This is the name of Spain for the careful storage of cultural and historical monuments of world fame.

The most famous museum in Spain - prado Museum... It is located in Madrid and is one of the largest and most important museums of European art. Here are the most complete collections of works Bosch, Velazquez, Goya, Murillo, Zurbarana, El Greco.
Among other authors, artists of the Italian school: A. Mantegna, S. Botticelli, Raphael, Andrea del Sarto, Tintoretto, Veronese, Titian.

In the picture: Andrea del Sarto "Madonna and Child with an Angel"
For more than a century and a half, the provinces of modern Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg belonged to the Spanish crown, many Flemish artists worked in Spain, so there are many paintings by Flemish artists in the Prado Museum: van der Weyden, G. Memling, I. Bosch, P. Bruegel, Rubens, J. Jordaens, A. van Dyck.

In the picture: I. Bosch "A cart of hay"
The Spanish school is also widely represented in the museum: artists of the XII century, medieval frescoes, Gothic, Renaissance art, El Greco, Velazquez, Murillo, Zurbaran, Goya, realistic paintings of the XIX century.

In the picture: D. Velazquez "Portrait of King Philip IV"

History of the Prado Museum

The museum building is a monument of late classicism.
The museum was founded Isabella of Braganza, wife of King Ferdinand VII, in 1785. Currently, the Prado Museum holds 6 000 paintings, more 400 sculptures, numerous jewelryincluding royal and religious collections. During several centuries of its existence, the Prado was patronized by many kings. And the very first collection of the museum was formed during the reign of Charles I, known as the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Charles V. Philip II, the museum owes the acquisitions of paintings by Flemish masters. Philip was a fan Bosch - an artist who was not yet fully unraveled, who possessed a bizarre fantasy (or sagacity?) At first, Philip acquired the paintings of this artist for the castle of the Spanish kings, and only in the 19th century. they were moved to the Prado Museum. Here you can see the masterpieces of I. Bosch: "The Garden of Pleasures" and "A Carriage of Hay".
Currently, the museum hosts theatrical performances, "Animating" the famous canvases. Velazquez's paintings were staged first. Visitors to the museum liked this idea.
Let's continue our story about art museums in Spain.

Picasso Museum (Barcelona)

His collection mainly contains the early works of the artist, created during the period from 1895 to 1904... Among the later works, the series "Meninas" stands out - variations based on the painting of the same name by Velazquez.
The museum opened in 1963. It was based on the collection of the secretary and friend of Picasso Jaime Sabartes... The museum is located in an old city palace of the 15th century, which is famous for its ancient courtyards.

National Art Museum of Catalonia (Barcelona)

Created by in 1990... as a result of the unification of the Museum's collections contemporary art and the Museum of Art of Catalonia.
The museum is a consortium of the City of Barcelona and the Ministry of Culture of Catalonia. Its headquarters are located in the National Palace at the foot of Montjuïc, opened in 1929 for the Barcelona World's Fair.
Collection romanists this museum ( romance - a period in European art, starting from about 1000 and up to the emergence of the Gothic style in the XIII century. or later, depending on the region) is considered one of the most complete in the world. It is based on a unique section of Romanesque frescoes. The collection also includes a voluminous collection of wood painting and wooden sculpture. the collections number about 236,000 works and cover a thousand-year history of Catalan, Spanish and European art, from Romanticism, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque to the mid-20th century.

National Museum of Sculpture (Valladolid)

This is the former Antique Museum (its name was changed in 2008). The museum has many sculptures from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Here are the works of famous Spanish masters Alonso Berruguete, Juana de Juni, Gregorio Fernandez and others. The museum includes several buildings of unique architecture. Particularly noteworthy are the courtyard galleries and the main building of the museum - the College of San Gregorio, where theologians, mystics and inquisitors once studied.

El Greco Museum (Toledo)

An outstanding Renaissance painter known for his unique style of painting, he was a native of Crete. At the age of 35, he entered the service of the King of Spain and after some time moved to Toledo, where he spent the rest of his life. Here the artist created most of his masterpieces.
The building that houses the artist's museum today is not actually his home - his true home was destroyed in a fire. At the initiative of the Marquis de la Vega-Inclan at the beginning of the XX century. the building of the 16th century was restored, located close to the real house of the artist. Here his house was recreated, personal belongings that survived the fire, some pieces of furniture and his outstanding canvases were transferred. The museum was opened in 1911.
The opened museum aimed to preserve the masterpieces of the great artist as much as possible, to prevent their export abroad. The museum also exhibits works by artists and sculptors of Spain of the 16th-17th centuries, among which the canvases of El Greco's student occupy a special place - Luis Tristan.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

This is a museum of modern art. It is one of the branches of the Solomon Guggenheim Museum of Contemporary Art.
The museum building was designed by the American-Canadian architect Frank Gehry. The museum is open in 1997 year... Building recognized one of the most spectacular deconstructivist buildings in the world. It is located on the waterfront and embodies the abstract idea of \u200b\u200ba futuristic ship. It has also been compared to a bird, an airplane, a superman, an artichoke, and a blossoming rose.
The 55-meter-high central atrium resembles a giant metal flower, from which the petals of curving, fluid extended volumes radiate, in which enfilades of exhibition halls for various expositions are located.
The building is faced with titanium sheets with a total area of \u200b\u200b24 thousand square meters.

Museum of Abstract Art (Cuenca)

The permanent exhibition includes about 130 paintings and sculptures by artists from Spain in the 1950s and 60s, as well as by artists from the 1980s and 90s. The Museum of Abstract Art is called the main artistic attraction of the city. The museum gallery was opened in the 1960s. one of the leading artists of Spanish abstract art F. Sobel. The museum contains works of abstract painting and sculpture L. Muñoz, A. Saura, A. Tapies... There are expositions dedicated to provincial Spain. The museum is housed in the famous "hanging houses", buildings of the 15th century.

