Architecture, Huesca

With the conquest of the city of Lleida in 1149, the Templars received various properties in compensation for their assistance during the siege, including Gardeny Hill. The earliest reference to the Gardeny Command dates from 1156, the first commander being listed as Brother Pere de Cartellà, a figure who had been actively involved in the city siege. http://www.turismedelleida.cat/viure-a-lleida-en/el-castell-de-gardeny

La Llotja is a monolithic construction, subdivided into three functional levels allowing it to serve different purposes. The central level is the interconnecting core, linking up the various programmes by means of the central stairway/ramp, which also provides illumination. http://www.turismedelleida.cat/viure-a-lleida-en/la-llotja-de-lleida

Construction was begun by Charles the Noble in 1397 on a 12th-century Romanesque building, and was completed in 1501. The high altar is crowned by a figure of the Virgin of Santa María la Real, in front of whom the kings of Navarre used to swear their oaths. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/navarra/catedral_de_pamplona.html

Castle with Remains of a powerful red sandstone fortress. https://lariojaturismo.com/en/community/larioja/resource/castillo-roquero-de-arnedo/d1e9dc93-c457-4998-884b-d981e47a2e8e

The museum presents exhibits dating from prehistoric times through to the modern age. http://www.reus.cat/museu-de-reus-salvador-vilaseca

In Plaza España, at the top of a series of uninterrupted steps in the shape of a shell, rises the brick façade, a late 17th century Aragon Baroque masterpiece. It is flanked by two 50 m towers. Between the two, a central section. The lower part is divided by two large pillars. https://lariojaturismo.com/en/community/larioja/resource/colegiata-de-san-miguel/cd2f373e-d17c-495a-a4c7-8bcef157eb6d

Standing in the Cristina Enea Park, the building is presently occupied by the Fundación Cristina Enea, created to raise awareness on environmental issues and sustainability. The present distribution of the mansion, which dates from 1890, is the work of Jose de Osinalde. Today is ground floor is occupied by the Fundacion Cristina Enea. Entering through the front door, you will come to the reception and the large wooden stairway. The second floor houses the office ones used by the Duke of Mandas and two exhibition spaces. Lastly, the building has a gallery for traveling exhibitions that connect the main building to an educational room in the former chapel. There is also a rest area for visitors. https://www.sansebastianturismo.com/en/to-do/culture-art-architecture/mansions-and-castles

Belle Epoque in design yet highly modern in spirit. That’s how we could describe the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, a building that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012. Located in the city centre, in full view of the Kursaal and on the banks of the River Urumea, the Victoria Eugenia Theatre proposes a varied and continually changing programme. This sandstone building sporting plateresque motifs with Spanish Renaissance forms was created by the architect Francisco de Urcola in 1912. Particularly interesting on the facade are, over the Doric columns, four groups of sculptures representing the opera, tragedy, comedy and drama. For decades the Victoria Eugenia Theatre has been the principal hub of the International Film Festival; since its renovation in 2007, the building now offers new cutting edge spaces and audiovisual technologies. https://www.sansebastianturismo.com/en/to-do/culture-art-architecture/belle-epoque#ayuntamiento

What is today San Sebastián's City Hall was home to the city’s Gran Casino from the time it was opened on 1st July 1897 until it was closed in 1924 with the prohibition of gambling. Its roulette tables and Dance Hall, currently the Plenary Hall, provided entertainment for politicians, writers and artists in the Belle Epoque period. https://www.sansebastianturismo.com/en/to-do/culture-art-architecture/belle-epoque#ayuntamiento

Tradition and modernity are brought together in one of the most special areas of the city. Stroll through the fishing port and lose yourself in the streets of the Historical Quarter where the smell of pintxos emanates from every corner. Cross the Boulevard and leap through time to land in the centre of Donostia, and visit its pedestrian streets and spend a few hours shopping in its lovely shops and boutiques. https://www.sansebastianturismo.com/en/to-do/district-by-district/centre-old-town

The Plaza de la Constitución lies deep in the heart of the Old Town. The building that dominates the square was San Sebastián’s City Hall until the 1940s. https://www.sansebastianturismo.com/en/to-do/culture-art-architecture/squares-and-promenades

