GOYA IN ARAGON : FUENDETODOS
Francisco de Goya y Lucientes was born in this Aragonese town that now owns him its universal renown. The birthplace of this genius, spreading its Medieval lay-out over the plateau, still keeps almost intact the streets and squares where the artist took his first steps.
Until the last Civil War, Fuendetodos hoarded up in its church one of the first works by Goya, the decoration of the Relics Cupboard, which represented the scene The Apparition of the Virgin Mary to Saint James Apostle carrying the Pillar.
Today, this small town in the province of Zaragoza, essential meeting point for the lovers of Goya's art, opens the doors of its many interesting places to visitors from all over the world.
BirthplaceNot far from the painter's birthplace, another building houses from 1989 the permanent display of one of the most personal and controversial sides of Goya's work: the series of engravings, whose presence justifies by itself the visit to the artist's town.
In the museum, the visitor has the opportunity to admire the series Los Caprichos (The Caprices), published in 1799. They are 80 satirical engravings where social critique adquires a grotesque tone unprecedented in his time.
We also find in display the 82 engravings of Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War), a series begun in 1810 denouncing the terrible consequences of human cruelty.
The series La Tauromaquia (The Bullfighting), 1814-1816, represents bullfights as they were held in those times. The beauty and the courage of the spectacle are outstanding.
On the other hand, the series Los Disparates (The Foolishness), 1819-1823, shows again the painter's obsessive topics, but this time the underworld of monsters and ghastly beings is represented with an even more stressed dramatism. Besides, together with the rooms devoted to the permanent display of Goya's engravings, there is a space where the different engraving techniques are shown as well as the differences and resemblances between the Aragonese genius and other contemporary engravers. In an adjoining room we can contemplate temporary exhibitions by other engravers.
ADMISSION TIMES: From Tuesday to Sunday: from 11 to 14 and from 16 to 19. Closed on Monday.
ADDRESS: Zuloaga street, 3. 50142
Fuendetodos (Zaragoza).
Phone number: +34 976 143830.
Fuendetodos has an inn where the visitor can gain back strength. At the town's entrance, the restaurant El Capricho de Goya offers a Goya-menu with traditional Aragonese dishes. El Mesón de la Maja, near the painter's birthplace and the Casino complete the list of facilities.
The building was erected at the beginning of the 18th century and belonged to the family of Gracia Lucientes, Goya's mother. Nowadays, its appearance is still that of a peasants house of the period. Inside, many tools and furniture have been conserved. The façade is not different from those of the town but for the existence of a commemorative plaque. However, some rooms have been transformed into exhibition rooms and details of the painter's life and works are explained to the visitor.
ADMISSION TIMES: From Tuesday to Sunday:
from 11 to 14 and from 16 to 19.
Closed on Monday.
ADDRESS: Goya Square. 50142 Fuendetodos
(Zaragoza).
Phone Number: +34 976 143830
Located next to the church, it is the centre of one of the most important cultural activities in Fuendetodos. The workshop's objective is to make the public know the different engraving techniques. With that aim, courses are organized during the summer and the week-ends for all levels, from beginners to the learning of specific techniques.
ORGANIZATION:
Goya-Fuendetodos Consortium.
Zuloaga street, 23. 50142 Fuendetodos (Zaragoza).
Phone number: +34 976 143801.
In the times of Goya, Fuendetodos was known in Zaragoza as the origin of part of the ice that was consumed during the summer. Due to its setting, snowfalls were frequent in the town durind winter. To store the snow ice stores were built, such as the one of Culroya, to the left of the road leading to Carinena and arranged to be visited. Here numerous ice blocks about 40 or 50 cm. thick were conserved covered with straw.
ADMISSION TIME:Admission is free.
There are four different routes to arrive in Fuendetodos from Zaragoza, and they all have different tourist attractions.
The shortest route (44 km.) passes by Botorrita, where one of the most important archaeological sites in Aragon is located: the Iberian-Roman city of Contrebia Belaisca. From Botorrita, on the way to Fuendetodos, we must go to Jaulin, a town awarded because of its care for environmental conservation. There is an interesting pool with different types of ducks.
The second route follows the course of the river Huerva to Muel, a traditional pottery centre that has a prestigious pottery school and a peculiar ornamental style. Remember that there is a work by Goya in Muel, in the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Fuente. From there we must go on to Villanueva de Huerva, where we will take the turn-off to Fuendetodos.The third route (71 km.) goes through the wine-producer area of Campo de Cariñena, one of the most important in Aragon; in its capital we take the road to Goya's birthplace.
The fourth route gets to Fuendetodos through Belchite land, a steppe with an impressive landscape and a special ornithological richness. It is essential to stop and visit the ruins of the old town of Belchite, mute and singular witness of the disasters of the last Civil War that has even been used as natural setting for cinema productions. Demolished roofs, destroyed houses with their walls hurt by shrapnel... a ghastly panorama of destruction where time stopped after long days of fighting. A visit that revives the clamour against injustice present in Goya's engravings.
Goya | GOYA IN ARAGON | FUENDETODOS | ZARAGOZA | CALATAYUD | OTHERS TOWNS | GASTRONOMY
Tourist Routes in Aragon
Ample your information on Aragon
If you want to extend your information on Aragon you can begin crossing another interesting route is the Mudejar, Patrimony of the Humanity, also you can extend your cultural knowledge on Aragon examining its municipal and institutional heraldry without forgetting, of course, some of its emblematics figures as Saint George Pattern of Aragon also book of Aragon.
Also Aragon enjoys a diverse and varied Nature where passing by plants, animals or landscapes we can arrive at a fantastic bestiario that lives in its monuments.
The information will not be complete without a stroll by its three provinces: Zaragoza, Teruel and Huesca and his shines, with shutdown in some of its spectacular landscapes like Ordesa, the Moncayo or by opposition the Ebro.
Also you can dedicarte to the intangible ones: from the legend compilation that also does to universal Aragon you can persecute the presence of del Santo Grial in Aragon.
Huesca |
Teruel |
Zaragoza |
Aragon |
Maps |
Fauna |
Flora |
Geology |
Fungi |
Tourism |
Mudejar |
Goya |
Alphabetical Index |
Thematic
FRANCISCO DE GOYA Y LUCIENTES Zaragoza: El Pilar, Cartuja del Aula Dei, Museo de Bellas Artes, Museo Camon Aznar, Palacio Arzobispal. Fuendetodos: Casa Natal y Museo del Grabado. Huesca: Museo Provincial. Calatayud: Iglesia de San Juan el Real. Muel: Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Fuente. Remolinos: Iglesia Parroquial. Pedrola: Palacio de la Duquesa de Villahermosa.
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