State symbols of Spain

Flag - consists of three horizontal stripes - two equal red stripes, upper and lower, between which there is a yellow stripe, the width of which is twice as large as each red stripe. On the yellow stripe, at a distance of 1/3 from the pole edge of the cloth, there is an image of the coat of arms of Spain.
The flag of Spain in its modern form has existed since 1785, when King Carlos III of Bourbon ordered Spanish warships to use signs to distinguish them from ships of other states - the white maritime standard of Spain, decorated with the coat of arms of the House of Bourbons, was easily confused with the standards of ships of other countries. Since then, red and yellow colors traditionally associated with Spain, although they were adopted as state only in 1927.
The flag depicting the modern version of the coat of arms was officially introduced on December 19, 1981.

Coat of arms - bringing together the entire history of Spain. It represents all the kingdoms that have united in modern Spain: Castile is represented by a castle; Leon, Asturias and Galicia as a lion; Aragon, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands - four red stripes on a gold background; Navarra - in the form of chains; Andalusia is depicted as a pomegranate, since in Spain it grows mainly only on the lands of Granada - the last Muslim state captured by Christian kings during the Reconquista; in the heart of the coat of arms - on an oval shield, three golden lilies in an azure field with a scarlet border represent the Anjou branch of the Bourbon dynasty, to which the king and his family belong, and the crown crowning the coat of arms is a sign that Spain is a kingdom; the columns symbolize the Pillars of Hercules, as they used to call Gibraltar, which was once considered the end of the world. Plus Ultra motto - lat. “Beyond the limit”.

Brief information about the country

Capital - Madrid.
Largest cities - Madrid, Barcelona, \u200b\u200bValencia, Seville, Zaragoza, Malaga.
Form of government - a constitutional monarchy.
Head of state - the king.
Head of the executive branch - Prime Minister.
Administrative division - 17 autonomous regions and 50 provinces.
Climate - Spain is characterized by very deep internal climatic differences: in the northwest the climate is mild and humid, in the interior of the country it is continental.
Territory - 504 782 km².
Population - 47 190 500 people
Official language - Spanish.
Currency - euro.
Religion - 95% of believers are Catholics.
Economy - strong (9th place in the world).
Spain - one of the largest centers of international tourism... The main tourist centers are Madrid, Barcelona, \u200b\u200bas well as the resorts of the Costa Brava, Costa Dorada, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol.

Spain landmarks

Madrid

Plaza Mayor ("Main Square")

One of the central squares of the Spanish capital. “The navel of Spain,” Lope de Vega said about her. The Madrid Baroque square, one of the monuments of the Habsburg era, was built by the architect Juan Gomez de Mora.
Plaza Mayor was the first square in Madrid where a permanent bullfighting site was equipped - before that, bullfights took place on improvised grounds.

The central square of the Spanish capital, one of the most famous landmarks in Madrid.
Puerta del Sol - an oval square surrounded by buildings from the 18th century - the intersection of eight streets. The ensemble of the crescent-shaped square was formed by the end of the 19th century, during the time of Isabella II. A bronze plate embedded in the sidewalk in the square serves as the zero point for counting road distances in Spain. Madrid is the geographical center of the country and the square is the central point of the city.

Official residence of the kings of Spain. Located in the western part of Madrid. But King Juan Carlos I does not live in the palace and visits it only on occasions of official ceremonies.
The palace was built in 1764, but its interior decoration continued for many years.
The palace park was founded in the 19th century, today it houses the Museum of Carriages, which contains carriages, two-wheeled carts, landau, ceremonial carriages and carriages that belonged to the Spanish kings from the 16th century, as well as saddles and carpets.

Eastern square

The construction of the square began at the beginning of the 19th century. Joseph Bonaparte. The ensemble of the square was completed during the reign of Isabella II. The Queen moved an equestrian sculpture to the center of the square king Philip IVcreated in 1640 by the sculptor Pietro Tacca. The sculpture was created on the basis of a portrait of Philip IV by Velazquez, and calculations to determine the center of gravity of a horse resting only on its hind legs were made Galileo Galilei.
On the square in the square there are sculptures (made of limestone) of the kings of the first Spanish states that existed on the Iberian Peninsula at different times.

This is an active Augustinian convent, founded in 1611 by the wife of Philip III Margarita Austrian... The monastery was and remains home to the upper class, it is the richest and most prosperous monastery in Spain. The monastery building is one of the most recognizable in the Spanish capital.

Almudena Cathedral

Dedicated to the Mother of God Almudena. April 4, 1884 Alphonse XII laid the first stone of the future cathedral, which was to become the tomb of his first wife and cousin Maria de las Mercedes of Orleans and Bourbon, who died six months after the wedding. The construction of the cathedral was completed in 1993 g.

Spain square

Located near the royal palace. The central part of the ensemble of the square is occupied by a monument Cervantes, opened on the 300th anniversary of his death in 1915 by the sculptors Teodoro Anasagasti and Matteo Inurria. Two high-rise buildings stand out on the square: the blocky skyscraper "Madrid Tower", nicknamed the "giraffe" (height 130 m, 30 floors) and the skyscraper "Spain", which now houses the hotel (height 117 m, 26 floors).

Bullring "Las Ventas"

A neo-Moorish-style bullring with a capacity of 23,000 spectators. Built in 1929 of brick, with semicircular arches and ceramic inlay. It is the largest bullring in Spain. It is only after performing in this arena that the bullfighters achieve full recognition of their skill, and farms that raise fighting bulls become famous after their pets perform there. In front of the arena "Las Ventas" there is a monument to the matadors who died during the bullfight and a monument to the doctor. A. Flemingwho discovered penicillin. Thanks to this discovery, many wounded during the bullfight survived. The building houses a bullfighting museum, which contains portraits of famous matadors, their weapons, tools and costumes, posters, as well as mummified heads of bulls.