Miramar Palace was built in 1893 on the order of Queen María Cristina of Austria, who used to spend her summers in Donostia/San Sebastián. After considering other places such as Monte Urgull and Aiete, the queen settled on this location, where there had previously been a hermitage which had to be moved to another spot. Nowadays, if you visit the Antiguo neighbourhood you will find the palace among its streets. In first impressions, the palace is reminiscent of English noble country houses. Designed by the English architect Selden Womun and built by the master craftsman José Goikoa, for years it remained in the hands of the Spanish Royal Family, serving as their summer residence and as the college of Juan Carlos de Borbón. https://www.sansebastianturismoa.eus/en/to-do/culture-art-architecture/mansions-and-castles/miramar-palace

Monte Urgull is a natural area in the centre of San Sebastián that affords fabulous views of the sea and the city. Witness to the wars suffered in their long history by the people of San Sebastián, a structure of ancient paths and fortifications can still be found on Monte Urgull today, including the splendid La Mota Castle. In times of Sancho the Great, King of Navarre, the first defencive lookout point and San Sebastian's early walls were built. The date was around 1150. That first castle was a classic rock top construction, square, with a tower of each of the four corners and a keep to the rear. It was suffered numerous transformations over the years, just like the other fortifications on Monte Urgul. https://www.sansebastianturismo.com/en/to-do/culture-art-architecture/mansions-and-castles

Is a Neoclassic-converted building in the town centre. Built in 1731 and restored in 1982. The building blends into the portico space of the Plaza de España. Designed by the architect Justo A. de Olaguibel. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/alava/casa_consistorial_de_vitoria-gasteiz.html

The Palace of Ajuria-Enea is known, above all for being the headquarters of the Basque Government. Apart from its administrative function, it contains monuments, history, and art of great value. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/alava/palacio_de_ajuria-enea.html

This Baroque bell tower has an eight-sided floor plan and consists of four different sections, the first three made of stone and the upper one made of fired brick. There are three bells, two of which are liturgical and the third one tells the time; the decoration, executed by the artist, Joan Vila Cinca is particularly beautiful. At the very top of the bell tower, there is an angel that acts as a weathercock and two-time bells. Inside, you can visit a small exhibition featuring the building, the bells, and the last clock that made them work, built in 1903. And from the top of the bell tower, visitors can have a splendid view of the city and its surroundings. http://www.sabadell.net/Eng/Tourism/p/patrimoniurba_eng.asp

In this building entirely made of bricks, the contrast between its massive or even austere aspect of the exterior and the extraordinary lightness of the interior architecture where the famous palm-tree ribs thrust upwards. http://www.toulouse-visit.com/offre/fiche/patrimoine-culturel/couvent-des-jacobins/PCUMID031FS0009F

In Toulouse there is no Mairie, but rather a majestic Capitole! An emblematic building, it is home to the town hall, a theatre and rooms of state where you can bump into celebrities from the city. The seat of municipal power since its construction, commissioned by the Capitouls in the XII Century, transformed and embellished in every era, La Capitole shows its majestic Neo-Classical façade to the unmistakable square that shares its name. Its walls could tell of the great moments in the history of Toulouse: from the Cathar episode to the creation of the Floral Games, from the Counts of Toulouse to the siege of the city. On the first floor, you cross magnificent reception rooms that are decorated with the Allegories of Love by Paul Gervais, 10 giant canvases by Henri Martin and, notably, the Salle des Illustres whose paintings retrace the history of Toulouse and whose busts bring back to life the personalities that have defined the city. https://www.toulouse-visit.com/le-capitole-hotel-de-ville/toulouse/pcumid031fs000a3

The largest church (115 metres in length), a jewel of Roman art begun in 1075 and consecrated in 1096. Pilgrimage church, designed to receive the crowds of pilgrims walking towards Compostela, and to shelter a religious community. One of the symbols of Toulouse, this basilica of brick and stone is certainly imposing. Majestic and luminous, it was built between the XI and XIV Centuries in honour of St Saturnin (or Sernin), the first bishop of the city. An important stop along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, it inspires reverence and its vast proportions are ideal for strolling past the numerous reliquaries. https://www.toulouse-visit.com/la-basilique-saint-sernin/toulouse/pcumid031fs000a1

