Spain / Portugal / Gibraltar

The abbey was founded in 1187 by Alfonso VIII of Castile and his wife Eleanor of England, daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine (sister of "Richard the Lionheart" and "John Lackland"). Eleanor´s mother had close contacts to Bernard of Clairvaux, so it is no wonder, that Cistercian nuns lived here. The abbey was really important and became the burial place of the royal family. It is a great place and it is open to the public, but unfortunately (for me), tourists can only visit on guided tours, that have a very strict time frame. To take photographs is not allowed at all during the tours. I would have liked to stay inside for a couple of hours - but I could not. This site has some nice interior shots: www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/Spain/Camino_de_Santia...

The abbey was founded in 1187 by Alfonso VIII of Castile and his wife Eleanor of England, daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine (sister of "Richard the Lionheart" and "John Lackland"). Eleanor´s mother had close contacts to Bernard of Clairvaux, so it is no wonder, that from 1199 Cistercian nuns lived here. The abbey was really important and became the burial place of the royal family. It is a great place and it is open to the public, but unfortunately (for me), tourists can only visit on guided tours, that have a very strict time frame. To take photographs is not allowed at all during the tours. I would have liked to stay inside for a couple of hours - but I could not. Here a snapshot from the cloister... This website has some nice shots www.paradoxplace.com/Photo%20Pages/Spain/Camino_de_Santia...

The Basilica del Pilar is the largest Baroque church in Spain. It was erected 1681 - 1754, succeeding much older churches here. Since early times pilgrims come to "Nuestra Señora del Pilar" ("Our Lady of the Pillar"). A legend tells, that in 40 AD Saint Jaques (Saint James) was preaching the gospel on the banks of the Ebro without success. When he was disheartened, Mary appeared atop a pillar, assuring him, that the people would eventually be converted and their faith would be as strong as the pillar she was standing on. Mary gave him the pillar and a wooden image of herself. She then asked Saint Jaques to build a chapel on the spot.

The Basilica del Pilar is the largest Baroque church in Spain. It was erected 1681 - 1754, succeeding much older churches here. Since early times pilgrims come to "Nuestra Señora del Pilar" ("Our Lady of the Pillar"). A legend tells, that in 40 AD Saint Jaques (Saint James) was preaching the gospel on the banks of the Ebro without success. When he was disheartened, Mary appeared atop a pillar, assuring him, that the people would eventually be converted and their faith would be as strong as the pillar she was standing on. Mary gave him the pillar and a wooden image of herself. She then asked Saint Jaques to build a chapel on the spot.

The rock of Gibraltar has a very long history, bit I will cut it very short now Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of the Habsburg claim to the Spanish throne. The territory was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The rock controls the entrance and exit to the Mediterranean Sea, as the Strait of Gibraltar is only 13 km. In a referendum held in 2002, Gibraltarians rejected by a majority (99%) a proposal of shared sovereignty on which Spain and Britain were said to have reached "broad agreement". So this is still British.

Cádiz, located on a narrow slice of land surrounded by the sea‚ is regarded by some scholars as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe. Founded by he Phoenicians around 1100 BC. Since 530 BCE it was held by Carthaginians, Hannibal visited a temple here, before he set off to cross the Alps and invade Italy. Later the city fell to Romans and flourished as a port. The Visigoths destroyed the Roman city in 410, Arab troops conquered the city in 711 and called it Qādis. The Normans devasted the city in 844, but the Moors rebuilt it. Alphonso X of Castile took Cádiz from the Moors in 1262 during the Reconquista. The city got very wealthy by the trade with America and in the 16th century got raided and looted by pirates from Northern Africa and British fleets under Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh. Cádiz recovered and within the 18th century could afford to erect a (new) cathedral between 1722 and 1838, seen on the left. The cathedral is known as "The Cathedral of The Americas" because it was built with money from the trade between Spain and America.