Retiro park

The largest (40 hectares) and most famous park in the city. Together with the palace of the same name, it was part of the Habsburg residence. In 1868, the park was transferred to municipal management, after which it became one of the favorite recreation areas of the townspeople. The park houses a memorial to King Alfonso XII, two pavilions by the famous 19th century architect Velasquez - the Crystal Palace of Glass and the Brick Palace of Velazquez.

Barcelona

The second most populous city in Spain, the capital of Catalonia. Port on the Mediterranean. One of the most important tourist destinations in European routes. Famous artists lived and worked in Barcelona Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Enrique Tabara, an outstanding architect of Barcelona Antoni Gaudi... Great singers live and work in Barcelona Jose Carreras and Montserrat Caballe.

The best preserved of all Gothic shipyards. One of the most interesting architectural monuments XIV in... Barcelona. Currently, the shipyard building houses Naval Museum, opened in 1941 and occupying three large naves of the 14th century. The Museum displays latrine figures, navigational instruments, documentary evidence of the discovery of America, models of caravels and galleys, an atlas of 1493, etc.

The Gothic Quarter is located in the center of Barcelona's Old Town. The quarter got its name thanks to the preserved buildings erected in the Middle Ages, when Aragon was one of the most powerful powers in the Mediterranean. The quarter consists of narrow, crooked streets, some of which are closed to traffic. Most of the buildings date back to the XIV-XV centuries, and Roman buildings have also survived. The quarter was inhabited during the reign of Octavian Augustus. On the site of St. James's Square, there was previously a Roman forum. Remains of the Roman wall have been preserved.

Cathedral of Saint Eulalia - the central point of the Gothic Quarter. It was built during 1298 -1420
In the 1920s, the quarter was renovated and now houses many museums and small shops. It is also home to the Barcelona City Hall and the Catalan government.

Montjuic

Montjuïc hill is 173 m high and is located next to the seaport. It is one of the largest urban parks in Europe (203 ha). At the top of the hill is a fortress built in 1640 g... Since 1960, the fortress has housed War museum.
One of the most interesting objects of Montjuic is the so-called. The Spanish Village is an open-air architectural museum that contains copies of buildings from various regions of Spain. At the entrance there is a copy of the gate from the city of Avila.

Spanish village

There is an old bullring in the square. On the other side of the square, there are two bell towers, similar to the bell towers in Piazza San Marco in Venice. Nearby is the National Art Museum of Catalonia and designed by the Catalan architect Carles Buigas.

The Barcelona Aquarium is the largest in Europe, and its underwater glass tunnel is the longest in the world.

Park "Labyrinth"

Two different styles are combined on the territory of one park: 18th century park... in neoclassical style and romantic park of the 19th century The most attractive for tourists is the labyrinth - one of the main elements of the park. The former palace of the Desvalls family, a pond, the Romantic Canal, etc. are located in the park.

The construction of the park began in 1791 g. The labyrinth was founded in 1792 and became the centerpiece of the park. The size of the labyrinth is approximately 45x48 meters. The length of the fence reaches 750 m. The hedge consists of cypress trees. The height of the fence is 2.5 m. The entrance to the labyrinth is located in the southwestern corner of the labyrinth and is an arch of cypress trees. At the entrance to the labyrinth, there is a relief depicting Ariadne, who presents Theseus with a ball of thread.
In the center of the labyrinth there is a small circular area, from which eight paths diverge, each of which is marked with a cypress arch. There is a sculpture in the center of the site, and stone benches in a circle.

Sagrada Familia

Pictured: Nativity Facade
Church in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bbuilt with private donations since 1882, famous project by Antoni Gaudi... One of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world. According to the decision of the initiators of the construction of the temple, the financing of the work should be carried out exclusively at the expense of donations from the parishioners, which is one of the reasons for such a long construction. It should become the temple of the new age. Until the end of his life, even leaving the architectural practice, Gaudi continued to build a temple, considering this to be the main thing in his biography. At the end of his life, Gaudi practically did not leave his workshop. Absent-mindedness of the architect led him to death under the wheels of a tram.
After the death of the architect in 1926, the temple was not completed. Difficulties arose due to the fact that Gaudi worked without drawings. One new façade was erected with modernist sculptures (including one by Gaudí). Work is still underway on the construction of another facade and a central bell tower. With the construction of the central tower, the church should become the tallest in the world.
Daily services are held in the temple.

Valencia

The third most populous city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona. Located at the confluence of the partially drained Turia River into the Mediterranean Sea. The city was founded by the Romans in 138 BC e.
The city is rich in sights: the towers of the former city wall, Valencia Cathedral (where the bowl is kept, which is recognized by the Catholic Church in the person of the Pope The holy grail), the openwork bell tower of the cathedral called "Miguelete", the home of the silk weavers' guild. Valencia has been included in the World Heritage of Humanity since 1996.

The cup from which Jesus Christ ate at the Last Supper and into which Joseph of Arimathea collected blood from the wounds of the Savior crucified on the cross.

City of Arts and Sciences

Pictured: Planetarium, laser theater
An architectural complex of five buildings on the drained bottom of the Turia River in the city of Valencia. Designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, construction began in 1996. The complex is one of the outstanding examples of modern architecture.

Pictured: Museum of Science and Technology, adapted for schoolchildren, who are encouraged to touch and activate its exhibits

Seville

In the picture: View from the coast of the Guadalquivir to the Triana area
A city in the south of Spain with a population of 700 thousand inhabitants. According to legend, was founded greek hero Hercules... Tourism center. Located on a fertile, well-developed plain, on both sides of the Guadalquivir River, which is navigable to Seville and for sea ships. With its many towers, Seville offers a magnificent panorama from all sides. The ancient part of the city is located on the left bank of the Guadalquivir and is surrounded by suburbs. Today, only fragments of the ancient city wall with 66 towers remain. The Triana district is located on the right bank of the river.