A short hop from the Pont Neuf, a monumental stone doorway hides a masterpiece of the Classical Renaissance. You can even take tea here in the summer, if you are brave enough to face the lions and warriors… The sumptuous courtyard of honour is the backdrop for two façades punctuated by antique columns and linked by a stairway tower. Everything matches the level of ambition of the man that commissioned it, Pierre d’Assézat, merchant and Capitoul of Toulouse, who made his fortune from pastel in the XVI Century. Bequeathed to the city in 1895, it was then home to the academies and learned societies where the Floral Games were created in 1323. It was this exceptional venue that was selected by the Argentine Georges Bemberg in which to display his collection of art, which you can explore at the foundation that shares his name. Beneath the loggia, you can quench your thirst as you contemplate the courtyard and façades of the most beautiful Renaissance mansion house of Toulouse. https://www.toulouse-visit.com/hotel-d-assezat/toulouse/pcumid031v5015wt

Park Guell is one of the most fantastic designs ever built by Gaudi. A landmark on its own, it features amazing views of Barcelona and plenty of modernist works. Needless to say, as soon you pass the entrance, you’ll notice right away that this isn’t an ordinary park. Curiously, Park Güell wasn’t originally intended to be a park, but rather a project for luxurious homes. In 1900, the site was just a rocky hill with nothing but vegetation around, in the vicinity of some isolated upper class country houses. The result was one of the most fascinating works by Gaudí. The intention of the project was to take advantage of the breathtaking views of Barcelona and the clean fresh air, away from the factories, in order to build a top of the line housing complex. In Park Guell, there are plenty of paths and vegetation to enjoy, but the architectural structures are the glue that holds the whole place together. https://barcelonando.com/parc-guell

The park covers a surface area of 17 hectares and gives Nou Barris a pleasant, modern appearance in keeping with the residential area where it is located. It blends in perfectly with the site and its undulating landform has a lot of surprises in store. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/524/parc-central-de-nou-barris.html

Casa Batllo is one of Barcelona’s biggest landmarks. If buildings could be celebrities, there would be a perpetual red carpet in front of it. The remarkable facade it’s the most prominent feature and it has been subject to many interpretations. Originally, Gaudí didn’t build Casa Batlló. He was hired to redesign the late 1800’s building in 1904, and the result was one of his most emblematic works in Barcelona along the Sagrada Familia. The building was transformed into one that hardly resembles the original. Animal and nature forms inspired the facade of Casa Batlló. For example, the skull shape of the balconies. As beautiful as is the outside, you must schedule a visit to the interior to witness the most original and jaw-dropping architecture. To begin with, a good part of the outside is covered with bits and pieces of broken and multicolored ceramic tiles, a technique called Trencadís, which was used massively by Gaudi in most of his works, visible for example in the Park Güell benches. An interesting effect is created when direct sunlight hits the building, as the tiles shift through different shades of colors along with the stained glass windows. https://barcelonando.com/casa-batllo

This amazing building, the Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch, a contemporary of Gaudí, which combines the neo-Gothic style with a ridged façade inspired by houses in the Netherlands, is part of the block known as the "mansana de la discòrdia" of Barcelona. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/1197/casa-amatller.html

The Sagrada Familia is definitely the most famous building in Barcelona. Considered one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, it’s a key attraction in Barcelona and one of the most striking monuments ever built in the world. In fact, there is absolutely no other building in the world featuring such a genius mixture between Gothic and Art Nouveau styles. Antoni Gaudí took over the project in 1883, a year after construction had begun, and completely reshaped the project to fit his unique style. Unfortunately, Gaudí died in 1926 when only a quarter of the project had been constructed. Sadly, most of the blueprints left were burned in a fire, therefore, all that’s been built ever since has been a wide interpretation of Gaudi’s architecture. Stopping over the Sagrada Familia should be top priority if you’re in Barcelona for the first time. Visiting the basilica it’s an enjoyable experience and a great way to be introduced into Gaudí’s architecture. Besides, it offers the best possible views of the surrounding Eixample District, Barcelona’s own Big Apple. https://barcelonando.com/sagrada-familia

