Architecture, Vitoria

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before the building was ceded to the Carthusian order, it was the recreational residence of Henry III of Spain, who decided to build this palace on one of his hunting reserves. The building was subsequently restored when his son King John II came to the throne, following a design by John of Cologne. Construction was finally completed in the reign of Queen Isabella, and the top architects, sculptures and painters of the time were employed for the job, including figures such as Simon of Cologne, Gil de Siloé and Pedro Berruguete. The Carthusian monastery became one of the treasures of the Gothic style of the late 15th century. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/burgos/cartuja_de_miraflores.html

This cathedral is outstanding for the elegance and harmony of its architecture, and it is the only one in Spain which, for its cathedral building alone, has received the UNESCO World Heritage designation. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/burgos/catedral_de_burgos.html

Peñafiel castle is built of Campaspero stone and is an example of the German Gothic style. It is 210 metres long by 33 metres wide.The castle is located on a hill overlooking the valleys of Duratón and Botijas. Its exterior is uniform in appearance, and it has a single door. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/valladolid/castillo_de_penafiel.html

This splendid old Aragonese Renaissance palace with imposing towers on either side, a wooden roof and imposing staircase forming a beautiful gallery, dates back to the 16th century. Inside the Court the old wooden roof and ceiling can be observed which continues into the old Hall of Justice housing the painting by Jose Casado del Alisal, dating back to 1880 and depicting the infamous legend of the Bell of Huesca. To the right of the City Hall is the old Imperial College Santiago, founded in 1534, which was once part of the most prestigious University of Huesca for over three hundred years. http://www.huescaturismo.com/en/monumental-detalle/10/city-hall/

This is an old Gothic building which dates back to the 13th and 14th century. Its altarpiece is a superb example of Spanish Renaissance sculpture carved in alabaster by Damián Forment between 1520 and 1533, representing the Passion of Christ. http://www.huescaturismo.com/en/monumental-detalle/7/the-diocesan-cathedral-museum/

It must have been one of the largest in the Roman world.The aqueduct is thought to have been built during the Flavian dynasty, from the second half of the first century to the early 2nd century CE under the Emperors Vespasian and Trajan in order to carry the water of the River Acebeda to the city. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/segovia/acueducto_de_segovia.html

Standing between the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers, the first documented record of the fortress dates back to Christian writings in the 12th century. It was built on top of a rock, a testament to its original military status. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/segovia/alcazar_de_segovia.html

This great cultural centre is the first work by the architect Oscar Niemeyer in Spain.It is located on the Aviles estuary, five minutes from the town's historic centre on foot. Its broad cultural programme of international activities includes exhibitions, plays, dances, films, concerts, conferences and gastronomic activities. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/museos/asturias/centro_niemeyer.html

Situated to the south-east of the chevet of the Cathedral of Saint-André at Bordeaux, the tower of Pey-Berland serves as its bell tower, built in the 15th century in the Gothic style. http://au.france.fr/en/discover/tower-pey-berland-bordeaux-0

Imbued with a long history, the Porte Cailhau offers a magnificent view of Bordeaux. Despite its age (just imagine – it dates from 1494!) this large, beautiful monument remains practically unchanged. It was built to commemorate Charles VIII's victory at Fornovo (Italy). This French king has left his mark on the tower since his likeness decorates a niche on the river side and a notice ask visitors to pay attention to the lintel and reminds them that Charles VIII died from walking quickly into just such a lintel... The Port Cailhau, thirty-five metres tall, was integrated into the city walls. In 1864, it was rented by a public letter writer and a person whose job was to weigh salt. They were both evicted in order to renovate the monument. There is a magnificent view of the oldest bridge in Bordeaux, the Pont de Pierre, from here. An exhibition displays the tools and materials used for construction purposes at the time the Porte Cailhau was built and an audio-visual presentation pieced together from old films immerses us in the world of stone masonry. https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/offre/fiche/porte-cailhau/PCUAQU033FS00044

Of all the public buildings in Bordeaux, the Grand-Théâtre is unquestionably the most well-known and appreciated. It stands on the site of a former temple (Les Piliers de Tutelle) that was once in the middle of a Gallo-Roman forum. The Grand Théâtre's construction was made necessary by the destruction of a performance hall in 1755. The latter was located in the outbuildings of the former town hall, near the Grosse Cloche. Architect François Lhote, assisted by Soufflot, initially proposed a project that was not accepted by the city aldermen. Eventually, Marshal de Richelieu, governor of the province of Guyenne, imposed the Parisian architect Victor Louis (1731-1800). In order to pay for the construction, the land located on the southern glacis of the Château Trompette was sold. It took more than five years to build the Grand Théâtre and, after many vicissitudes, it was inaugurated in 1780 with a performance of Athalie, a play by Jean Racine. The rectangular-shaped structure opens up onto Place de la Comédie to the west with a peristyle featuring 12 Corinthian columns supporting an entablature and a balustrade decorated with 12 statues (the nine muses and three goddesses). At the beginning, this peristyle was on the same level as Place de la Comédie. However, in the mid-19th century, it was decided to lower the level to make it easier for horse-drawn carriages to cross. The Grand Théâtre was nevertheless innovative, and Victor Louis imagined a clever oblique arrangement of stones maintained by a metal tie beam at the angles of the peristyle in order to support them. This ingenious combination became known as "Victor Louis's nail". https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/Discover-Bordeaux/Must-See/Opera-House