Alcazar

Initially, it was a Moorish fort, expanded several times. The first palace was built by the Almohad dynasty. Most of the modern complex was built on the ruins of an Arab fortress by the king of Castile Pedro I, the beginning of construction is referred to 1364 BC The palace is one of the finest surviving examples Mudejar architecture (synthetic style in architecture, painting and arts and crafts of Spain XI-XVI centuries). Gothic elements added later (during the reign of Charles V) contrast with the dominant Islamic style.
For nearly 700 years, it has been the palace of the Spanish kings. The upper chambers of the Alcazar are still used by the royal family as their official residence in Seville.

The palace in the Spanish city of Seville, so named because it was supposedly a copy of the palace of Pontius Pilate. According to another version, the name of the house is associated with the relics received by the owners of the house from the Roman Pope Pius VI: the pillar from which Christ was scourged under Pilate.

Resorts of Spain

A strip of the Mediterranean coast in the north-east of Catalonia. It stretches for 162 km from the city of Blanes to the border with France. Popular area for tourism and recreation. The coastal relief is made up of inaccessible cliffs and rocks, overgrown with Pyrenean pines, pines and firs, which are interspersed with picturesque bays and bays with beaches of white sand and pebbles. Sandy beaches begin to the south.

In the mountains surrounding the coast, ancient dolmens and ruins of ancient castles have been preserved. On the slope of Mount Werder, there is a former benedictine monastery of St. Peter of Rhodes, and at the top - ruins Werder Castleknown as "Sant Salvador de Werdera".

Costa Dorada in Spanish means "golden coast", the elite beaches of Spain are concentrated here: they are like gold in the rays of the sun, gentle, long, sandy and almost perfect.

The resort is known for its endless beaches and orange groves.
There is almost never winter here, and warm spring begins when some other areas of Spain are still covered with snow, making the Costa Blanca a holiday destination in Spain at any time of the year. Costa Blanca is located in a cozy environment of high mountains that protect it from winds and sudden changes in weather, so the climate here is very mild.

Translated from Spanish "Sun Coast". It is the southernmost Mediterranean resort in the country. In the middle of the XX century. it has become a world renowned tourist resort. The region includes several cities: Malaga, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Nerja, Estepona, Manilva, Torrox.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain

- fortress-palace of Granada emirs. Located on the al-Sabika hill. This fortress is called the star of Andalusia.

- the most striking monument of the Spanish Gothic. Its construction began in 1221 BC, after which no construction work was carried out for 200 years. The construction was completed in 1567.

Historic Center of Cordoba... It is believed that Cordoba was founded by the Phoenicians, then it was under Roman rule. The philosophers and poets Seneca the Elder, Seneca the Younger, Lucian were born here. Monuments of architecture have been preserved in Cordoba: a bridge from Roman times, a massive crenellated tower, the Alcazar Palace, Columbus Square (he lived here, his son Hernando, the founder of the famous Colombian Library in Seville, was born), a mosque.

Pictured: Bridge from Roman times

- the most famous historical monument in Spain, created under King Philip II. This is the monastery of St. Lawrence - San Lorenzo. It is located 50 km from Madrid.

- an extensive limestone cave in the north of Spain, in the Cantabrian mountains, which has gained worldwide fame for its ancient rock paintings. It is called the "Sistine Chapel of Primitive Art".

- the highest city in Spain. It was known back in the days of the Celtiberians, the ancient population of Spain. Already in the 1st century. BC. it was a major political, economic and cultural center of the Iberian Peninsula.

Segovia - the ancient beautiful city of Spain. The first settlement at this place appeared around 700 BC... Here was one of the centers of Iberian resistance to Roman colonization. After capturing the city in 80 BC, the Romans turned it into their stronghold. Antique Segovia was one of the largest cities in the Iberian Peninsula.

Santiago de Compostela... This city is called "the city of a hundred towers", "the beacon of the Christian world", it is considered the third most important shrine of the Christian world after Jerusalem and Rome.
The founding of the city is associated with the name of St. Jacob. When the 12 apostles moved to all ends of the earth to preach the gospel, the apostle James went to Spain. Having created the first Christian communities here, Jacob returned to Palestine and, by order of King Herod Agrippa, was arrested and beheaded in 44. His disciples put Jacob's remains in a boat and launched it through the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. This boat was thrown onto the Spanish coast, and on this place the city of Santiago de Compostela (Jacob in Spanish Iago) was founded.

Toledo - the ancient capital of Spain. “The crown of Spain and the light of the whole world” - so it was once called. The city was badly damaged during the Napoleonic wars. Now it is a city-reserve. It is the center of the archbishopric.

Architecture of aragon... Zaragoza is the capital of Aragon. The architecture of Zaragoza is massive, unadorned buildings, often connected by long columns. The Nuestra Senora del Pilar Cathedral and the San Salvador Cathedral are examples of this.

Old town in Caceres... The city of Caceres itself is a modern bustling city. But in its center, the Spanish Middle Ages are quietly dormant, perfectly preserved.

Is an ancient Spanish city located on a rocky plateau above the Tormes River. For centuries, the houses, palaces and temples of Salamanca were built from a local variety of sandstone, the Villamayor stone.

This is a real oasis in the center of Spain. The average annual rainfall in Elche is less than 300 mm per year. There has always been a shortage of water. Only olives could grow in this place without irrigation. But settlers from the north of Africa succeeded in turning this semi-desert into a blooming garden. And this was done with the help of palms.

History of Spain

The first traces of human appearance in the north of the Iberian Peninsula are towards the end of the Paleolithic... Drawings of animals on the walls of caves appeared in about 15 thousand years BC. e.