El Palau de la Musica Catalana is the most famous concert halls in Barcelona. Squeezed between the narrow streets of La Ribera neighborhood, is one of the most fantastic buildings of the Modernista movement. https://barcelonando.com/palau-de-la-musica-catalana

The Gothic Quarter is one of the most famous landmarks in Barcelona. Located in the heart of the old city, this neighborhood features a fusion of buildings dating from Roman times to the 20th century. The main attribute of the Gothic Quarter is the antique aspect of its buildings, narrow streets and the near absence of traffic. In fact, many areas are for pedestrians only and built like a labyrinth of winding streets and hidden squares. https://barcelonando.com/barri-gotic-gothic-quarter

The work of Sancho Martínez de Arego, it is built on the site where the Virgin appeared in a vision in the early sixteenth century, and it is mainly Gothic, but mixes several styles. The Basilica is a must for many citizens of Bilbao, who come daily to this sanctuary to venerate the Virgin of Begoña, patron saint of Bizkaia, known locally as the ‘Amatxu’ (Mother). Seafaring people are also greatly devoted to the Virgin and as a result, there have been many boats registered in Bilbao with the name "Virgin of Begoña" or simply "Begoña" since the 16th century. In addition, it is the custom of sailors to salute the Sanctuary and sing the ‘Salve Regina’ when they first see the church from afar as they come up the river. The "Amatxu" of Begoña, as she is popularly known, receives a heartfelt tribute from residents of Bilbao and Biscay on both 15 August and 11 October, the day of Our Lady of Begoña. On those dates, thousands of pilgrims from throughout the Historical Territory walk through the night to attend a mass in honour of the patron saint of Bilbao and Biscay at the Basilica that bears her name and is one of the great symbols of the city. https://www.bilbaoturismo.net/BilbaoTurismo/en/what-to-see/basilica-of-begona

Designed by Canadian American architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao building represents a magnificent example of the most groundbreaking 20th-century architecture. With 24,000 m2, of which 9.000 are dedicated to exhibition space, the Museum represents an architectural landmark of audacious configuration and innovating design, providing a seductive backdrop for the art exhibited in it. Altogether, Gehry’s design creates a spectacular sculpture-like structure, perfectly integrated within Bilbao’s urban pattern and its surrounding area. https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/en/the-building

The origin of the current museum is in the first Fine Arts Museum, founded in 1908 and opened in 1914 and the Modern Art Museum opened in 1924. Both institutions and their collections were united in 1945, the year that the old building was constructed. The collection of the Fine Arts Museum, which opened in 1914, brings together over seven thousand works of art, including paintings, sculptures, works on paper and applied arts, with an outstanding heritage spanning from the twelfth century to the present. It contains important examples of ancient, modern and contemporary painting and has a special interest in the Spanish school of art and in Basque artists, by whom it has a large collection of works. https://www.bilbaoturismo.net/BilbaoTurismo/en/other-museums/museum-of-fine-arts

The Euskalduna Palace Conference Centre or Euskalduna Palace Conference and Performing Arts Centre, was the second building built in the urban area of Abandoibarra after the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Opened in 1999, it was designed by architects Federico Soriano and Dolores Palacios in corten steel as a symbol of the last vessel built in the old Euskalduna shipyard, wich had occupied this space for decades. It now runs a full programme of concerts, opera and theatre. https://www.bilbaoturismo.net/BilbaoTurismo/en/theatres/-euskalduna-palace

The transporter bridge linking Las Arenas (Getxo) and Portugalete, declared a heritage monument by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, is more than 125 years old. Designed by the architect, Alberto Palacio, a disciple of Gustave Eiffel, it was opened in 1893. Vehicles and foot passengers are transported in a gondola, suspended from a rail by 36 wheels and measuring 25 metres long, which travels along the rails of the horizontal crossbar. The gondola operates 24 hours a day. The walkway is open from 10:00 until sunset. http://www.bilbaoturismo.net/BilbaoTurismo/en/puente-colgante

Atapuerca is one of Europe's most important archaeological sites. It was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000, and a Site of Outstanding Universal Value, also by UNESCO, in 2015. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/burgos/yacimiento_de_atapuerca.html