Well, I have a lot of time preparing this thread and although I know it will be a flop, it would be a shame not to create it.

I will show them in chronological order.

1) Dolmen of Menga
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It's the most spectacular dolmen in the Iberian Peninsula.It's located in the Andalusian town of Antequera.

It's considered to be the largest such structure in Europe. It's twenty-five metres deep, five metres wide and four metres high, and was built with thirty-two megaliths, the largest weighing about 180 tonnes. After completion of the chamber (which probably served as a grave for the ruling families) and the path leading into the center, the stone structure was covered with earth and built up into the hill that can be seen today. When the grave was opened and examined in the 19th century, archaeologists found the skeletons of several hundred people inside.

(data extracted from Wikipedia)

2) Amphitheater of Tarragona

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It's a Roman building constructed near the sea, behind the wall of the city of Tarragona.

It fought all kinds of shows, such as gladiator fights. It was built near the sea in the lower part of the city for its easy access to the public attending the shows.

It have Ellipse-shaped and had a capacity of 1500 people. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2000.

3) Aqueduct of Segovia

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It's one of the most significant and best-preserved monuments left by the Romans on the Iberian Peninsula. It is among the most important symbols of Segovia, as is evidenced by its presence on the city's coat of arms.

The first section of the aqueduct contains 36 pointed arches, rebuilt in the 15th Century to restore a portion destroyed by Moors in 1072. The line of arches is organized in two levels, decorated simply, in which predominantly simple moulds hold the frame and provide support to the structure. On the upper level, the arches have a total width of 5.1 meters. Built in two levels, the top pillars are both shorter and narrower than those on the lower level. The top of the structure contains the channel through which water travels, through a U-shaped hollow measuring 0.55 by 0.46 meters . The channel continuously adjusts to the base height and the topography below. The lower-level arches have an approximate width of 4.5 meters ; Their pillars gradually increase in circumference size. The top of each pillar has a cross-section measuring 1.8 by 2.5 meters , while the base cross-section measures approximately 2.4 by 3 meters .

The aqueduct is built of unmortared, brick-like granite blocks. During the Roman era, each of the three tallest arches displayed a sign in bronze letters, indicating the name of its builder along with the date of construction. Today, two niches are still visible, one on each side of the aqueduct. One of them is known to have held the image of the Egyptian Hercules, who according to legend was founder of the city. The other niche now contains the images of the Virgen de la Fuencisla (the Patroness of Segovia) and Saint Stephen.

According to a popular legend, sloth, rather than Romans, was responsible for the construction of the aqueduct. A woman who worked as a water carrier, fed up with hauling her pitcher through the steep streets of the city, made a pact with the devil: the devil could take her soul if water would arrive at her doorstep before the rooster crowed. When night fell, a great storm fell upon the city. None of its citizens except the woman knew that this was no normal storm, but instead was the devil working to keep his part of the bargain. However, she repented and prayed all night to avoid fulfilling the pact. According to the legend, the rooster crowed just before the devil could lay the final stone, and thus the woman's soul was saved.

The woman confessed her sin to the citizens who, after spraying the arches with holy water, were happy to accept the new addition to the city. Convinced that a miracle had saved the woman's soul, a statue of the Virgin and Saint Stephen were placed atop the aqueduct in commemoration.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985.

4) Tower of Hercules
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The Tower of Hercules is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about 2.4 kilometers from the centre of A Coruña, in north-western Spain. The structure is 55 metres tall and overlooks the North Atlantic coast of Spain. It is almost 1900 years old, was rehabilitated in 1791, and is the oldest Roman lighthouse still used as a lighthouse.

Through the millennia many mythical stories of its origin have been told. According to a myth that blends Celtic and Greco-Roman elements, the hero Hercules slew the giant tyrant Geryon after three days and three nights of continuous battle. Hercules then—in a Celtic gesture— buried the head of Geryon with his weapons and ordered that a city be built on the site. The lighthouse atop a skull and crossbones representing the buried head of Hercules’ slain enemy appears in the coat-of-arms of the city of A Coruña.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2009.

5) Roman Theater of Mérida

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It's a construction promoted by Vipsanius Marcus Agrippa, in the Roman city of Mérida. According to the date entered in the theater construction occurred in the years 15 to 16 a. C.

Raised in fidelity to the treaty rules of Vitruvius, it shows similarities with the theaters of Duggan, Orange and Pompeii. The building reflects a typical Roman model, as previously established in the buildings of Pompeii and Rome, where diameter of cavea about 86 meters.

Besides being the most visited monument in the city, since 1933 it houses the development of the Festival de Teatro Clásico de Mérida thus returns to its original function and goes beyond mere ornament.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1993.

6) Córdoba Cathedral (Mosque of Córdoba)

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The building was begun in approximately 600 A.D. as the Christian Visigothic church of St. Vincent.The first Muslim Emir Abd ar-Rahman I bought the church and reworked it over two centuries to refashion it as a mosque, starting in 784 A.D. Additionally, Abd ar-Rahman I used the mosque (originally called Aljama Mosque) as an adjunct to his palace and named it to honor his wife. According to some authors the church of St. Vincent was demolished after it was bought from the local Christian community.

Several explanations have been proposed to explain the mosque's unorthodox orientation. Some have suggested the mihrab faces south because the foundations of the mosque were taken from the old Roman and Visigoth constructions. Others contend that Abd ar-Rahman oriented the mihrab southward as if he were still in the Ummayyad capital of Damascus and not in exile.

The mosque underwent numerous subsequent changes: Abd ar-Rahman III ordered a new minaret; Al-Hakam II, in 961, enlarged the building and enriched the mihrab. The last of the reforms was carried out by Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir in 987.

It was the most magnificent of the more than 1,000 mosques in the city and was at one time the second largest mosque in the Muslim world. It was connected to the Caliph's palace by a raised walk-way, mosques within the palaces being the tradition for the Islamic rulers of all times.

The city in which it was built was subject to frequent invasion and each conquering wave added their own mark to the architecture. The building is most notable for its giant arches, with over 1,000 columns of jasper, onyx, marble, and granite. These were made from pieces of the Roman temple which had occupied the site previously, as well as other destroyed Roman buildings. The double arches, pictured above, were a new introduction to architecture, and helped support the tremendous weight of the higher ceilings. The double arches consist of a lower horseshoe arch and an upper semi-circular arch. The mosque also features richly gilded prayer niches. A centrally located honey-combed dome has beautiful blue tiles decorated with stars. The mihrab is a masterpiece of architectural art, with geometric and flowing designs of plants. The mosque reached its current dimensions in 987 A.D. with the completion of the outer naves and orange tree courtyard.

In 1236, Córdoba was recaptured from the Muslim army by King Fernando III of Castile and the mosque was reconsecrated as a Christian church. Alfonso X oversaw the construction of the Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel within the mosque. The kings who followed added further Christian features: Enrique II rebuilt the chapel in the 14th century.

The most significant alteration was building a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the structure. It was constructed by permission of Charles V, king of united Spain. Its reversion to a Christian church (officially the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin) may have helped to preserve it when the Spanish Inquisition was most active.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.

7) Church of Santa María del Naranco
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It's a Roman Catholic Asturian pre-Romanesque church on the slope of Mount Naranco situated 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Oviedo. Ramiro I of Asturias ordered it to be built as a royal palace as part of a larger complex that also incorporated the nearby church of San Miguel de Lillo, 100 meters away. It was completed in 848 A.D. Its structural features, as the barrel vault with transverse ribs corresponding one to one to contraforts at the exterior, make it a clear precursor of the Romanesque construction. The exterior decorations, as well as the use of stilted arches mark the intended verticality of the composition. It was converted into a church at the end of the 13th century.