First civilizations

In the Bronze Age, a culture emerges from which at the end of the II millennium civilization is formed Tartesswho traded metal with the Phoenicians. After the depletion of the mines, Tartessus falls into decay.
Along the east coast of Spain in the III millennium BC. e. appeared iberian tribes. From these tribes comes the ancient name of the peninsula - Iberian.

Carthaginian colonization

The first colonies in this country belonged to phoenicians; after 680 BC e. Carthage became the main center of Phoenician civilization, and the Carthaginians established a trade monopoly in the Strait of Gibraltar. Iberian cities were founded on the east coast, reminiscent of the Greek city-states.

Roman Spain

The defeat of the Carthaginians (led by Hannibal) in the Second Punic War in 210 BC e. opened the way for the establishment of Roman rule on the peninsula. After 200 years of bloody wars, the Romans managed to bring the country under their citizenship. Spain became the second largest center of the Roman Empire after Italy itself. The three living Spanish languages \u200b\u200bare rooted in Latin, and Roman law became the foundation of the Spanish legal system. Christianity appeared on the peninsula very early, but for a long time Christian communities were severely persecuted.

Barbarians in Spain

In the 5th century A.D. e. barbarians poured into the Iberian Peninsula - Germanic tribes (Vandals, Visigoths). The three hundred year rule of the Visigoths left a significant mark on the culture of the peninsula, but did not lead to the creation of a single nation.

Pictured: Family of ancient Germans in the 300s

Byzantine Spain

Byzantine Spain was conquered from the Visigoth kingdom by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I... The Byzantine army managed to advance 150-200 km deep into the Iberian Peninsula. The Balearic Islands were also part of Byzantine Spain.

Arab conquest of the Iberian Peninsula

In 711, one of the Visigothic groups called for help from Arabs and Berbers from North Africa. Arabs (the Moors) crossed from Africa to Spain and put an end to the Visigothic state that had existed for almost 300 years. Almost all of Spain was conquered by the Arabs in a short time and formed part of the great Umayyad caliphate.

Reconquista

Christian Reconquista (translated as "conquest") is a long process of reconquest by the Pyrenean Christians (mainly Spaniards, Catalans and Portuguese) of the lands on the Iberian Peninsula, occupied by the Moorish Emirates. The reconquista ended in 1492, when Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile expelled the last Moorish ruler from the Iberian Peninsula. They united most of Spain under their rule.

Golden Age of Spain (16th and first half of the 17th century)

The end of the Reconquista and the beginning of the conquest of America allowed Spain for a short time to become the most powerful political power in Europe. The ambitions of the numerous Spanish nobility (hidalgo) and the inspiration from the success of the centuries-old "holy war" under the banners of the Catholic faith made the Spanish army one of the strongest in the world and demanded new military victories. In 1504 Naples was conquered by Spain. IN XVI century absolutism was established. At the beginning of the XVI century. the Spanish colonial empire was formed, the basis of which was the colonial conquests in America. The Spanish Empire reached its peak in the 16th century. with the expansion of colonies in South and Central America and the capture of Portugal in 1580

The decline of Spain

From the middle of the 17th century. Spain from a subject of European politics turns into an object of territorial claims of France and loses a number of possessions in Central Europe. The country's economy and state apparatus fell into a state of complete decline. By the end of the reign of Charles II, many cities and territories were depopulated. Due to the lack of money, many provinces returned to exchange trade. Despite exceptionally high taxes, the once luxurious Madrid court was unable to pay for its own maintenance, often even for the royal meal.

Spain in the 18th century

Charles II died in 1700, leaving no heirs. The War of Spanish Succession began between Austria and France. France elevated Philip V of Bourbon (grandson of Louis XIV) to the Spanish throne. For many decades, the political life of Spain began to be determined by the interests of France.

Spain in the 19th century

In 1808, a guerrilla war broke out in Spain to drive out the invaders. The state of affairs in Spain's favor changed dramatically after Napoleon's defeat in Russia. The French were expelled from Spain, but the question of the further political structure of the country remained open. In 1820 the Bourbons seized power again. The 19th century in Spain was a century of civil wars and ended with an election Alphonse XII king of Spain. During these years, industry and trade began to develop in Spain, and the appearance of the country's largest cities changed. Liberal reforms were carried out: universal suffrage and jury trials were introduced.

Spain in the 20th century

In years First world war Spain remained neutral, but its economy suffered severe damage.
On April 14, 1931, as a result of mass uprisings, the monarchy was overthrown, and Spain became a republic. But this did not bring stability to Spanish society, since disagreements between the republicans themselves were added to the contradictions between the conservative-monarchist and republican wings. The continuing terror and the inability of the authorities to solve economic problems led to an increase in popularity in the army circles of the Spanish Phalanx, its mutiny in 1936 and a bloody civil war, which ended in 1939 with the capture of Madrid by the rebels and the establishment of a life dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

The years of Franco's rule are a period of conservative modernization in Spain. The country did not participate in World War II.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Spanish "economic miracle" took place, associated with the inflow of investments into a previously backward agrarian country, urbanization and the development of industry and tourism. At the same time, political rights and freedoms were restricted in the country for a long time, and repressions were carried out against separatists and adherents of leftist views.

Modern Spain

After the death of Franco and the restoration of the monarchy in Spain, a new Constitution was adopted, soon the socialists came to power, who still occupy a dominant position in the country's political system. The country has become a federal state. In 1986 Spain joined the European Union.
Despite the relatively high standard of living, the country is dependent on state and foreign investment and financial assistance from the European Union. Spain is one of the hardest hit countries in Europe during the economic crisis of the late 2000s.

We tell you where to go for a tourist if he really wants a completely unique experience of a trip to Spain.

Museum Village

Where is.

