Figure 2: El Palacio Real de Oriente, Madrid Figure 3: Regions of Spain Figure 4: El Alcázar de Segovia Figure 6: La Plaza de Toros Monumental de las Ventas Figure 8: El Entierro del Conde Orgaz by El Greco Figuro 10: El Alcázar de Sevilla
El Escorial is a royal palace and monastery constructed by King Phillip II of Spain. It was begun in 1562 and finished in 1584. El Escorial is located approximately 41 km. northwest of Madrid. This mammoth building/complex that covers some 30,000 sq. meters, houses a basilica, a grand library of priceless documents and books, the royal pantheon that contains the tombs of most of the Spanish monarchs, an Augustinian monastery where only 25 priests live as permanent members of the monastic community, and many priceless works of art.
El Escorial is one of many Spanish National Patrimony sites. The construction on this royal palace was begun in 1738 after a fire destroyed the former Alcázar there. It is commonly known as the palace of the Borbón dynasty in Spain. It is used today mostly for ceremonies and state visits. The last big event to take place here was the marriage of Prince Felipe de Borbón y Grecia to Litizia Ortiz in 2004.
This map illustrates the historic geographic regions of Spain. Some of these regions were autonomous kingdoms when Spain was unifying during the reconquest of the peninsula from the Moors between 711 AD and 1492. The Alcázar is a fairy tale castle on the edge of the city of Segovia in Spain. It dates from the 12th century. It was the seat of the Spanish throne during the reign of Queen Isabel la Católica in the 15th century. This map illustrates the historic/geographic regions of Spain. The most famous bullring in the world resides in Madrid. There is an old saying in bullfighting circles, “if you want to be a great bullfighter, soon or later you have to go to Madrid”. This is “Las Meninas” by the master Spanish painter Diego Velázquez. This work is also titled “Las Damas de Honor”. Painted in 1656, this work depicts the Infanta Margarita in the center, bathed in white light, and as the work alternates between light and dark colors, the final result is almost a 3-D picture, especially if it is viewed through a mirror. This is considered to be one of the greatest paintings in the world, and certainly of Spain. "El Entierro del Conde Orgaz" by El Greco. This work appears over the altar in the Iglesia de Santo Tomé in Toledo, Spain. Painted in 1588, El Greco--Doménico Theotocopuli--depicts the burial of Gonzalo Ruíz de Toledo, El Conde de Orgaz, who died in 1312. This is el acueducto romano in Segovia, Spain. The water begins its course along the acueducto from the Río Frío some 11.4 km in the distance from Segovia, enters the town of Segovia, passes over the larger portion depicted above, then continues underground until it empties into the cisterns of the Alcázar on the edge of town, some 14 km from where it started. The Alcázar dates from the Roman occupation of Spain, almost 2000 years ago. This is El Alcázar de Sevilla, Spain. The construction of this Moorish palace began in 913 AD, and in the 15th century was the residence of the Catholic monarchs, Fernando and Isabel, while they were orchestrating the siege of Granada.
El Escorial is a royal palace and monastery constructed by King Phillip II of Spain. It was begun in 1562 and finished in 1584. El Escorial is located approximately 41 km. northwest of Madrid. This mammoth building/complex that covers some 30,000 sq. meters, houses a basilica, a grand library of priceless documents and books, the royal pantheon that contains the tombs of most of the Spanish monarchs, an Augustinian monastery where only 25 priests live as permanent members of the monastic community, and many priceless works of art.
El Escorial is one of many Spanish National Patrimony sites.
|