The church of Santa María del Naranco is unlike any contemporary example we are acquainted with. Practically it is a Roman tetrastyle amphiprostyle temple], if such terms can be applied to a Christian edifice. So far as we can understand, the altar was placed originally in one of the porticos, and the worship was consequently probably external. The great difference seems to have been that there was a lateral entrance, and some of the communicants at least must have been accommodated in the interior. The ornamentation of the interior differs from classical models more than the plan. The columns are spirally fluted — a classical form — but the capitals are angular, and made to support arches. On the walls also there are curious medallions fiom which tho vaulting-ribs spring, which seem peculiar to the style.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985.

8) Girona Cathedral

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The original cathedral was a Romanesque building (S. XI-XII) which was redesigned by Pere Sacoma in 1312. After a few years of dubitation, Guillem Bofill and Antoni Canet start the genial project in 1416. The new design consisted of a big Gothic revival nave, the widest Gothic nave in the world—22.98 m—and the second widest nave of all styles after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

From the original Romanesque cathedral, it has a cloister and tower (called "Torre de Carlemany"), with outstanding relief sculptures. The cathedral also has the Tapís de la Creació (Tapestry of the Creation), a very rare large 11th century tapestry depicting the creation of the world, the months of the year and Biblical characters.

9) Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

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According to legend, the apostle Saint James the Greater brought the Message of Christ to the Celts in the Iberian Peninsula. In 44 AD he was beheaded in Jerusalem. His remains were later brought back to Galicia, Spain. Following Roman persecutions of Spanish Christians, his tomb was abandoned in the 3rd century. Still according to legend, this tomb was rediscovered in 814 AD by Pelayo, a hermit, after witnessing strange lights in the night sky. Bishop Theodemir of Iria recognized this as a miracle and informed the Asturian king Alfonso II (791-842). The king ordered the construction of a chapel on the site. Legend has it that the king became the first pilgrim to this shrine. This was followed by a first church in 829 AD and again in 899 AD by a pre-Romanesque church, at the order of king Alfonso III of León, causing the gradual development of a major place of pilgrimage. In 997 this early church was reduced to ashes by Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir (938-1002), army commander of the caliph of Córdoba, Spain. The gates and the bells, carried by Christian captives to Córdoba, were added to the Aljama Mosque. When Córdoba was taken by king Fernando III of Castile in 1236, these same gates and bells were then transported by Muslim captives to Toledo, to be inserted in the cathedral Santa Maria.

Construction of the present cathedral began in 1075 under the reign of Alfonso VI of Castile (1040-1109) and the patronage of bishop Diego Peláez. It was built according to the same plan as the monastic brick church of Saint Sernin in Toulouse, probably the greatest Romanesque edifice in France. It was built mostly in granite. Construction was halted several times and, according to the Liber Sancti Iacobi, the last stone was laid in 1122. But by then, the construction of the cathedral was certainly not finished. The cathedral was consecrated in 1128 in the presence of king Alfonso IX of Leon.

According to the Codex Calixtinus the architects were "Bernard the elder, a wonderful master", his assistant Robertus Galperinus and, later possibly, "Esteban, master of the cathedral works". In the last stage "Bernard, the younger" was finishing the building, while Galperinus was in charge of the coordination. He also constructed a monumental fountain in front of the north portal in 1122.

The church became an episcopal see in 1075 and, due to its growing importance as a place of pilgrimage, it was soon raised to an archiepiscopal see by pope Urban II in 1100. A university was added in 1495.

The cathedral has been embellished and expanded between the 16th and the 18th century. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985.

10) Basilica of San Isidoro
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The Basilica of San Isidoro (in the city of León) stands on land which was once a Roman temple. Its Christian roots can be traced back to the early 10th century when a monastery for Saint John the Baptist was erected on the grounds.

In 1063 the basilica was rededicated to Saint Isidore of Seville. Isidore was archbishop of Seville, and the most celebrated academic and theologian of Visigothic Spain in the period preceding the Arab invasions. With the agreement of Abou Amr Abbad al-Motadid, the Muslim ruler of Seville, Isidore's relics were brought to Leon where they could be interred on Christian soil. The tomb of the saint still draws many visitors today. An equestrian statue of Saint Isidore is visible, along with many other sculptures, high on the facade.

Built mostly in the Romanesque style, the basilica has had major additions in the styles of many succeeding centuries including the Gothic. The arches on the crossing of the transept hark back to Islamic art. However the many styles merge into a harmonious whole.

The carved tympanum of the Puerta del Cordero is one of the basilica's most notable features. Created prior to 1100, this romanesque tympanum depicts the sacrifice of Abraham.

11) Aljafería Palace

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It's a fortified palace built during the second half of the 11th century in Zaragoza, Spain. It was the residence of the Banu Hud dynasty during the era of Abu Jaffar Al-Muqtadir and reflecting the splendor attained by the kingdom of the taifa of Zaragoza at the height of its grandeur. The palace currently contains the Cortes (regional parliament) of the autonomous community of Aragon.

The structure holds unique importance in that it is the only conserved testimony of a large building of Spanish Islamic architecture of the era of the Taifas (independent kingdoms). Next to the magnificent examples of the Caliph of Cordoba’s Mosque and the Alhambra, the Aljaferia of Zaragoza should be included in the triad of Moorish architecture.

After the capture of Zaragoza in 1118 by Alfonso I of Aragon, the Aljaferia became the residence of the Christian kings of the Kingdom of Aragon and as such was converted into the focal point for spread of the Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon. It was the birthplace of Saint Isabel of Portugal in the year 1271. It was used as the royal residence by Peter IV of Aragon and subsequently, on the principal building site, a renovation was carried out that converted these chambers into the palace of the Catholic Kings in 1492. In 1593, the structure experienced another renovation that converted it into a military base, first according to Renaissance designs (which today can be observed in its moat and gardens) and later as military quarters. The building suffered continuous alterations and considerable imperfections, above all with the Siege of Zaragoza during the Peninsular War until it was finally restored in the second half of the 20th century and currently it houses the Cortes or autonomous community legislative assembly of Aragon.

In the original construction, extra ramparts were made in the open field surrounding the Aljaferia. With urban expansion over the years, the building has remained inside of the city. Yet the city of Zaragoza has not been able to honor the landscaped surroundings of the Aljaferia. A freeway passes only a few meters away.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001.

12) Giralda
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The Giralda is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville, one of the largest churches in the world and an outstanding example of the Gothic and Baroque architectural styles. The tower's first two-thirds is a former Almohad minaret which, when built, was the tallest tower in the world at 97.5 m in height. It was one of the most important symbols in the medieval city.

The tower, a minaret from the Almohad period of Seville, is constructed in several distinct parts, the lower two thirds being almohad architecture, and the upper third spanish renaissance architecture.

The copper sphere that originally topped the tower fell in an earthquake in 1365. Christians replaced the sphere with a cross and bell.

The statue stands 4 m (13 feet) in height (7 m (23 ft) with the pedestal) and has crowned the top of the tower since its installation in 1568.

The Renaissance section of the tower also contains a large inscription of Seville's motto, NO8DO. Alfonso X of Castile gave the motto to the city when it continued to support his rule during an insurrection.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.

13) León Cathedral

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León Cathedral, also called The House of Light or the Pulchra Leonina is situated in the city of León in north-west Spain. It was built on the site of previous Roman baths of the 2nd century which, 800 years later, the emblematic king Ordoño II converted into a palace. Its doors, its impressive rose window, the choir (one of the oldest in the country) and the delicacy of some figures, like the venerated Virgin Blanca presiding over the constant traffic of visitors, are some of the not-to-be-missed features of this cathedral.

