Figure 11: El Alcázar de Toledo, Spain

Figure 12: La Alhambra de Granada

Figure 13: Guanajuato, Mexico

Figure 14: Antigua Veracruz, Mexico

Figure 15: El Archivo General de las Indias--Sevilla, Spain

Figure 16: Avila, Spain

Figure 17: El Barrio de Triana, Sevilla

Figure 18: La iglesia de Santa Ana, Sevilla

Figure 19: El barrio de Santa Cruz, Sevilla

Figure 20: El Barrio Gótico de Barcelona

In the distance to the right you can see the Alcázar de Toledo. This fortress stands on the site originally selected by the Romans. The fortress was built and destroyed many times throughout the centuries. The Arabs used the site as a fortress when Toledo was their northern capital. Toledo was the Spanish capital until 1562, when it moved to Madrid. The Alcázar was under siege by the Nationalist troops during the Spanish civil war in 1936. Franco’s Republican troops were holed up there for 10 weeks. When the Republican troops finally entered the town, the first contingent to enter the Alcázar was a unit of Moors from Africa. Their ancestors had been thrown out of this city in 1085, but 851 years later, they were returning.

This is La Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain. La Alhambra is a Moorish palace begun in 1239 by a Moorish sultan on the Colina Roja (red hill) where a dismantled castle had been. La Alhambra translates “La Colina Roja”, and in fact, glimmers and shimmers in the moonlight in what the locals call, “glowing crimson and pink”. The Alhambra is the most visited tourist site in all of Spain.

Guanajuato, Mexico. This city is surrounded by mountains where Spanish soldiers discovered silver after the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés. The silver mine originally started there is still in operation to this day out of the original first mine shaft that was dug. The Valenciana silver mine can be visited almost daily. The large white building in the center of this photo is the University of Guanajuato. Guanajuato is also famous for the Alhóndiga de Granitas, the original granary where Spanish troops were holed up as the Mexican revolution got under way. The Alhóndiga was attacked by the troops of Hidalgo and Allende and was taken. It was the first major victory of the revolution. Unfortunately, Hidalgo and Allende were captured later, executed, and their heads were hung from baskets on each corner of the Alhóndiga as a reminder to the people not to start revolutions. The hooks from where the baskets hung are still there today.

Antigua Veracruz, Mexico. As Hernán Cortés was sailing up the eastern coast of what is now Mexico, he discovered a small river inlet where he could shelter his boats from the stormy winds of the Gulf of Mexico. He chose a spot to tie up his ships and disembark to get fresh food and water. At this site he scuttled his ships so his men would be forced to march with him inland in search of an “Indian city laden with gold”. He named this first town “La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz”. Today it is known as Antigua Veracruz. The jungle has taken over the remains of one of his first compounds. The original ceiba tree where he first tied his boats in 1519 is still there, along with the walls of the compound, a few cannons, and several indigenous families.

El Archivo General de las Indias is a national archive of anything and everything pertaining to the exploration of the New World. For example, a ship’s manifest could be discovered in this archive that might lead you to a sunken treasure ship’s location in the West Indies. In fact, this is the place where a researcher working for Mel Fisher found the manifest for the Spanish galleon, Nuestra Señora de la Atocha, a ship that went down off the Florida Keys on its way to Spain. It was loaded with gold, silver, precious stones, and artifacts. To this day, divers who work for Mel Fisher’s company are still bringing up loot from the site.

Avila is located some 113 km from Madrid. It is a city completely surround by walls. The walls were begun in 1090 and enclose the city and measure more than a mile and a half around. They contain 88 towers and nine portals, or gates. Avila is the birthplace of Sta. Teresa de Jesús.

El Barrio de Triana is a district in Sevilla, Spain across the Río Guadalquivir. This district for a very long time has been the district of workers, artisans, gypsies, bullfighters, flamenco singers and dancers, etc. It is still famous for its production of ceramics and cerámica sevillana.

La Iglesia de Santa Ana in Sevilla is located in the barrio de Triana across the Guadalquivir River from the historic civic center of Sevilla. This church was constructed under King Alfonso X. Its major structure was undertaken in the 13th century. Today it houses La Virgen de la Esperanza which is carried throughout the streets of Sevilla by the cofradía of this church during la Semana Santa in April.

El barrio de Santa Cruz in Sevilla, Spain forms much of the historic civic center of Sevilla. Tight and narrow cobblestone streets twist and turn throughout this district in Andalucía’s largest city.

This is the Barrio Gótico de Barcelona. This section of Barcelona is centered at the ancient cathedral of Barcelona. At this site, the original Roman Barcino family, from which Barcelona gets its name, built a home in the first century A.D. From here also a Roman wall was constructed. Along the streets, in the basements, and in the underground of Barcelona, you can see vestiges of the Roman occupation in this area. Columbus also made a visit here at the cathedral to gain audience with the Catholic Monarchs to plead for funds and permission to launch an expedition to the New World. Also, every Sunday morning in front of the cathedral steps, citizens gather to dance the traditional Catalán dance, La Sardana.