What is good.Two facts: the first - the population of Guadelesta, a small village in the province of Alicante, is 250 people, the second - the monthly flow of tourists here exceeds the number of inhabitants of Guadelesta dozens of times. And the point is not only that Guadelest himself is on a rock, through which you can go through a special arch, but also in what awaits you next. The Museum of Microminiatures of the Spanish creator (the term "left-handed" is too hackneyed) Manuel Ussa, who easily leads a caravan of camels through the eye of a needle, fills snail shells with people, shows world sights on a grain, places the Bible on a human hair. But that's not all: there is a museum of Belem micro-palaces nearby, where the life of a whole city of dolls is shown in the buildings of Christmas nativity scenes. The museum of salt and pepper shakers, where more than 20 thousand items of kitchen utensils of the most incredible shapes are collected, "finishes off" the admiring visitor.

Where is. Toledo

What is good.The Spaniards have figured out a way to turn one of the darkest pages in the country's history into a way to make money. Cynically? Perhaps, but above all interesting. Because in Toledo you get proof of the ingenuity of the human brain. The instruments of torture and execution are sometimes simply surprising: well, how could one or another object be used to inflict pain? The answers can be found both in the guides and on the explanatory signs. More than four dozen exhibits that will remind you of those times when respect for another opinion was an empty phrase - having been here, as if you become more tolerant and sensitive.

Where is. Bilbao

What is good.The building of the Museum of Modern Art itself is called one of the most unusual in the world. Someone compares it to a bird, someone to an airplane, but outwardly most of all it resembles a giant ship floating on land. More than a million people come here every year, interested in both permanent exhibitions and visiting collections of avant-garde works. At the entrance you are greeted by a sculpture of a giant puppy made of flowers, an installation in the form of a huge spider nearby. However, it is no less bright inside, because many of the exhibits are interactive, that is, you can come into contact with them, which makes a trip to the Guggenheim Museum a cool option for those who come to Spain with children.

Museum of automobiles from films

Where is. Yunkos.

What is good.Halfway from Madrid to Toledo, you can see a collection of cars, along a number of which the police seem to be crying - riddled with bullets, broken, with broken license plates. Against the background of other neighbors - respectable-looking sports cars, the contrast is even more striking. The secret of such a collection of cars is simple: all these are models that were used (and sometimes are used) for filming in films. You will be told the history of each car, they will show you pictures of pictures with it, for some money you can not even just take a picture in the background, but also sit behind the wheel of the model you like.

Dali Theater Museum

Where is. Figueres

What is good.Of course, the list of the strangest museums in Spain could not fail to include the museum of the strangest figure in its (and if only in its) history. Interestingly, initially, Dali did not want to give the originals of the paintings here, believing that conceptually it would be to exhibit a photo of the paintings. But in the end he was persuaded and gradually the building began to fill, both inside and outside (decorations in the form of loaves of bread on the walls already say that it will be interesting here). “I want my museum to be a single block, a labyrinth, a huge surrealistic object,” said the artist. The room with the face of the American Mae West, the giant eggs adorned with precious stones, and finally the embalmed body of Dali himself in the crypt under the dome - the trip here will definitely be remembered forever.

The most famous and famous museums in Spain that are worth visiting - TOP 6 most unforgettable.

Prado Museum in Madrid

The main museum attraction in Spain, with the oldest and largest art collection of paintings in the world, is located in Madrid. The opening took place in 1819. Accommodates the best creations famous artistscollected by the monarchs of Spain over the centuries, as well as paintings collected from other sources over the past 200 years. The Prado has a collection of 7,000 paintings, of which about 1,500 are on display in the permanent exhibition.

The museum has a remarkable Flemish collection, including the best canvases by Bosch. An incomparable exposition of Spanish art, in particular the works of Velazquez (including the Ladies of the Court), Goy (including the Machs and Black Paintings) and El Greco. There are huge sections italian painting (especially Titian), collected by the great patrons of the Renaissance Charles V and Philip II and an excellent collection of Flemish and dutch paintings Philip IV.

The museum's collection of paintings begins with a cycle of 12th century Romanesque frescoes from churches of the Mozarabian era (Muslim rule) in Soria and Segovia.

The Golden Age: Velazquez and El Greco. The collection of works of the "golden age" (late 16th and 18th centuries) is preceded by a collection of paintings by El Greco. Visitors then meet with the greatest painter of Spain under the Habsburgs, Diego Velazquez. The premises display the works of almost all significant painters of the country: B. Murillo, A. Cano, F. Zurbaran, J. Ribera.

In separate sections there are paintings by Italian masters, French and English painters.

Flemish, Dutch and German painting are represented by the works of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, I. Patinir, R. van der Weyden. Rubens is widely represented. There are paintings by Jan Brueghel and early Rembrandt.

Reina Sofia Center for the Arts in Madrid

leaves for Atocha train station and is at the end of the Paseo del Prado. It is a leading exhibition area and permanent gallery of contemporary Spanish art (in the center of it resides famous painting Picasso Guernica).

The museum in the former building of a large hospital was the city's answer to the Pompidou Center in Paris. Transparent glass elevators carry visitors outside the building, whose floors house a cinema, design bookstore, printing house, library, restaurant, courtyard garden, and exhibition halls with a permanent collection of 20th century art.

It is worth coming here just to see Guernica Picasso. This painting, an icon of 20th century Spanish art, is superbly placed and shocking despite its notoriety. Picasso painted a picture after the German bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the civil war. Guernica hangs in the middle of the permanent exhibition on the second floor, on the second floor art schools Basques and Catalonia. This is followed by sections on Cubism and the Parisian School. Dali and Miro occupy many of the sites after Guernica, the latter housing an impressive collection of sculpture.

Museum of Spanish Sculpture in Valladolid

one of the oldest museums in the country and the most important in Europe is located in Valladolid. The most brilliant works of the Renaissance are exhibited here. Then the most significant figures were Alonso Berruguete, Diego de Siloé and Juana de Juni, who worked actively in the 16th century and spent several years in Florence, where they improved the skill of realistic depiction of anatomical details.