The León Cathedral, dedicated to Santa María de la Regla, was declared of Cultural Interest in 1844. It is known as the Pulchra Leonina and it is a masterpiece of the Gothic style dominating the mid-13th century, by master architect Enrique. By the late 16th century it was virtually completed.

One of the most attractive features is the main front, with two towers (the south one known as the 'clock tower'). The interior represents a beautiful combination of architecture, painting, sculpture and other arts. It must not be forgotten that the Renaissance retrochoir contains alabaster sculptures and that the choir was built by three great artists: Jusquin, Copin of Holland and Juan de Malinas. Particularly noteworthy is the Plateresque screen in the wall behind the sepulchre of King Ordoño.
Southern Facade of the León Cathedral.

It has three portals decorated with sculptures situated in the pointed arches between the two towers. The central section has a large rose window. Particularly outstanding is the image of the Virgin Blanca and the Locus Appellatione, where justice was imparted.

Its almost 1,800 square meters of stained glass windows dating from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century are among the world's finest stained glass.

In the Main Chapel, there is an altarpiece by Nicolás Francés (15th century) and a silver urn containing the relics of San Froilán, the town's Saint patron, made by Enrique de Arfe. The 13th–15th century cloister contains singular sculpted details in the capitals, friezes and ledges.

The Cathedral Museum houses a large collection of sacred art. There are almost 1,500 pieces including 50 Romanesque sculptures of the Virgin, dating from pre-historic times to the 18th century (Neoclassicism) with works by Juan de Juni, Gregorio Fernández, Mateo Cerezo, a triptych of the School of Antwerp, a Mozarabic bible and numerous codices.

The first manuscript in Leonese language, the Nodicia de Kesos, can be found in its archives.

14) Salamanca Old Cathedral

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The Old Cathedral is one of the two cathedrals is in Salamanca. Founded by Bishop Jerome of Périgord, was begun in the first third of the twelfth century and continued until the fourteenth Romanesque and Gothic. Was completed thanks to the boost given to the Bishop Alfonso Barasaque works.

It began the moment that the Romanesque was giving way to Gothic, which is noticeable in the difference between the pillars and the fits of the vaults, since there is no constructive continuity between them, designed to be the first to supporting a barrel vault. He was about to be destroyed and that in designing the New Cathedral is thought to knock it down, but the time elapsed since the beginning of the New Cathedral (around 1520) and the completion date, too late (about 1780) and the need for a place to worship while the construction was finished, making the initial decision to destroy was rejected. In the left aisle floor appears closer, following construction of the New Cathedral.

15) Burgos Cathedral

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It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is famous for its vast size and unique architecture. Its construction began in 1221, following French Gothic parameters.

It had very important modifications in the 15th and 16th centuries (spires of the principal façade, Chapel of the Constable, cimborio of the transept: these elements of advanced Gothic give the cathedral its distinguished profile). The last works of importance (the sacristy or the Chapel of Saint Thecla) occurred during the 18th century, the century in which the Gothic statuary of the doors of the principal façade was also transformed.

At the beginning of the 20th century, some semidetached construction to the cathedral was eliminated, such as the Archepiscopal Palace and the upper floor of the cloister. The style of the cathedral is Gothic, although it has some Renaissance and Baroque works.

In the cathedral, works of extraordinary artists are kept, such as the architects and sculptors of the Colonia family (Juan, Simón and Francisco), the sculptors Gil de Siloé, Felipe Vigarny or Juan de Anchieta, the sculptor and architect Diego de Siloé, the grillworker Cristóbal de Andino or the painter Sebastiano del Piombo ("Holy Family On A Voyage"), among many others.

The cathedral was declared a "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO on October 31 of 1984. It is the only Spanish cathedral that has this distinction independiently, without being joined to the historic center of a city (as in Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela, Ávila, Córdoba, Toledo or Cuenca) or in union with others buildings, as in Seville.

The principal façade was inspired in the purest French Gothic style of the cathedrals of Paris and of Reims. It consists of three bays topped by two lateral, square towers. The steep spires of German influence were added in the 15th century and are work of Juan de Colonia.

Some elements of great interest of within of the cathedral are the Papamoscas (Flycatcher), articulated statue which opens its mouth upon the sounding of the bells at each hour, the Romanesque sepulchre of Mudarra, the vengeful stepbrother of the death of the seven princes de Lara (brought to the cathedral from its original location in the Monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza due to its abandonment by alienation), the carved chairs of the choir, the sepulchre of the Bishop Mauricio, the tomb of El Cid and his wife Doña Jimena, the letter of security of El Cid and his chest.

Well, I hope you are enjoying this. Good night.

16) Cuenca Cathedral

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Cuenca Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral in the city of Cuenca . Exceptional expression of Gothic Anglo-Norman, begun in 1196, its construction was finished in the second half of the 15th century.

It has a Latin cross plan (that is, the arm of the cross reaching from the main entrance to the altar is considerably longer than the other arms) and a seven-sided polygonal apse. The facade was rebuilt by Vicente Lampérez in the 20th century.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996.

17) Ávila Cathedral

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It was planned as a cathedral-fortress, its apse being one of the turrets of the city walls. It is surrounded by a number of houses or palaces, the most important being: the Palace of the Evening, the Palace of the Infant King, the Palace of Valderrábanos, which were responsible for the defence of the Puerta de los Leales (The Gate of the Loyal Ones) also known as La Puerta del Peso de la Harina (The Flour Road Gate).

The Cathedral of Ávila is considered to be the first gothic cathedral of Spain. It shows French influences and certain resemblances to the Abbey Church of St Denis, the first gothic church.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985.

18) Walls of Ávila

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It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985.

One question: What do you think this thread?


Sorry for the question, I am a very insecure boy.

19) Barcelona Cathedral

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The cathedral was constructed over the crypt of a former Visigothic chapel, dedicated to Saint James, which was the proprietary church of the Viscounts of Barcelona, one of whom, Mir Gerberto, sold it in 1058 to bishop Guisleberto. Its site faced the Roman forum of Barcelona,

It is a hall church, vaulted over five aisles, the outer two divided into chapels. The transept is truncated. The east end is a chevet of nine radiating chapels connected by an ambulatory. The high altar is raised, allowing a clear view into the crypt.

The cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in Barcelona. One story is that she was exposed naked in the public square and a miraculous snowfall in mid-spring covered her nudity. The enraged Romans put her into a barrel with knives stuck into it and rolled it down a street (according to tradition, the one now called 'Baixada de Santa Eulalia'). The body of Saint Eulalia is entombed in the cathedral's crypt.

The choir stalls retain the coats-of-arms of the knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. In his first trip into Spain, Charles, the future Holy Roman Emperor, selected Barcelona as the site of a chapter of his Order. The king had arrived for his investiture as Count of Barcelona, and the city, as a Mediterranean port, offered the closest communication with other far-flung Hapsburg dominions, while the vast proportions of the cathedral would accommodate the grand ceremonies required. In 1518 the Order's herald, Thomas Isaac, and its treasurer, Jean Micault, were commissioned to prepare the sanctuary for the first sitting of the chapter in 1519. Juan de Borgonya executed the painted decoration of the sanctuary.

One side chapel is dedicated to "Christ of Lepanto", and contains a cross from a ship that fought at the Battle of Lepanto (1571). The conventional shift of the corpus to the right, is explained by popular Catalan legend to avoid being hit by a cannonball, a miraculous sign from God that the Ottomans would be defeated.

The cathedral has a secluded Gothic cloister where thirteen white geese are kept, the number explained by the assertion that Eulalia was 13 when she was martyred. The cathedral was built throughout the 14th and 15th centuries.