Cádiz, located on a narrow slice of land surrounded by the sea‚ is regarded by some scholars as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe, founded by he Phoenicians around 1100 BC. Since 530 BCE it was held by Carthaginians, Hannibal visited a temple here, before he set off to cross the Alps and invade Italy. Later the city fell to the Romans. The Visigoths destroyed the Roman city in 410, Arab troops conquered the city in 711 and called it Qādis. The Normans devasted the city in 844, but the Moors rebuilt it. Alphonso X of Castile took Cádiz from the Moors in 1262 during the Reconquista. The city got very wealthy by the trade with America and in the 16th century got raided and looted by pirates from Northern Africa and British fleets under Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh. Cádiz recovered and within the 18th century could afford to erect a (new) cathedral between 1722 and 1838. The cathedral is known as "The Cathedral of The Americas" because it was built with money from the trade between Spain and America.

Ronda was known to the Romans by the name of Arunda. At the end of the Roman Empire it was taken by the Suebi and later part of the Visigoth realm. In 713 it fell to the Berbers, who built a castle on the Roman foundations. The troops of the Marquis of Cádiz conquered Ronda after a siege in 1485. The Spanish decreed that all Muslims must either convert to Christianity or leave Spain without their belongings. Muslims who converted were called Moriscos, they had to wear upon their hats a blue crescent. In 1566 Philip II decreed the use of the Arabic language illegal, required that doors open on Fridays to verify that no Muslim Friday prayers were conducted. This led to a rebellion. The Muslim soldiers defeated the Spanish army sent to suppress them. The massacre prompted Phillip II to order the expulsion of all Moriscos in Ronda. Ronda´s Moorish old town, La Ciudad, is located on a steeply sloping rock plateau. The old town is separated from the younger part, El Mercadillo, by the "Tajo de Ronda" a narrow gorge almost 100 meters deep, formed by the Guadalevín River. The "Plaza de Toros" in Ronda is the oldest bullfight ring in Spain, Construction of the bullring started in 1779 and finished in 1785. It has a capacity of 6000. Ernest Hemingway, who spent some summers in Ronda, for sure visited this bullring very often, before he wrote "Death in the Afternoon".

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229, the city was under Islamic control and the Palma Cathedral ("Catedral de Santa María de Palma de Mallorca") was erected on the site of a former mosque. Designed in the Catalan Gothic style, it was begun by King James I of Aragon (Jaime I de Aragón) in 1230 but only finished in 1601.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. The "Ajuntament de Palma (Palma City Council) is popularly known as "Cort". The Baroque building, located in the Plaza de Cort, was built between 1649 and 1680.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. La Pajarita, founded in 1872, is undisputed the very best Bomboniera in Palma. In case you have a sweet tooth, try the candied fruits. The Charcuteria to the left offers local delicacies.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. Around the turn of the century, Palma was a wealthy city and so the citizens could afford to contract famous Catalan architects, known for the Modernisme Català, a specific form of the Art Nouveau. Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch have worked in Palma and there are numerous beautiful buildings in the inner city. The Can Casasayas & Pensión Menorquina are located at Plaça del Mercat 13-14. The ensemble was built 1908 - 1911 designed by Francesc Roca i Simó.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. Around the turn of the century, Palma was a wealthy city and so the citizens could afford to contract famous Catalan architects, known for the Modernisme Català, a specific form of the Art Nouveau. Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch have worked in Palma and there are numerous beautiful buildings in the inner city. The former El Águila department store was designed by Gaspar Bennássar and Jaume Alenyar in 1908. Since it was a commercial building, appropriate solutions had to be found to make the most of the space and interior lighting. Iron was used as a decorative element. The result was a facade with large windows and doors that attract attention and allow plenty of daylight to flow into the building.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. Around the turn of the century, Palma was a wealthy city and so the citizens could afford to contract famous Catalan architects, known for the Modernisme Català, a specific form of the Art Nouveau. Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch have worked in Palma and there are numerous beautiful buildings in the inner city. The Can Casasayas & Pensión Menorquina are located at Plaça del Mercat 13-14. The ensemble was built 1908 - 1911 designed by Francesc Roca i Simó.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. Around the turn of the century, Palma was a wealthy city and so the citizens could afford to contract famous Catalan architects, known for the Modernisme Català, a specific form of the Art Nouveau. Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch have worked in Palma and there are numerous beautiful buildings in the inner city. The former El Águila department store was designed by Gaspar Bennássar and Jaume Alenyar in 1908. Since it was a commercial building, appropriate solutions had to be found to make the most of the space and interior lighting. Iron was used as a decorative element. The result was a facade with large windows and doors that attract attention and allow plenty of daylight to flow into the building.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. Around the turn of the century, Palma was a wealthy city and so the citizens could afford to contract famous Catalan architects, known for the Modernisme Català, a specific form of the Art Nouveau. Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch have worked in Palma and there are numerous beautiful buildings in the inner city. The former El Águila department store was designed by Gaspar Bennássar and Jaume Alenyar in 1908. Since it was a commercial building, appropriate solutions had to be found to make the most of the space and interior lighting. Iron was used as a decorative element. The result was a facade with large windows and doors that attract attention and allow plenty of daylight to flow into the building. The former El Águila department store was designed by Gaspar Bennássar and Jaume Alenyar in 1908. Since it was a commercial building, appropriate solutions had to be found to make the most of the space and interior lighting. Tiles and wrought iron were used as a decorative elements.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. San Miquel was built after the Reconquista from 1229 on the site of the great mosque of Madina Mayurqa. In 1390 a larger new building was built in the Gothic style. The facade with the image of the Archangel Michael and the church tower on its square base have been preserved.