They were also heavily influenced by Michelangelo and the Italian Renaissance in general. Their genius contributed to the fact that the religious power of temperament was embodied in the classics. The Masterpiece of Berruguete (1486-1561) is a massive disassembled retablo occupying three museum rooms that showcases his mastery of painting, relief sculpture and individual statues.

The inner courtyard of the building, with its openwork carved elements and ceilings, is made in the Moorish spirit, and is itself a kind of museum exhibit, representing the Spanish Renaissance in sculpture.

Museum of National Art of Catalonia in Barcelona

The best art museum in Barcelona with a magnificent collection of medieval paintings, European Renaissance and Baroque works and a collection of Catalan art from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Romanesque part of the collection is undoubtedly one of the best in the world. Since the 11th century. in rural Catalonia and the high-mountainous Pyrenees, massive stone churches were built, which were magnificently decorated with bright frescoes depicting Christ, angels, and apostles. For the sake of salvation from plunder and death, they were carefully transferred at the beginning of the 20th century. into museum interiors like church interiors.

The collection is arranged in chronological order, starting with stone sculptures of the 6-10th centuries, while the bulk belongs to the 13th century. The frescoes are still sparkling with colors 800 years later and have a vibrant, living appearance.

The Gothic collection is widely represented, covering the whole of Spain, it is also arranged in chronology from the 13th to the 15th century. The period of development from the Romanesque to the Gothic style was marked by the replacement of wall frescoes with painting on wood and a more naturalistic depiction of life (and the brutal death of the saints).

The Renaissance and Baroque sections showcase major European masters of the 15th and 18th centuries, although there are no real masterpieces here.

City of Art and Science in Valencia

The most exciting project is the city that rises on the river bank in the south of the city and symbolizes how the city authorities see Valencia as a top tourist attraction. This giant complex consists of 5 futuristic structures created by the local architect S. Calatrava and is considered the largest cultural center in Europe.

The architecture itself is impressive here. Calatrava's designs are distinguished by natural forms, and technical excellence provides the basis for his pioneering concrete, steel and glass structures.

Hemisphere (Hermisféric) in the form of a spectacular concrete egg with eyelashes and an eyeball, which serves as a huge convex screen for showing films.

The Science Museum (Museo de las Ciencias), with protruding pillars of a giant frame filled with interactive displays of science, sports and human anatomy designed to attract a children's audience.

The Oceanographic Park (Parque Oceanográfico) by F. Candela, the largest aquarium in Europe, introduces the marine ecosystems of the planet. Each aquarium is an aquatic environment: Mediterranean, marsh, temperate seas and others. There is a large dolphinarium.

The Reina Sofía Palace of Arts (Palacio de Artes Reyna Sofía) presents audiences for musical concerts.

Agora (Ágora) has various halls for congresses, tournaments, social events.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

The undulating titanium flagship designed by Canadian architect Frank O. Gehry has become one of the symbols of our era. Opened October 18, 1998. Located in the city of Bilbao, the capital city of the province of Vizcaya in the Basque Country. Every year, modern Spanish attractions are visited by about 1 million people. Occupied area 24,000 sq. m., 19 exhibition halls.

Externally, the building is a combination of various forms, inside there is a bridge and a tower. The outer cladding is made of titanium plates and Andalusian limestone. The variety of appearance is represented by a combination of the shape of the ship from the side of the river mouth, clear geometric shapes from the side of the city, and from above there is an opening flower bud.

Visitors to the main square are greeted by the "Puppy", which has become the symbol of Bilbao. The sculpture is made of natural flowers. The flower structure invites visitors to walk up the stairs to the bridge that runs along the façade on the north side.

The main entrance leads into a flower-shaped hallway. From the hall you get into the halls - petals. Transparency, skylight lighting, a variety of natural and geometric shapes in layout, titanium coating - everything made the building an outstanding creation of modern architecture.

The halls house permanent compositions from the Guggenheim Foundation (a non-profit organization supporting contemporary art) and temporary exhibitions, mostly by contemporaries. With the aim of attracting tourists, exhibitions and classical works of art are organized.

• Spring, early summer, and autumn are ideal times to travel to Spain, although the country's climate is different in every region. The elevated central plains ...

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (El Museo de arte Thyssen-Bornemisza)

32 Paseo del Prado, 8, 28014 Madrid, España

Prado

2684 Museo Nacional del Prado, Paseo del Prado, s / n, 28014 Madrid, Madrid, España

Monastery de El Escorial

8 Avenida Monasterio de El Escorial, 28049 Madrid, Madrid, España

Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando (Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando)

5 Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Calle de Alcalá, 13, 28014 Madrid, Madrid, España

Monastery of the Incarnation (Convento de la Encarnacion)

1 Convento de la Encarnación, Calle Encarnación 2, 28013 Madrid, España

Lazaro Galdiano Museum

4 Calle de Serrano, 122, 28006 Madrid, España

Bank Santander Fund (Fundacion Banco Santander)

2 Calle de Serrano, 92, 28006 Madrid, España

Museo Cerralbo

1 Calle Ventura Rodríguez, 17, 28008 Madrid, España

Royal Palace (Palacio Real)

7

Toledo

Hospital Tavera

5 Hospital Tavera, Calle Duque de Lerma, 2, 45003 Toledo, Toledo, España

El Greco Museum

20 Paseo Tránsito, s / n, 45002 Toledo, España

Museum of Santa Cruz (Museo de Santa Cruz)

12 Miguel de Cervantes, 3, 45001 Toledo, España

Valencia

Patriarch Museum (Museo del Patriarca)

1 Carrer de la Nau, 1, 46003 València, Valencia, España

Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes de)

2 Carrer de Sant Pius V, 9, 46010 València, Valencia, España

Barcelona

Monastery of Pedralbes (Real Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes)