20) Royal Palace of Seville

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The Almohades were the first to build a palace, which was called Al-Muwarak, on the site of the modern day Alcázar. The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture. Subsequent monarchs have added their own additions to the palace. The upper levels of the Royal Palace are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional.

Since its initial construction, the package included several campuses, as the House of Princes, housing in the ninth century ranging from the Plaza del Triunfo to the Barrio de Santa Cruz.

One of the buildings around two courtyards is of the same age as the Alhambra in Granada. To carry out the work, were sent by King Mohamed V Nazari important craftsmen Toledo, Granada, and local. It expanded with the housing of the emirs in the eleventh century, also in the twelfth century continued fortifying and adding rooms as the palace of Blessings, a century later the Almohad totaled more yards and chateaux. Currently retains the Patio del Yeso, remains of the ancient Islamic palace.

After taking the city by Fernando III in 1248, became a real accommodation. Alfonso X the Wise held the first reforms after the conquest, in 1254 ordering the construction of three large Gothic hall. Later in 1364, Pedro I the Cruel decided to build the so-called Mudejar Palace, which became the first palace of a Castilian king who was not protected behind the walls and defenses of a castle, and making the final appearance is now preserved Mudejar and still amazed by its richness and beauty. In 1366 when the new palace was completed, he began the civil war that pitted brother Pedro I with Enrique II, and ending with the death of Don Pedro and therefore could not seem to occupy the new palace for long. It also raised the Gothic Chapel, the stop, the Patio de la Monteria and grotesque gardens. The Palace of Pedro I is considered the most complete example of Moorish architecture in Spain.

Throughout history, the palace has been the scene of several events related to the Crown as the celebration in 1526 of Charles I's marriage to his cousin Isabella of Portugal, in 1848 the birth of the Infanta Isabel, granddaughter of Fernando VII and your celebration on 18 March 1995 from the lunch and reception for the wedding of the Infanta Elena, daughter of King Juan Carlos I, with Jaime de Marichalar.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.

I hope I'm making it clear in this thread that Spain is behind Italy and perhaps with France the European country with the most interesting architecture.

21) Zaragoza Cathedral

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The location of the cathedral has its roots in the old Roman forum. Unlike other Roman city forums, the forum of Zaragoza was not located at the confluence of the Cardus and the Decumanus, but instead near the Ebro river, adjoining the river port. The forum, besides being the civic and commercial center of the city, contained the main temple. The Museum of the Forum is found below the plaza del Pilar, across from the facade of the cathedral. There have been no remains found of either a Visigoth or a Mozarabic church.

Hanas ben Abdallah as San'ani , a disciple of someone close to Mohammed, built the main mosque of Zaragoza, . The main mosque is certainly one of the oldest of Al-Andalus. The edifice underwent two additions, one in the 9th century and one in the 11th century, under the Taifa king of Zaragoza, Mundir I. During the restoration completed in 1999, a number of remains were discovered, such as the impression of the minaret on the external walls, and the floor of the ancient structure. In addition, the entrance was located in the same place as that of the current cathedral.

The arrival in Zaragoza in 1118 of Alfonso I, the Battler did not lead to the immediate demolition of the mosque. He gave the Muslims one year to move out of the town, and on October 4, 1121, the building was consecrated under the name San Salvador, and the necessary renovations were made to allow the building to be used for Christian purposes.

he destruction of the mosque and the construction of the Late Romanesque cathedral began in 1140. The new church, with a basilical layout consisting of a transept and three naves ending in apses, constructed of stone, owed much stylistically to the Cathedral of Jaca, from which it took various elements. Besides the church building itself, it had an archive, a refectory, a nursery, and two cloisters. From this era the lower part of two of the apses is still preserved, with small windows between inscribed capitals depicted, adorned with so-called "checkered jaqués" on the outside, and, inside, a set of sculptures that at present are hidden behind the main altarpiece. The construction of the original cathedral continued throughout the 13th century.

From 1204 up until the 15th century, all Aragonese kings were crowned in this church, by a special privilege bestowed by Pope Innocent III. The king, who the previous night had kept watch over his armaments in the Aljafería, would approach from there in a procession. The ceremony included four parts: investiture of weapons, unction with holy oil, placing of the crown and the royal insignia, and oath of the fueros (statutes) and liberties of the Kingdom of Aragon. The last king to be crowned in La Seo was Charles I of Spain. Later kings needed only to swear to the fueros. Royal baptisms, weddings, and burials were also performed in the cathedral.

In 1318 Pope John XXII created the archbishopric of Zaragoza, making it independent of the see of Tarragona, and with that the building became a metropolitan cathedral. From this point the additions were carried out using cheap materials that were found nearby in abundance: bricks and plaster. Under the supervision of the archbishop Pedro López de Luna a Gothic church with three naves (the present three central naves) was built, keeping the Romanesque apses. The central nave was built higher than those on the sides, making it possible to create windows that from 1447 would be covered with stained glass. In 1346 a Mudéjar dome was started to provide light at the altar, with the participation of the masters Juan de Barbastro and Domingo Serrano. The work was finished in 1376, when Don Lope Fernández de Luna was already archbishop, creating a spacious, well-lit Gothic cathedral.

In 1360, during the archbishopric of Don Lope Fernández de Luna, the main facade was renovated and the so-called Parroquieta was built, all in the Mudéjar style. The only thing that has been preserved is the Parroquieta or parochial chapel of San Miguel Archangel, that was built as a closed and independent chapel inside the building, and that archbishop Don Lope designed as a funeral chapel. The construction, elegantly carried out in Gothic-Mudéjar style, is a unique example of the work of the Aragonese masters and the Seville builders, who covered the exterior wall with geometric drawings made of smooth brick and glazed ceramic. In the interior, the roof is constructed of gilded wood, also in the Mudéjar style.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2001.

22) Teruel Cathedral
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It's one of the most characteristic mudejar buildings in Spain and one of the few cathedrals, along with that of Tarazona, built in this style.

The tower, the roof and the dome is a World Heritage Site since 1986.

The Mudejar tower, erected in 1257 starts in his lower body and opened a passage in the form of a pointed barrel vault for use by pedestrians. It is one of the oldest Mudejar towers of Spain. Is square and has three body profusely decorated with glazed tiles and pottery. Ends in a seventeenth-century octagonal lantern.

23) Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca

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Santa María la Blanca , originally known as the Ibn Shushan Synagogue, currently serves as museum in the city of Toledo. Erected in 1180, it is the oldest synagogue building in Europe that is still standing, now owned by the Catholic Church.

Its stylistic and cultural classification is unique as it was constructed under the Christian Kingdom of Castile, by Islamic architects for Jewish use. It is considered a symbol of the cooperation which existed between the three cultures which populated the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages.

The synagogue is a Mudéjar construction, created by Moorish architects in Christian soil, for non-Islamic purposes. But it can also be considered one of the finest example of Almohad architecture, because of the construction elements and style. The white, plain interior walls, the use of brick and of pillars instead of columns and the vegetal decoration of the capitals are characteristical of the Almohad architecture. The typology also presents nuances in its classification, because although it was constructed as a synagogue, its hypostyle room, and the lack of a women's gallery, make it closer in character to a mosque. It became a church in the 15th century, but no major reforms were done for the change. It took then the name of Santa María la Blanca (Saint Mary, the White), and today it is known by this name.

24) Valencia Cathedral
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The church was consecrated in 1238 by the first bishop of Valencia Pere d'Albalat and was dedicated by order of James I the Conqueror to Saint Mary. It was built upon the mosque, which in turn had been raised in place of the former Visigothic cathedral. Gothic architecture, in its Catalan or Mediterranean version, is the predominant style of this cathedral, although it also contains Romanesque, French Gothic, Renaissance art, Baroque and neoclassical elements.

