Discover the Splendor of Spanish Renaissance Architecture: The Golden Age
Step back in time to the opulent world of 16th-century Spain, a period celebrated as the "Golden Age" of art, culture, and architecture. Book NOW for this engaging talk with slides where we will explore the iconic architectural styles, masterful architects, and royal patrons that defined an era of unparalleled splendor.
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On a recent Javea Walk with a nice group, we were lucky enough to find the large metal doors of the Convento de los Mínimos chapel open. This chapel was originally built in 1616. After its destruction, it was rebuilt in 1946 especially for the Augustinian nuns in Xàbia (Jávea), who had lost their convent and chapel in the town centre when they were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
Happily spending eternity is the medieval town of Albarracín, and the Cathedral of El Salvador that stands as a testament to centuries of devotion, artistry, and architectural ingenuity. Among its many treasures, the main altar and the intricate ribbed vaulting above it are particularly captivating, embodying the spiritual and aesthetic ideals of their time.
As the golden hues of autumn sweep across Madrid, few locations capture the season’s enchanting charm quite like the Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal) in Retiro Park. Nestled within this verdant urban oasis, the palace stands as a shimmering beacon of architectural brilliance, framed by the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows of the season. Autumn transforms the park into a living painting, and the Crystal Palace becomes its dazzling centerpiece.
Without cameras to document disasters as we do today, artists were the ones who captured the depth of human tragedy through their work. Romantic painter Antonio Muñoz Degrain created Mother’s Love to vividly pull at our heartstrings. Painted between 1912 and 1913, this sizable oil on canvas (204 x 160.5 cm) was donated by the artist himself to the Museum of Fine Arts in Valencia in 1913.
Immerse yourself in a fascinating slideshow tour of Madrid's most iconic neoclassical landmarks. With Karla as your guide, explore the timeless beauty of Spain’s capital through its grand buildings and monuments. Discover the stories and royal inspirations behind these architectural treasures that continue to define Madrid today.
King Carlos III came to the Spanish crown after spending much of his adult life in Naples, Italy, and was therefore heavily influenced by the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. He carried out a series of urban reforms in Madrid, ranging from public lighting to the paving of the streets. These reforms of the capital also had an aesthetic significance. His aim was to bring the capital of Spain, Madrid, up to the aesthetic level of other European cities such as Paris or Saint Petersburg.
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Since Halloween and the Day of the Dead are very close to each other, who better to take up the theme of witches' flight than Francisco Goya. Traditionally, witches were believed to use a broom to move through the air and assist the coven in places far from their usual haunts.
The women accused of witchcraft were women who took care of the home: wives, midwives, servants, etc. And what do these people have in common? A broom! It stands to reason that the broom was a representation of women and thus became the witches' tool.
Goya, who knew the aspects of witchcraft well, captured the moment when an old witch initiates a young woman into these practises. But he also knew that it was not the broom that gave the witches their flying abilities.
* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas. Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com)
Yes, indeed it is true!
In 1610, the infamous "Quema de brujas en Logroño" (Burning of the Witches in Logroño) witch trials took place, and a local printer, Juan de Mongastón, published a pamphlet chronicling the events. This document detailed the trial and condemnation of 53 people accused of witchcraft, along with five skeletons and five effigies, creating a vivid picture of witchcraft and its supposed dangers.
This painting is quite large; unfortunately, I couldn't ascertain its exact dimensions. However, it proudly hangs high above the central courtyard of the Museum in Siguenza. You can view it directly from the second-floor gallery.
It depicts the Battle of Alcoraz, an armed encounter that took place on November 15, 1096, near Huesca, involving Aragonese and Pamplona troops on one side and Muslim troops from Zaragoza supported by Castilian forces on the other.
Don Lorenzo Bericiartúa Valerdi, while serving as bishop of this diocese, purchased the building in 1956 with the intention of converting it into the Diocese's Museum. However, it was his successor, Don Laureano Castán Lacoma, supported by the nuncio Luigi Dadaglio, who officially inaugurated it on May 11th, 1968. Initially, the exhibition only occupied the ground floor of the building, but in 1972, it was extended to include the first floor. Currently, the museum occupies the entire building.