1 Baixada del Monestir, 9, 08034, Barcelona, \u200b\u200bEspaña

National Art Museum of Catalonia (Museu d'Art de Catalunya)

8 Palau Nacional, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Parc de Montjuïc, s / n, 08038 Barcelona, \u200b\u200bBarcelona, \u200b\u200bEspaña

Illescas

Hospital de la Caridad

5 Calle Cardenal Cisneros, 2, 45200 Illescas, Toledo, España

Sitges

Cau Ferrat Museum

2 Carrer de Fonollar, 6, 08870 Sitges, Barcelona, \u200b\u200bEspaña

Montserrat monastery

Art Museum (Museu de Montserrat)

1 Montserrat, 08691, Barcelona, \u200b\u200bEspaña

Seville

Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes)

3 Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla, Pl. del Museo, 9, 41001 Sevilla, Sevilla, España

Coruña

Art Museum (Museo de Belas Artes da Coruña)

1 Museo de Belas Artes da Coruña, Rúa Zalaeta, s / n, 15002 A Coruña, A Coruña, España

Bilbao

Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes)

6 Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 48009 Bilbao, Vizcaya, España

Granada

Royal Chapel (Capilla Real)

1 Capilla Real de Granada, 18001 Granada, Granada, España

Pontevedra

Art Museum (Museo de Arte)

1 Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Vigo, 36202 Vigo, Pontevedra, España

Flights to Madrid and other cities in Spain, search for hotels at favorable prices:

Almost all museums in Spain are open until 20:00, especially during the tourist season, which starts in April and ends in September. The day off is Monday. A two-hour lunch break is required from 13:00 or 14:00. The entrance fee is usually 1-6 euros, but it can go up to 20 euros. In Barcelona you can save money by purchasing the special Barcelona Card. It gives the right to pay for a ticket 20% -30% less.

Every year in Spain there is a week of science. During this period, most museums are open to the public absolutely free of charge.

Because many museums in Spain are very large and consist of many exhibition halls, it is possible to buy different categories of tickets. Each of them allows you to visit specific parts of the museum.

Spain was once the most powerful and richest country in Europe and is the cradle of one of the world's greatest cultures. Over the past centuries, many great and wealthy people and families in Spain have spent part of their fortunes to acquire works of art. The Spanish Catholic Church has also been the patron saint of art. Today, some of these treasures remain privately owned and not accessible to the public, but most of the major artworks are housed in museums.

In addition, Spain since the beginning of the 20th century has given the world many symbolic and original artists such as Salvador Dali, Picasso, Joan Miró, and many others, whose works we can see in museums and galleries in various parts of the country.

As in many countries, the main art galleries in Spain are located in major cities: Madrid, Barcelona, \u200b\u200bBilbao, but there are other interesting galleries outside of these cities.

Prado, Madrid

The Spanish National Museum is one of the best in Europe. Here you can see a remarkable collection of European painting, including the iconic works of the Flemish painters, Bruegel the Elder and Hieronymus Bosch, as well as works by all the major Spanish Old Masters.

Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid

The Spanish Museum of 20th century art, in particular, here you can see the work of Picasso and Dali, as well as contemporary painters and sculptors. There is also a painting by Picasso "Guernica", which is dedicated to the horrors of war.

Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

The basis of the museum is the former private collection, which was the second largest in the world, and since 1992 it has been freely available for viewing. Contains a rich collection of works of the European Renaissance, French Impressionists, German Expressionists. Also in the collection there are many paintings by Van Eyck, Holbein, Titian, Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh.

Royal Monastery of El Escorial, near Madrid

The monastery and the castle are worth visiting and viewing in themselves. There are also collections of Hieronymus Bosch, Titian, Durer, Velazquez, El Greco and Rogier van der Weyden.

Hospital Museum of Santa Cruz de Toledo, Castilla la Mancha

A fine collection of classic Spanish art, including many of Toledo's most famous painter, El Greco.

Picasso Museum, Barcelona

This museum houses the world's largest collection of the artist's work (more than 3500 of his paintings). And includes some of his most famous paintings, in particular his early years - including the "blue period" - between 1890 and 1917.

Dali Museum in Figueres

If you want to enjoy the surreal world of Salvador Dali, visit the Dalí House Museum in Figueres, in the province of Girona, located 139 kilometers from the city of Barcelona.

National Art Museum of Catalonia, Barcelona

Catalan National Gallery with a collection of Spanish art as well as works from other parts of Europe. And, of course, the works of famous artists of Catalonia, including Picasso and Salvador Dali.

Joan Miró Foundation, Barcelona

Nearly 400 paintings and sculptures, plus textiles and ceramics by one of Spain's most remarkable painters. The museum also contains an almost complete collection of Miro: graphic works and several thousand drawings, plus a small collection of works by contemporaries such as Max Ernst, Fernand Léger, André Masson and Henry Moore.

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Pais Vasco

One of the world's great museums of contemporary art, opened in 1997. The museum specializes in exhibitions of works by contemporary artists and sculptors. The building itself, designed by Frank Gehry, is considered one of the religious buildings of the late 20th century.

Royal Monastery of Guadalupe (Extremadura)

One of the Spanish popular pilgrimage sites. The monastery is the object World heritage UNESCO. Contains a collection of paintings, including works by Goya and El Greco.

Museum of Romanticism, Madrid

If the work of Gustavo Adolfo Becker, Goethe, Lord Byron or Rosalia de Castro touches your heart, you should definitely visit this museum, which shows how people lived during the Romantic era in Spain in the 19th century.

The Museum of Romanticism contains a fascinating collection of over 1,600 items, including furniture, paintings, porcelain, pianos, and more. Museum long time was under reconstruction and reopened in 2009.

Spanish Village, Barcelona

The Architectural Museum is located in Barcelona. This is one of the biggest attractions in the city. The museum consists of 117 full-scale buildings from different times. There are streets, houses, parks, a theater, a school, restaurants and craft workshops.