One of the supposed Holy Chalices, present around the world, is revered in one of this cathedral's chapels; this chalice has been defended as the true Holy Grail; indeed, most Christian historians all over the world declare that all their evidence points to this Valencian chalice as the most likely candidate for being the authentic cup used at the Last Supper. It was the official papal chalice for many popes, and has been used by many others, most recently by Pope Benedict XVI, on July 9, 2006.. This chalice dates from the 1st century, and was given to the cathedral by king Alfons el Magnànim in 1436.

Furthermore, this cathedral contains examples of some of the earliest and best Quattrocento paintings of the Iberian Peninsula, which was brought from Rome via artists engaged by the Valencian Pope Alexander VI who, when still a cardinal, made the request to elevate the Valencian See to the rank of metropolitan see, a category granted by Pope Innocent VIII in 1492.

25) Alhambra

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It's a palace and fortress complex of the Moorish rulers of Granada in southern Spain (known as Al-Andalus when the fortress was constructed during the mid 14th century), occupying a hilly terrace on the southeastern border of the city of Granada.

Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions exhibiting the country's most famous Islamic architecture, together with Christian 16th century and later interventions in buildings and gardens that marked its image as it can be seen today. Within the Alhambra, the Palace of Charles V was erected by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527.

Completed towards the end of Muslim rule in Spain by Yusuf I (1333-1353) and Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada (1353-1391), the Alhambra is a reflection of the culture of the last days of the Nasrid emirate of Granada. It is a place where artists and intellectuals had taken refuge as Christian Spain won victories over Al Andalus. The Alhambra mixes natural elements with man-made ones, and is a testament to the skill of Muslim craftsmen of that time.

The literal translation of Alhambra, "red fortress", reflects the color of the red clay of the surroundings of which the fort is made. The buildings of the Alhambra were originally whitewashed; however, the buildings now seen today are reddish.

The first reference to the Qal’at al Hamra was during the battles between the Arabs and the Muladies during the rule of the ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad (r. 888-912). In one particularly fierce and bloody skirmish, the Muladies soundly defeated the Arabs, who were then forced to take shelter in a primitive red castle located in the province of Elvira, presently located in Granada. According to surviving documents from the era, the red castle was quite small, and its walls were not capable of deterring an army intent on conquering. The castle was then largely ignored until the eleventh century, when its ruins were renovated and rebuilt by Samuel ibn Naghrela, vizier to the King Bādīs of the Zirid Dynasty, in an attempt to preserve the small Jewish settlement also located on the Sabikah hill. However, evidence from Arab texts indicates that the fortress was easily penetrated and that the actual Alhambra that survives today was built during the Nasrid Dynasty.
Emblem of the Catholic Monarchs engraved after the conquest.

Ibn Nasr, the founder of the Nasrid Dynasty, was forced to flee to Jaén in order to avoid persecution by King Ferdinand and his supporters during attempts to rid Spain of Moorish Dominion. After retreating to Granada, Ibn-Nasr took up residence at the Palace of Bādis in the Alhambra. A few months later, he embarked on the construction of a new Alhambra fit for the residence of a king. According to an Arab manuscript since published as the Anónimo de Granada y Copenhague,

This year 1238 Abdallah ibn al-Ahmar climbed to the place called "the Alhambra" inspected it, laid out the foundations of a castle and left someone in charge of its construction…

The design included plans for six palaces, five of which were grouped in the northeast quadrant forming a royal quarter, two circuit towers, and numerous bathhouses. During the reign of the Nasrid Dynasty, the Alhambra was transformed into a palatine city complete with an irrigation system composed of acequias for the gardens of the Generalife located outside the fortress. Previously, the old Alhambra structure had been dependent upon rainwater collected from a cistern and from what could be brought up from the Albaicín. The creation of the Sultan's Canal solidified the identity of the Alhambra as a palace-city rather than a defensive and ascetic structure.

The Muslim rulers lost Granada and Alhambra in 1492 without the fortress itself being attacked when King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile took the surrounding region with an overwhelming force of numbers.

The decorations within the palaces typified the remains of Moorish dominion within Spain and ushered in the last great period of Andalusian art in Granada. With little influence from the Islamic mainland, artists endlessly reproduced the same forms and trends, creating a new style that developed over the course of the Nasrid Dynasty. The Nasrids used freely all the display of stylistical resorts that had been created and developed during eight centuries of Muslim rule in the Peninsula as the Calliphal horse-shoe arch, the Almohad sebka or the Almoravid palm, and unused combinations of them, beside novelties as the stilted arches and the capitals of muqarnas, among others. The isolation with the rest of the Islam, and the commercial and political relationship with the Christian kingdoms also influenced in the space concepts.

Columns, muqarnas and stalactite-like ceiling decorations, appear in several chambers, and the interiors of numerous palaces are decorated with arabesques and calligraphy. The arabesques of the interior are ascribed, among other kings, to Yusef I, Mohammed V, and Ismail I.

Damage produced in Later Era After the Christian conquest of the city in 1492, the conquerors began to alter the Alhambra. The open work was filled up with whitewash, the painting and gilding effaced, and the furniture soiled[citation needed], torn, or removed. Charles V (1516–1556) rebuilt portions in the Renaissance style of the period and destroyed the greater part of the winter palace to make room for a Renaissance-style structure which has never been completed. Philip V (1700–1746) Italianised the rooms and completed his palace in the middle of what had been the Moorish building; he had partitions constructed which blocked up whole apartments.

Over subsequent centuries the Moorish art was further damaged, and, in 1812, some of the towers were destroyed by the French under Count Sebastiani. In 1821, an earthquake caused further damage. The work of restoration undertaken in 1828 by the architect José Contreras was endowed in 1830 by Ferdinand VII; and after the death of Contreras in 1847, it was continued with fair success by his son Rafael (d. 1890) and his grandson. Designed to reflect the very beauty of Paradise itself, the Alhambra is made up of gardens, fountains, streams, a palace, and a mosque, all within an imposing fortress wall, flanked by 13 massive towers.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984.

26) Toledo Cathedral

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The seat of the Archdiocese of Toledo, it is one of the three 13th century High Gothic cathedrals in Spain and is considered to be the pinnacle[1] of the Gothic style in Spain. It was begun in 1226 during the reign of Ferdinand III and the last Gothic contributions were made in the 15th century when, in 1493, the vaults of the central nave were finished, during the times of the Catholic Monarchs. It was modeled after Bourges Cathedral, although its five naves plan is the consequence of the constructors' intention to cover all of the sacred space of the former city mosque with the cathedral, and of the former sahn with the cloister. It also combines some characteristics of the Mudéjar style, mainly in the cloister, and with the presence of multifoiled arches in the triforium. The spectacular incorporation of light and the structural achievements of the ambulatory vaults are some of its more remarkable aspects. It is built with white stone from Olihuelas, close to Toledo. The cathedral is one of Toledo's major touristic points of interest and can be visited for a fee (as of Dec. 2008, 7 EUR). The fee is waived for Spaniards on Sunday possibly contravening European anti-discrimination laws.

It is popularly known as Dives Toletana (in the sense of the rich Toledan).

The structure of the building is greatly influenced by the French Gothic of the 13th century, but adapted to Spanish taste. It measures 120 metres in length by 59 metres in width. It consists of five naves with transept and double ambulatory, transepts and a double ambulatory. The outer naves present an odd anomaly in being a little wider than the other two. The oldest part of the temple is the sanctuary, which maintains in its architecture the original triforia that extended along the length of the naves and were removed in one of the many reforms and evolutions that the cathedral underwent. Still in the Gothic period, these triforia were replaced with large stained-glass windows. Those triforia that survive of the sanctuary are of mudéjar influence. The lowest section is made of cusped arches that rest on paired columns and the upper section presents interlaced arches typical of mudéjar. It is not known if these mudéjar themes existed in the previous mosque and were copied as a reminder or if they were added in one of the improvements and enrichments of the stonework, as something original and tasteful.