Place de la Bourse has symbolised the city of Bordeaux around the world for centuries and played a major role in the city's development, trade, and reputation. Both the Bordelais and visitors alike adore this very elegant square. It took 20 years of hard work in the 18th century to build what has since become the city's very symbol! The square represents a break with medieval Bordeaux surrounded by walls for centuries. The city was finally free to grow! Intendant Boucher had tried to convince the town aldermen and the parliament to create the square and open up the city walls since 1720. He decided to entrust Jacques Gabriel, Louis XV's "First Architect" with designing this rectangular square with bevelled corners, as well as constructing the famous buildings decorated with mascarons and wrought iron. The buildings framing this place royale consist of the Hôtel des Fermes, built by Gabriel's father, followed by the Hôtel de la Bourse built by Gabriel himself, and the isolated central pavilion (1735-1755). Place de la Bourse was originally separated from the river by railings, but these disappeared during the French Revolution. The equestrian statue of the king was briefly replaced by one of Napoleon, followed by the Fountain of the Three Graces in 1869… https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/offre/fiche/place-de-la-bourse/PCUAQU033FS00043

This Modernist building in the neo-Gothic style consists of a castle, church and stately mansion, and is the site of the Los Caminos Museum. This monument was designed by Gaudí himself in 1887, although it was ultimately completed by the architect Luis de Querejeta. http://www.spain.info/en_IN/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/leon/palacio_episcopal.html

Since June 1, 2016, Bordeaux has a contemporary monument, which illustrates the city's dedication to the fruit of the vine: La Cité du Vin.The purpose of this museum is to create a space where sensory experiences are centered wholly around wine. This site is fully dedicated to this "nectar," as a living piece of French history and culture http://au.france.fr/en/discover/visit-cite-vin-bordeaux-0

This is one of the most well-known monuments in Madrid. Built between 1769 and 1778 under the orders of King Carlos III, it was designed by Francisco Sabatini and erected as a triumphal arch to celebrate the arrival of the monarch at the capital. The granite gate is 19.5 metres tall and is elegant and well-proportioned. The façade features a number of decorative elements with groups of sculptures, capitals, reliefs and masks, among others. http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/madrid/puerta_de_alcala.html

The stunning Palacio de Cibeles is not only the headquarters of Madrid City Council, it is also home to CentroCentro. A recent addition to the renowned Paseo del Arte, the cultural centre boasts a packed programme of activities that revolve around the city and includes exhibitions, workshops, conferences and concerts. Next to the entrance hall, where you’ll find interactive information screens, there is a colourful lounge where visitors can sit back and read, connect to WiFi or enjoy some people-watching through the large windows that look out onto Plaza de Cibeles. The building has two restaurants: Colección Cibeles on the ground floor and Palacio de Cibeles on the 6th. Both are open Monday to Sunday. Also on the sixth floor is Terraza Cibeles, a great rooftop bar where you can relax with a pre-dinner drink or mid-afternoon snack as you take in the wonderful views of the Plaza de Cibeles and the Madrid skyline. For even more breathtaking vistas, head up to the Mirador observation deck on the 8th floor. https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/centrocentro-palacio-de-cibeles

Built in 1782, the Cibeles Fountain has been standing in this emblematic square since 1895. One of the city’s most famous landmarks, it depicts Cybele, the Great Mother and Roman goddess of fertility, atop a chariot drawn by two lions. It stands in the centre of the Plaza de Cibeles, the square to which it has lent its name and which marks the start of Madrid’s avenue of art, the Paseo del Arte. The fountain is flanked by four magnificent buildings: Buenavista Palace (the Army’s General Headquarters), Linares Palace (which accommodates the Casa de América cultural institution), Cibeles Palace (previously the main Post Office, it now houses Madrid City Hall and CentroCentro cultural centre), and the Bank of Spain. Commissioned by King Charles III it was designed by renowned Spanish architect Ventura Rodriguez. All three figures were made with purple marble from the town of Montesclaros, in Toledo, and the rest of the monument was carved from stone from Redueña, an area 53km to the north of Madrid, close to the La Cabrera mountain range. https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/fuente-de-la-cibeles