Mallorca is the largest island in the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain. Mallorca is an extremely popular holiday destination. The Palma de Mallorca Airport, one of the busiest in Spain, is used by about 30 million tourists per year. Palma is the political and economic center of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands. Palma is a Roman foundation from the time the island was occupied by the Roman Empire in 123 BC. Almost half of the island´s population of more than 890.000 today live in Palma. From Between 902 and 1229 the city was under Islamic control. It was conquered after three months of siege in December 1229 by the troops of James I of Aragon ( aka "Jaume el Conqueridor"). Palma became the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca. After Jame´s death, Palma became joint capital of the Kingdom, together with Perpignan. The Aragonese expanded the city, so that at its heyday in the 16th century it had around 40,000 inhabitants. San Miquel was built after the Reconquista from 1229 on the site of the great mosque of Madina Mayurqa. In 1390 a larger new building was built in the Gothic style. The single-nave church has a Gothic portal begun in 1398 by the Pere de Sant Joan. The tympanum has the Virgin with the Child and two angels. The most interesting statue is on the left. The sculpture depicts Ramon Llull. Ramon Llull (1232 – 1315) was a mathematician, polymath, philosopher, logician, writer from the Kingdom of Mallorca. He is credited with writing the first major work of Catalan literature and considered a pioneer of computation theory, especially given his influence on Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Since his first writings, there has been confusion regarding whether he was a saint or a heretic. Spanish King Philipp II. was fond of his work and used parts of it in the creation of the Monasterio del Escorial. Prior to that, Llull was considered a heretic by most. Llull's works were prohibited by the Spanish Inquisition. Llull urged the study of Arabic and other languages in Europe. He travelled through Europe to meet with popes, kings, and princes, trying to establish colleges to prepare future missionaries. In 1276 a language school for Franciscan missionaries was founded at Miramar. About 1291 he went to Tunis, preached to the Saracens, disputed with them in philosophy. He returned in 1308. He finally achieved his goal of linguistic education in 1311 when the Council of Vienne ordered the creation of chairs of Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic at the universities of Bologna, Oxford, Paris, and Salamanca. In 1314, at the age of 82, he travelled again to North Africa where he was stoned by an angry crowd of Muslims in Tunis. Merchants took him back to Mallorca, where he died in Palma the following year. Within the Franciscan Order Llull is honoured as a martyr. He was beatified in 1847 by Pope Pius IX.