In the sanctuary, one encounters the double ambulatory, which is double as would correspond to a ground plan of 5 naves. This double ambulatory is of grand proportions and is enriched with architectural elements and an original vaulting. The sections of the chapel were solved with alternate plans of rectangles and triangles, which made for each chapels to be of a different size, rectangular planes being larger and triangular plans smaller. This method of distributing the sanctuary can be seen in the French cathedrals of Notre Dame in Paris, Bourges and Le Mans, the last cathedral being the most similar in appearance although the three are slender, as a whole, than the Spanish cathedral. The various reforms that were made over time altered the arrangement of some of the chapels, for example, in one case only one chapel was reconstructed in the space of three.

The vaults of the naves are quadripartite except for those of the transept and the chancel which are reinforced with tiercerons.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986.

David, thanks for giving us this fantastic thread. Spain is a country with a unique architectural heritage and appreciates your tremendous job of offering a synthesis of that legacy.

I will look at your updates thread.

Thank you!

Thank you ;)

Well, I leave you to rest awhile. I know that I go too fast, but I'm very motivated.

Fantastic job ;)

Moltes gràcies pel teu comentari ;)


27) Palma Cathedral

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It was built on the site of an existing Arab mosque. It is 121 metres long, 55 metres wide and 44 meters of nave height. Designed in Spanish "levantino" Gothic style with influences of the North European gothic, it was founded by King James I of Aragon in 1229 but finished only in 1601. It sits overlooking the Parc de la Mar and the Mediterranean Sea, protected by the old town walls. There are currently peregrines nesting high up on the east side of the cathedral which fly around the building preying on swifts and rock pigeons.

Fifty years after a restoration of the Cathedral had started, Antoni Gaudí was invited in 1901 to take over the project. While some of his ideas were adopted - moving the choir stalls from the middle nave to be closer to the altar, as well as a large canopy - Gaudí abandoned his work in 1914 after an argument with the contractor. The project was cancelled soon after.

28) Castle of Olite

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Originally a castle, in the thirteenth century it was amplified into a palace, its residential function predominating over its military. The palace's incoherent, but recognisably Gothic, design stems from its slow progress. Neither its construction nor its expansion were single projects taken up by single kings, rather it each monarch did whatever work he felt was necessary. The principal features of the construction, however, were added around the turn of the fifteenth century under Charles III. Charles chose to make the palace a permanent royal seat, and strove to decorate it accordingly. Charles added gardens, high curtain walls studded with towers, and moats. In this period the distinction between so-called "New Palace" and the "Old Palace" (now home to the Parador Nacional de Turismo) can first be made.

After the conquest of Navarre by Ferdinand the Catholic in 1516, the palace at Olite fell into progressively greater disrepair. After the end of the Reconquista, king Ferdinand and queen Isabella, fearing noble revolts specially in the newly conquered lands, ordered all the castles in their realms to be dismantled (that being the main reason why most castles in Spain are in ruins), and the castle of Olite was abandoned as the seat of the royal authority in Navarre was taken to Pamplona, from which the viceroy of Navarre would gobern the kingdom in the name of the monarchs of Castile. During the Peninsular War, the independentist Francisco Espoz y Mina burned the palace to terrorise the French troops of Napoleon Bonaparte, who had fortified themselves in it. Early in the twentieth century the palace began undergoing a restoration, nowadays finished. The architects José and Javier Yárnoz won a contest to oversee the work. The chief goal is to uncover and save the original structure and to make always clear where the building has been restored. Precious interior decoration, as well as the once extensive gardens, have been irretrievably lost. However the lost, the restoration work has retrieved most of the original structure, and the stone-work and the hanging gardens of the Queen of Navarre have been restored.

29) House of the Shells

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It is an original building that combines Gothic, Renaissance and Mudejar, located in Salamanca.

Most notable is undoubtedly its facade decorated with over 300 shells and multiple crests and shields. The decorative value of the wall is a characteristic of the Renaissance, the facades of urban buildings are covered with decorative elements such as diamond points or peaks. The originality of the House of the Shells is not alone in the candidate pattern, but also in the provision thereof which is made in the tradition staggered Mudejar decoration in lozenge. By 1701 the building was extended towards Rua and again the shells were selected to cover the walls.

In the main entrance door stand two orders decorative lintel. At the top are the ornament of the Maldonado framed by moldings curved and straight lines in the bottom of the lintel are represented dolphins, Renaissance symbol of love, coupled with plant motifs. Also important are the four large windows in Gothic style of exceptional beauty and variation, there is no equal to each other this asymmetry is characteristic of the Gothic. Finally we must refer to the stately tower, which had a mate and that stood majestically over the rest of the city thus strengthening the message of power that the noble wanted to send the rest of the city. Precisely for this reason, the tower was demolished, losing two thirds of its height, by order of Charles I and to punish those whose components Maldonado warlords were commoners Francisco executed after the battle of Villalar and Pedro Maldonado, executed in 1522.

When passing inside the visitor will be fascinated by the originality and beauty of your yard again presents a symbiosis of medieval, Moorish and Renaissance. On the ground floor arches stand as own mixtilinear Salamanca. In the upper arches, in part mixtilinear, are supported on columns of white Carrara marble capitals culminating in prizes. The railings of the balconies are decorated with baskets of honeycombs and clear Mudejar influence. Finally, the roof is topped by a crest consisting of lilies accompanied by gargoyles. Both the upper and lower floor are repeated coats of both families. In the center a well that, in its time, guaranteed water supply.

Finally mention must be made to the ladder of three sections that allows the promotion to the top floor. The staircase is opposite the entrance, but continues the Mediterranean tradition (Roman and Muslim) to preserve the privacy of the home to prying eyes. The first section opens with the figure of a dog that bears the shield of Pimentel, dog saves and preserves the privacy of home. The second section opens with a lion holding the coat of Maldonado, the third opens with the junction of the arms of the Pimentel and Maldonado.

30) Monastery of Vimbodí i Poblet

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It's a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1151, located in the comarca of Conca de Barberà, in Catalonia (Spain). It was founded by Cistercian monks from France. The main architect was Arnau Bargués.

It was the royal pantheon of the kings of the Crown of Aragon since James I of Aragon.

This monastery was abandoned in 1835 and was restored during the 1940s.

This monastery was the first of three sister monasteries, known as the Cistercian triangle, that helped consolidate power in Catalonia in the 12th century. (The other two are Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus)

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, since 1991. The altar (1527) was sculpted by Damián Forment.

31) Castle of Segovia

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It's a stone fortification, located in the old city of Segovia. Rising out on a rocky crag above the confluence of the rivers Eresma and Clamores near the Guadarrama mountains, it is one of the most distinctive castle-palaces in Spain by virtue of its shape - like the bow of a ship. The castle was originally built as a fortress but has served as a royal palace, a state prison, a Royal Artillery College and a military academy since then.

like many fortifications in Spain, It started off as an Arab fort. The first reference to this particular castle was in 1120, around 32 years after the city of Segovia returned to Christian hands (during the time when Alfonso VI of Castile reconquered lands to the south of the Duero river down to Toledo and beyond). However, archaeological evidence suggests that the site of this castle was once used in Roman times as a fortification. This theory is further substantiated by the presence of Segovia's famous Roman Aqueduct.

he shape and form of the castle was not known until the reign of King Alfonso VIII (1155-1214), however early documentation mentioned a wooden stockade fence. It can be concluded that prior to Alfonso VIII's reign, it was no more than a wooden fort built over the old Roman foundations. Alfonso VIII and his wife, Eleanor of Plantagenet made this castle their principal residence and much work was carried out to erect the beginnings of the stone fortification we see today.

