1551, 5 years after construction ended, the crossing lantern ("cimborrio"), collapsed and was rebuilt. It collapsed again in 1888, and work continued until 1903. The cathedral of today is 115m long and 76 m wide. There are five naves, the vaultig over the central one is 42m high.

Seville was a Roman "colonia" since 45BC. The important city got looted by the Vandals in 428 and developed into a Bishopric seat under Visigothic rule. After the Moors had defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Guadalete, the conquered Seville and made it the capital of a province. Normans devastated Seville in 844 but Seville got rebuilt and flourished under the different Moorish dynasties. In 1248 Seville was conquered by the troops of Ferdinand III of Castile. The emigration of hundredthousands of Moors to Northern Africa led to a decrease of economics in the whole area. Seville recovered in the 16th and 17th century, when it became the hub of Spanish maritime trade. During this period, the port of Seville had a monopoly on overseas trade. Vespucci and Magellan planned and started their voyages here. The Cathedral "Catedral de Santa María de la Sede" was erected between 1401 and 1519 on the remains of the Great Mosque of Seville, built in the 12th century. With about 11,520m² this is the third-largest church in the world as well as the largest Gothic church. The Cathedral in Cologne covers about 7,900m². The Great Mosque of Seville was dedicated in 1172 and completed 1198. It was a rectangular building 113m x 135m inculding a minaret ("La Giralda") and a courtyard. After the conquest the mosque was converted into the city's cathedral. The orientation was changed and it got divided into chapels by new walls. In 1401 it was decided to build a new cathedral and replace the mosque, that had served as a cathedral. IN 1551, 5 years after construction ended, the crossing lantern ("cimborrio"), collapsed and was rebuilt. It collapsed again in 1888, and work continued until 1903. The cathedral of today is 115m long and 76 m wide. There are five naves, the vaultig over the central one is 42m high. The "Puerta del Principe". The statue in front is a copy of "Giraldillo". The original is placed on top of the tower. From this statue the tower got the name "La Giralda".

The very last kilometer to Cabo Fisterra. The lighhouse is already in sight. This cape (about 90kms west of Santiago de Compostella) was "the end of the world" for many medieval pilgrims. The white, concrete structures to the right belong to the probably most western graveyard of Spain.

Legend tells, that the body of St. James was brought to this place in a boat from stone. The boat was moored onto a roman milestone (or altar), called "pedron" in Spanish, giving the place the name "Padron" later. The stone is still in place, and the church "Santiago Apóstol" was built over the stone on the other side of the bridge. Padron was not only place of hostile visits of vikings and normans in the 10./11. century, but for many pilgrims who reached Spain by boat, the starting point of their walk.

Standing on the "International Bridge". The Rio Minho is the border between Portugal an Spain. Tui, the "first" town in Spain is clearly dominated by the cathedral on the hill.

Sunshine over the fortifications of Valença (Portugal) in the foreground and Tui (Spain) in the background. Inbetween flows the Rio Minho, crossed be the "International Bridge", a steel construction from 1878.

The lighthouse of "Finis terrae", = land´s end. Actually geographically this is not westernmost point of the iberan Penisnula, not even Spain, not even on the "Costa da Morte", but this cape has the long tradition, that -may be even be pre-christian. Today it marks the "End of the Camino", and there are people, who burn socks and boots here. Actually there is no real end. As the life goes on, the camino goes on. I continued to Muxia from here..

There is a modern chapel on the "Col du Somport" (aka "Canfranc Pass"), from where the visitors have a marvelous overview, when the weather is so brilliant. The place is just a few meters south of the border - and belongs to Spain.

"Canfranc International Railway Station" was opened in 1928, after a railway line, connecting France and Spain had been discussed since the 1850s, got finally completed. The line was opened, but never really sucessful. In 1970 a freight train derailed and destroyed a bridge on the French side of the Pyrenees. The bridge never got repaired - and the station is out of service ever since. Only two local trains leave this "palace", which is 240 meters long, every day. The huge tunnel, that was drilled through the Pyrenees for the railway line, houses the "Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc" meanwhile. Scientists there investigate neutrinos and WIMPS (= "Weakly interacting massive particles").

Puente la Reina ( aka "Gares") was an important place in medieval times, as here the "Camino Aragonés" joined the "Camino Francés". The pilgrims having crossed the Pyrenees via the Somport met their collegues, who had used the Roncevaux Pass. A six-arched-bridge over the Rio Arga gave the name to the town. It was built within the 11th century, commissioned either by Doña Mayor, wife of Sancho III, or by Doña Estefanía, wife of García III of Navarra. The Iglesia del Crucifijo was erected just outside of the town, what explains the old name "Santa Maria de Hortis". It belonged toa convent of the Knights Hospitaller, who supported the pilgrims by operating "hopitals". The church was built within the 12th century, but an older structure had probably already a century ago. It got enlarged by a second nave later, when the number of pilgrims rose, as the Knights Hospitaller offered lodging. As at most medieval "hopitals", there are graffitti around the portal. I doubt, that "ROUCEAU" was a pilgrim. It is probably a French name, so Rouceau may have carved his name into the facade during the "Peninsular War" (Spanish: "Guerra de la Independencia Española"), after Napoleon´s armee had invaded Spain 1807 on the way to Portugal via the "Col de Roncevaux".

Early morning in the small village of Oloriz. The parish church San Bartolomé was erected within the 12th century and altered some centuries later. As the church was locked, I could only take some photos of the exterior. On of the corbels depicts a musician, playing a "dolio", an instrument that must have been popular in Northern Spain during the 12th century. Ray ("adfinem") has some information about this instrument: www.flickr.com/photos/adfinem/sets/72157631018070244/

The Monasterio de San Pedro el Viejo ("Saint Peter the Old") is a former Benedictine monastery built within the 12th century. A church had existed here (built on the place of a Roman temple) since Visigothic times and even, when the Moors hold Huesca, this church was in use. Christian troops conquered Huesca in 1096 and from 1117 on Benedictines with obvious ties to Cluny reconstructed the church and erected a monasterio here. This is the central nave of San Pedro el Viejo. As the structure did survive the Moorish times, it is believed to be one of the oldest churches in Spain. Of course it got renovated and altered later.

Jeff Koons´ "Puppy" guards the entrance of the Museo Guggenheim Bilbao. The museum, designed by architect Frank O. Gehry, was inaugurated in 1997 by the past King Juan Carlos I of Spain. www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/en/

The "Iglesia de Santa Maria" was built in the second half of the 12th century. From the little hill, the shoreline can be seen. The "Camino del Norte" (aka "Camino de la Costa"), the oldest known "camino" to Santiago de Compostela run along the northern coast, as moorish troops roamed the inland. Even in the 12th century, when this church was erected, this way was popular as the pilgrims could visit the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana. As the largest part of the "True Cross" (aka "Lignum Crucis") was venerated in that monastery, it had the privilege of perpetual indulgences. The "Iglesia de Santa Maria" is known for some extraordinary Romanesque carvings. Some are under the roof of the apse. Note the corbel to the right. A bull´s head with long horns. Southern France and Spain have very old cult-like traditions connected to bulls. We all know them latest since Hemingway´s "Fiesta". Even in the legends around Santiago wild bulls play a role.