Cultural sightseeing in Spain. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

» Almudena Cathedral is decorated with the statue of the Holy Virgin of Almudena, which is also called the statue of the Blessed Virgin, who is the patron saint of Spanish capital.
» According to the legend, the figure of the Virgin Mary was found here in the wall of an ancient Arab fortress, and the Cathedral was built at that site. Almudena is translated from Arab as ‘the fortress’.
» The main altar of the Cathedral of Granada is made of green marble.
» According to the legend, the statue of the Blessed Virgin Almudena was brought to Spain by the apostle James, who preached the Christian faith in the Pyrenees in the 1st century.
» The casket containing the remains of St. Isidro is kept in a duct under the altar.

» The Barcelona Cathedral is dedicated to St. Eulalia, a young girl who was tortured and martyred for Christian faith.
» That’s the main religious building in Barcelona.
» The most valuable relic of the Barcelona Cathedral are relics of Saint Eulalia buried under the main altar; if you push the 50-cent coin in the slot, the sarcophagus will light with fires.
» The painted wooden sarcophagus is set on the stand at the south wall. According to the legend, it belongs to Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona, and his wife.
» The chapel stores the most revered image of Christ, Holy Christ of Lepanto, that was on the ship of Juan of Austria at the battle of Lepanto.

» Believers came to the Basilica de Begona to worship the patroness of sailors, the Virgin Mary.
»  Services are daily held in the religious institution. Grand festivals dedicated to the Virgin are held here twice a year.
»  The church for her glory started to be built in the 16th century. The construction lasted a hundred years. That is why the exterior of the building combines Gothic and Baroque architectural styles.
»  In the 19th century, the clock tower was attached to the facade. There are 24 bells on the belfry. They make seven different sounds. The whole instrument weighs 1 ton.
»  The walls are decorated with convex ornaments and small shaped pillars.
»  There is a Baroque altar inside. It is gilded. The memorial statue is the wooden sculpture of the Virgin Begona.
»  In the hall, there are high drop arched doorways. They are decorated with complicated patterns. They make an impression that the petals of weird plants surround worshipers.
»  There is a tradition to call ships “Begona” or “Saint Virgin Begona”. This encourages a long voyage and protects sailors from misfortunes.

» On the mountain slope, there is a medieval fortress at a height of 120 m above sea level.
»  “Slope” is “mota” in Spain and that is why the Castle of La Mota is called like that.
»  The fortress was used for protective purposes in a particular period of time. The castle held down the siege of the enemy. The quite small object includes cannons.
»  The first defense barriers were constructed here in the 12th century. They have survived to this day. Over the centuries, the castle has been reconstructed and updated for better defensive capacity. Most of the rooms were inhabited by people once but now the castle is empty.
»  Nowadays, the building is an architectural monument. Inner rooms house museum exhibits. You can trace the city development through the layouts of buildings, old outfits, audio and video materials.
»  In 1950, the sculpture of Christ was placed in the center of the castle square. It is very high and seen from any district of the city. At night, the statue of Jesus is illuminated with colorful lamps.
»  You can go up the stairs to the castle within 40 minutes. When going up there, tourists can admire the flora of the park with benches.

Location on the map:   Interesting facts: » The Church of the Sacred Heart is located at the top of Tibidabo and is visible from any point of Barcelona. Above the temple stands the statue of Christ embracing the whole world.
» The Church of the Sacred Heart at the moment is the building consisting of at least two parts. The lower part looks like a fortress wall (it’s built of Montjuic stone), and the upper is a church in the Gothic Revival style.
» Due to the fact that the facade of the temple is constructed in a special way, it seems that the building tends directly to heaven. The building of the church is decorated with magnificent statues of the Apostles, the Virgin Mary and patron saints of Catalonia.
» The place for the erection wasn’t chosen occasionally, as the name of the mountain Tibidabo comes from the Latin phrase ‘give you’ and is a string of the Gospel. It means all earthly pleasures and wealth offered when Satan tempted Christ.

» The Hospital de Sant Pau is the hospital complex in Barcelona designed by the Catalan modernist architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner. In 1997, the unique complex was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
» Although the current building dates back to the 20th century, the Hospital de Sant Pau was founded in 1401 by combining the six medieval Barcelona's hospitals. In 1991 it was awarded with the cross of St. George by the Government of Catalonia.
» The complex consists of a main building and 27 pavilions. All the buildings are connected by underground passages adapted for transportation of patients.
» Names of the best doctors in the hospital from the very beginning are seen on tiles on the facade of the main building.
» Symbols of apostles were used in design of the hospital. For example, the bull is the slowest animal, and the lion is more spiritual, but not yet capable to understand the idea of God.

» The new church was built in the 15th-16th century at the site of the temple destroyed by fire. It is located in the historic quarter.
»  Over the centuries, San Vicente belonged to the other church. It gained independence in 1940.
»  In its exterior, you can see some elements of the destroyed building. Later, the covered gallery, prayer rooms, and a place for choirs were added to the main building.
»  The altar panels depict Christ. The altar was made in 1586. At the church, you can see the organ of 1868. There are wheel windows on the outer wall of the temple. The religious building is characterized by the late Gothic architectural style.
»  The inner space is divided into 3 sectors. Cross beams are attached to outbuildings and additional pedestal for worships. Tower pillars support the ceiling.
»  San Vicente is officially named The Basilica de los Santos Hermanos Martires, Vicente, Sabina y Cristeta.
»  According to the historical chronicles, martyrs Vicente, Sabina and Cristeta were sentenced to death upon the order of the Roman ruler Diocletian. They were buried in the rocky soil.

» The Roman Catholic Church was built in the late 18th century. Historically, it is located in the city center. The construction lasted over 20 years.
»  The basilica has survived in its original form. The central entrance is between two decorated towers. You can see church symbols on the facade. There is a clock at the top of the church. Above the doorway, there is the statue of revered Sebastian. You can also see the picture of him in the basilica.
»  The Christian follower was brutally murdered in 288. He was pierced with arrows upon the order of the Roman Emperor. The city is named after him.
»  There is the emblem of the city on the wall. There are sculptures in semicircular niches with a relief base. Octagonal 15-meter columns support the vault inside. The hall with a total area of 48x33 m is divided into three sectors.
»  The altar is devoted to the patroness of citizens, the Holy Great Martyr Mary. The image of the Virgin Mary is carved out of wood. The sculpture was made in the 15th-16th century.
»  At the end of the summer month, you can listen to the famous choir Orfeón Donostiarra in Santa Maria del Coro.