The castler, throughout the Middle Ages, remained one of the favorite residences of the monarchs of the Kingdom of Castile and a key fortress in the defense of the kingdom. It was during this period a majority of the current building was constructed and the palace was extended on a large scale by the monarchs of the Trastámara dynasty.

32) Seville Cathedral

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It is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world.

At the time of its completion in the 1500s, it supplanted the Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world. Previously, the Hagia Sophia had held the title for more than a thousand years. The cathedral also serves as the burial site of Christopher Columbus.

The cathedral was built to demonstrate Seville's wealth, as it had become a major trading center in the years after the Reconquista. The builders of the cathedral decided in July 1401 to build a new temple, as the ancient Muslim mosque was in bad shape after the 1356 earthquake, according to the oral tradition of Seville. The decision of members of the chapter was: "Let a church so beautiful and so great that those who see it built will think we were mad". According to the minutes of that day, the new church should be: "a work such as good, which like no other."

Construction began in 1402 on the site of a former mosque, following the capture of Seville from the Moors; it continued until 1506. Church workers gave half their salaries to pay for architects, builders and other expenses.

Five years after construction ended, in 1511, the dome collapsed and work on the cathedral re-commenced. The dome again collapsed in 1888, and work was still being performed on the dome until at least 1903. The 1888 collapse occurred due to an earthquake and resulted in the destruction of "every precious object below" the dome at that time.

The interior has the longest nave in Spain. Its central nave rises to a height of 42 metres and is lavishly decorated, with a large quantity of gold evident. In the main body of the cathedral, only the great boxlike structure of the choir stands out, filling the central portion of the nave. It is also dominated by a vast Gothic retablo of carved scenes from the life of Christ. The altarpiece was the lifetime work of a single craftsman, Pierre Dancart.

The builders used some columns and elements from the mosque, and most famously the Giralda, a minaret converted into a bell tower. The Giralda is the city's most famous symbol. Its square base is 13.61 meters and a height of 105 meters. It was built as a minaret of the old mosque, although the bell tower and spire top, is Renaissance.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.

33) Oviedo Cathedral

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The Cathedral was founded by King Fruela I of Asturias in 781, and enlarged in 802 by Alfonso II of Asturias, who made Oviedo the capital of Kingdom of Asturias, and with his Court resided here. He created the See of Oviedo in 810. The present edifice was begun by Bishop Gutierre of Toledo in 1388, and the tower added by Cardinal Francisco Mendoza de Bobadilla in 1528.

There are some Romanesque remains, as the Southern Tower, or the upper part of the Holy Chamber, which includes a fantastic collection of Romanesque column-statues. Anyway, the cathedral of San Salvador is mainly a fine gothic building, which was built between XIV and XVI centuries in a Classic and Flamboyant Style. The Chapter Room, whose construction was started in 1388,was the first part of the new gothic cathedral to be finished: built in a classic gothic fashion (including a great eight-sided dome), it was followed by the cloister and the choir . The naves were built once the choir was finished,all through the XV century. We can admire the progression of the constructive stages, taking as an example the tracery of windows and tryphorium. The sanctuary is still a classical-gothic work, whereas the naves present typical flame-like elements typical of a late-gothic style.

The latest medieval part, the narthex, was designed by Juan de Badajoz, whose original project included a double-towered facade (though due to financial issues, only a tower was built). This western tower, one of the best examples of Flamboyant Gothic in Spain, was finished by architect Gil de Hontañón, who added to the structure an openwork chapitel in a modern Renaissance style. Renaissance is also represented by the unique altarpiece placed at the end of the choir, a great piece of sculpture and painting, maybe one of the best of Spain in its kind.

Baroque elements include some lateral private chapels (Capilla de los Vigiles), the Pantheon of Asturian Kings and the ambulatory (recently restored). There are some relevant altarpieces in a profuse baroque fashion too.

34) Segovia Cathedral

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The Cathedral of Segovia is one of the late Gothic cathedrals of Spain and Europe, built in the sixteenth century (1525-1577), when most of Europe was spreading of Renaissance architecture. Has a structure in three tall vaults and ambulatory, has beautiful fine tracery windows set, and numerous stained glass of exceptional quality. The interior has a remarkable unity of style (late Gothic), except the dome built around 1630, and looks stunning and sober. Gothic vaults rise to 33 meters high and measures 50 meters wide and 105 long. The great dome was completed by Pedro de Brizuela in the seventeenth century. The mighty tower reaches almost 90 meters. The current stone spire crowning the tower, dates from 1614, erected after a major fire caused by a thunderstorm. The original spire, entirely Gothic, was built of american mahogany had pyramidal structure, and was the tallest tower in Spain.

35) Castle of Toledo

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The castle of Toledo is a stone fortification located in the highest part of Toledo. Once used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century, it was restored under Alfonso VI and Alfonso X and renovated in 1535.

During the Spanish Civil War, Colonel José Moscardó Ituarte held the building against overwhelming Spanish Republican forces in the Siege of the castle. The incident became a central piece of Spanish Nationalist lore, especially the story of Moscardó's son Luis. The Republicans took 16-year old Luis hostage, and demanded that the castle be surrendered or they would kill him. Luis told his father, "Surrender or they will shoot me." His father replied, "Then commend your soul to God, shout 'Viva Cristo Rey' and die like a hero."

Moscardó refused to surrender. Contemporary reports indicated that the republicans then executed Moscardó's son. Other historians have reported that Luis was not in fact shot until a month later "in reprisal for an air raid." The dramatic story also camouflages the fact that the fate of a number of male hostages, mainly from the Guardia Civil, taken into the castle at the beginning of the siege is unclear. Some sources say the men "were never heard of again." However at least one journalist who visited the castle in the immediate aftermath of its liberation saw a number of prisoners chained to a railing in a cellar.

36) Convent of San Marcos

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The convent of San Marcos in León, currently a luxury parador hotel, also contains a consecrated church and museum, and is one of the most important monuments of the Renaissance in Spain. It is one of the greatest architectural jewels of León, together with the Cathedral, the Basilica of San Isidoro and the Botines House. It has a highly ornamental plateresque facade.

37) Senior School

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The Senior School building is the principal of the University of Salamanca, it begins to build in 1411 and not completed until 1533.

It is built around a central cloister galleries that open to the old auditorium, library and an interesting chapel, designed by the architect Juan de Álava. The facade, which opens to the Patio de Escuelas, is perhaps the best known symbiol of the University.

Among the colorful decoration of the facade, above a skull is a small sculpture of a toad or frog. This symbol (now become a tourist attraction), served, some claim, as a warning to students about the action it should take. The toad or frog, but frequently symbolize metamorphosis into fullness, were used, inter alia, as representing the sin of lust, associated in this case to death over a skull found. In a city with about 6000 students in the sixteenth century, all men, the sin of lust is assumed that it was pretty pervasive, so it is warning that students should have good performance in this aspect. According to an old tradition, it is said that the difficult visual discovery of the frog on the facade plateresca predicts success in studies, but, anyway, as the saying goes, "Quod natura non dat, Salamantica non praestat ".

38) Palencia Cathedral

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It is mainly Gothic with later additions Renaissance, baroque and neoclassical. Popularly nicknamed "the Beautiful Unknown" for not being as well known as other cathedrals, while stores in its interior a large amount of works of art of great quality and value.

Its more than 130 meters in length makes it one of the largest cathedrals in Spain, its apse close to 30 meters in height and width is 50 meters on the cruise, plus many of the cloister and chapter house. The exterior lacks a main façade presents itself and sober and solid, which does not reflect the grandeur of its interior, where you can see over twenty chapels of great artistic and historical interest.

Although construction of the Gothic cathedral lasted from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, in fact what we see today has taken nearly fourteen centuries to be lifted, as the oldest part of the Crypt of San Antolin VII century and the temple has not yet been completed.

The most recognizable outside the tower, slim but somewhat coarse given its membership in the Gothic style. Recent surveys and excavations show that was a military tower in the past and after serving this function were added to its pinnacles and cattail as the sole decoration.

The plant is a Latin cross and has the peculiarity of having a false cruise cruise which also has five doors, forming a cruciform patriarchal. This is because the original cruise outgrew and became a second, more monumental. Anyway both cruises are marked only in elevation and not stand out in plant.

39) Zamora Cathedral

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Built between 1151 and 1174 in Zamora, it is one of the finest examples of Spanish Romanesque architecture. Elements were added to the cathedral over the years and include Gothic features (such as apses and a sanctuary), as well as a cloister constructed in the style of Juan de Herrera. The building has three naves, a transept and three semicircular apses. Its base has 16 double arches that support a dome with four corner turrets, which is the symbol of the city of Zamora. It has only one square-based belltower.

On the south side of the church, facing the 'Palacio Episcopal' (Bishop's Palace), is the richly sculptured Puerta del Obispo (Bishop's Doorway).

Notable features of the interior are the fine dome and the choir-stalls constructed in 1480 by Rodrigo Alemán, carved not only with figures of saints and famous men of antiquity but also with vigorous and earthy scenes of country life. The Capilla Major has a beautiful marble table, and the high altar is flanked by two Mudéjar pulpits. In the Capilla del Cristo de las Injurias, which is found to the right of the south doorway, is a large figure of Christ by Gaspar Becerra. The Cathedral contains numerous tombs; particularly notable is the filigree carving on tomb of Dr Grado in the Capilla de San Juan at east end. Capilla del Cardenal, also at the east end, has an altar by Fernando Gallego.

It is one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in Spain.

40) Jaca Cathedral

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It's one of the most characteristic and oldest buildings of Romanesque architecture in Spain. Construction began almost as soon as that of Santiago de Compostela in the last quarter of the eleventh century as an episcopal see and head of the Kingdom of Aragon at the initiative of King Sancho Ramirez that he had obtained the allegiance Vatican after his trip to Rome in 1068 as a result which was awarded the episcopal see.

41) Lleida Cathedral

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The cathedral is designed in a transitory style between Romanesque and Gothic. It lacks almost any influence of Islamic architecture. The floor plan is of a basilica in a Latin cross with three naves. The tower is octagonal with a central space of five apses. The interior was decorated in painted murals and sculpture, much of which is still preserved, but much of which has been despoiled during the War of Spanish Succession.

The octagonal tower is 12.65 metres in diameter at its base, but 9.62 metres at the top. Its maximum height is 60 metres and it contains 238 steps. A bell named Mònica announces the quarter-hours and one Silvestra announces the hours. The bells are of the international Gothic style of the 15th century.

The cloister is unusually placed in front of the main entrance of the church, and can is notable for both its rare opened gallery with views over the city and for its extraordinary size. In fact, this cloister has been regarded as one of the largest cloisters in Europe. This cloister has 17 ornate Gothic windows, each them different. Among them, we could point out the Muslim window of "the palmtrees" and the central one of the westernmost wing, with a complex decoration witch includes both a King David's Star and a Christian cross.

42) Tui Cathedral

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The cathedral really is a monumental structure and its position, on top of a hill at the summit of the town, makes it the emblem of the city.

The building is actually a castle cathedral and the walls are adorned with battlements and fortifications, some dating back to the year 1120 AD when building work first commenced. The best view of he Cathedral of Tui is to be had from a spot somewhere close to the banks of the Miño in the valley below. It is from this position that you can get an uninterrupted sightline looking up to the once walled town with the cathedral perched at the top.

43) Sigüenza Cathedral

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The Cathedral de Sigüenza is one of the most beautiful and original in Spain. It is a mixture of styles that correspond to the two stages of its construction. A first, Romanesque and a second that lasted until the 15th century and corresponds to a Gothic style with Languedocian influence, a magnificent example of Spanish medieval art.

Sigüenza Cathedral is known throughout Spain because of “El Doncel de Sigüenza”. This figure was a member of the Vázquez de Arce family, a Knight of St. James, who died aged twenty-five in the War of Granada.

Over the entrance there is a large rose window, from the 13th century, with complex tracery.

The floor design of the church is that of a Latin cross, with three naves, a transept and a chancel with an ambulatory. It is lit by small openings over the arches, the large rose windows and the lintel that tops the vault of the transept.

The naves are divided by large pillars with joined columns, that finish in lines of joined capitals, which support the ogival arches from where branch the ridge ribs of the vault of the transept.

44) Castle of Loarre

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Loarre Castle is a Romanesque fortress in Huesca province. It commands a magnificent situation in the foothills of the Pyrenees overlooking the vast plains of Sotonera south to Huesca and beyond.

The complex was built largely during the 11th and 12th centuries, when its position on the frontier between Christian and Muslim lands gave it strategic importance. The first of the two major building programs began ca. 1020, when Sancho el Mayor (r. 1063-94) reconquered the surrounding lands from the Muslims. At least three towers, two of which survive, the Homage tower (Torre del Homenaje) and the "Tower of the Queen" (Torre de la Reina), as well as a chapel dedicated to Saint Mary of Valverde and connecting walls are attributed to this campaign. The Homage tower was built in an isolated position in front of the fortifications, to which it was connected by a wooden bridge. It contained a basement and five floors. The Torre de la Reina, comprising a basement and three floors, is particularly noteworthy for three sets of twin-arched windows, with columns of exaggerated entasis and trapezoidal capitals that have been related to both Lombard and Mozarabic architectural forms. The chapel is composed of a single-cell nave with an eastern apse covered by a semicircular vault. The original timber roof of the nave was replaced by a vault at the end of the 11th century.

After 1070, Loarre became increasingly important. In 1073, King Sancho installed a community of Augustinian canons, and it was from Loarre that he prepared for the conquest of Huesca in 1094. In 1097, however, his successor, Peter I of Aragon and Navarre, donated all the goods of Loarre to a new royal monastery at Montearagon. This evidence suggests that the second major construction program was undertaken between 1073 and 1097, and much building evidently does date from this period. By comparison with other monuments, however, it is also clear that the building and decorative program continued into the 12th century.

The outermost walls of the castle and their eight towers were erected in the 13th or 14th century. The church and castle have been the subject of numerous restorations, a major one in 1913 and subsequent ones, particularly during the 1970s, have resulted in the rebuilding of many walls and towers that had fallen into disrepair.

^^
I appreciate very much the work you submitted. A very very good thread :cheers:

I have a little question, why you open the thread here, rather open here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192). But this is just an opinion :D

I will continue to follow your posts

A small suggestion, posting less often, thread will stay up for longer. Thus your work will be seen by more people ;)

Thank you very much, I will follow your suggestion.

I was not sure where to put the thread, and I thought the most appropriate is this sub-forum.

Really interesting David!

Thanks for this hard work!

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GAUDIIIIIIIIIIIIIII en LEONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN,,,

Primero palacio de Botines y segundo palacio episcopal ASTORGA

por cierto creo q he subido mal las fotos no? como se hace?

So cool thread

totally marvellous! :cheers:
i love the arabian influence many of the buildings have!