Saragosa. How to see Zaragoza. Saragose. Tourist Routes in Aragon. Tourism Aragon in English.

Saragosa. How to see Zaragoza. Saragose. Tourist Routes in Aragon. Tourism Aragon

Aragon in English > Tourism

INDEX

Saragossa. Description of the town. Musseums. Monuments.

Visit of Daroca. The Musseum- city 83 km. From saragossa.

Tarazona and the monastery de piedra.

Plan of the town.

EL PILAR (Our lady of the Pilar).

Our lady of the pilar is the most anciente sanctuary of Christianity consecrated to the worship of the Virgin Mary. The origin dates from the time the virgin gave the order to the apostle S t. Jacques to have a chapel built on the shore of the Ebro. (This chapel is open to the public from 9 to 5 A. M.).

Zaragoza Saragossa
Zaragoza Saragossa

SARAGOSSA

Town of 300.000 inhabitants, is situaded in the center of vast plain on the middle stream of the Ebre (199 metres altitude). This town benefuts of a mild climate (average temperature 15º c) and the thermometer very seldom regusters below zero. In the course of a full year the sun shines during 150 days in a cloudlees mediterranean sky. This fertile valley where it seldom rains provides a fine variety of very nice fruit.

HISTORY.

The more or less tuer legends regarding the foundation of Saragossa are numerous. At the origin, we find traces of Iberlans who gave it the name of Auripa or Salduba. After the Carthaginian, Phenician and Greek invations, the Romans settled un the town and turned it into a fortress. Under their domination, the first Christians had to undergo numerous persecutions.

In spite of destructions sustaines during the different wars, Saragossa maintained its expansion until the ocupation of the Muza-ben-Noscir Arabians who pilfered the whole place. Alphonse the first ¨the Warrior¨ managed to deliver Saragossa from the Araban domination and established the kingdom of Aragona with Valencia and Catalonia. To this monarch succeded such Kings as Jaime "the conqueror", Peter III "The Great", Ferdinand "the catholic", who created the unification of Spain in marriying Isabella of Castilla and thus became the real champion of the "reconquest" of Saragossa.

Napoleon´s ambition was the cause of upheaval of Spain and Saragossa was once more an example of undomptable energy, love of indeoendence which never failed and stood with heroism the siege of the French Armies during 108 and 1809.

LA SEO (CATHÉDRAL)

Saragossa has the privilege to own two cathedrals the Pilar and la Seo (name of French origin "seat"). The inhabitants of Saragossa consider La Seo their only catheral as to them el Pilar is only the Virgin´s Sanctuary.

(visiting time of the catedral, 9 to 7. P.M. Emtrance free).

TAPESTRIES OF THE CHAPTER.

Annexed to the cathedral La Seo is a building where the tapestries of the Chapter are kept. They represent the most complete and interesting collection in Europe, not only according to their number but also buy the inestimable value of most of them .

SAN PABLO CHURCH (SAINT PAUL)

This is a modest hermitage formerly consecratd to saint-Blas and which was by and by transformed into a more important monument of Roman style. A full transformation of the said monument took place during the firts years of the loth century and was then consecrated to saint-paul. (visiting hours are during service hours).

CHURCH OF SANTA- ENGRACIA

This church was part of a beautiful monastery destroyed by the French during Independence War Fortunately the entrance built by the Gil Morlanes was spared. This is a most lovely gem of ¨plateresque style¨ the historical interest of which being in the sculptures and authentic pictures representing the two Carholic Kings.
Furthermore, some of the sepulchres in the crypt were miraculously.

Spared from destruction. These are of inestimable value as regards the history of are if we realize that these were sculptered during the 4th century, that is to say, they belong to the ¨christianpaleo¨ period.
(visiting hours are during service hours).

LA ALJAFERIA ( THE PALACE OF ALJAFERIA)

From the dinasty of the BENI-Hud, notable maecenas, the remaisn of the Aljaferia still subside; this place just outside the town, was erected by Abu Chafar, more commonly known under the name of moctadir.
(visitors should apply for a special permit).

LAS TORRES MUDEJARES (MUDEJAR TOWERS)

From the picturesque panorama of saragossa one specially notices a number of towers of typical. Arabian minarets construction, the simplicity of which is hidden under mosaic work of the rich oriental style.

LA LONJA (THE COMERCIAL EXCHANGE)

To avoid business transactions under the porches of the Churches, the Archbishop don Hernando de Aragón ordered the building of la lonja whic was finished at the beginning of the 16th century. The lonja whic was finished at the beginning of this edifice harmonise beautifully.

EL MUSEO DE BELLAS ARTES (ART MUSEUM)

In this splendid modern building the inspiration of which was drawn from the Classical Aragonese Palace is the art museum where one can admire in the archeological section the vestiges od different arts such as, Iberian, Roman, Primitive Christian, Moresque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque.

THE TOWN OF "SIEGE"

Saragossa is not only the town of ¨el pilar¨but aslo the town of sieges. Ther horrors of the last world wars have not lessend the greatnees of the fight put in by the inhabitants against napoleon´s trops and when 50.000 Spaniard a lost their lives.

FOLKLORE

Aragon is the home of the "jota". It is in Saragossa where one finds more enthusiasm for this song and popular dance both well known in Europe and America.

OTHER CHURCHES.

There are many churches and chapels in Saragossa where touristcand admire astonishing works of art.
Attention is drawn wwhen visiting the church of saint-michael containing the vestiges of the mudejar art anda the superb retable of renaissance style, work of art of Damian forment, also the beautiful piece representing saint-michael.
The church of saint Charles, formerly in Gothic style, was later on ornamented with luxurious baroque decorations.
The church of saint-girles has a retable of plain spanish renaissance style and a remarkable collection of baroque sculptures.
The church of our lady of portillo of historical value is also worthy of admiration; this is where reporses Augustina de Aragon, the national heroine of the war for independence.

DAROCA

Marvellous museum city, 83 kms from Saragossa.
Round about 83 kilometres from Saragossa, on the road to valencia, is Daroca, real museum town, rich in treasures, surrounded by fortifications.

The high towera of which stand out against the green-hackground of the pone forests. The lover of artistic beauty is often mermerizd by the aspect of the streets, the majestic porches, the windows of rare fine gothic style the cross- roads where life seems to have come to a stand still on these venerable stones.
Among the old Churches saint-john is noted and is considered as an historical monument, the apssis of which if of roman style built in bricks and stones.

Al last, the best of alla is the collegial of saint-mary ehere are kept the relics of the holy mistery in a very beutrifuk chapel of plateresque style. The latter is composed of small miniature altars made of alabaster, of retables ornamented of ¨primitives¨ as worthy as those seen in our large museums. This collegial is also decorated with wonderful religious silverware and paintings of great masters.

The town of Daroca owns all these incomparable treasures and these are kept in a museum which is most remarkable.

THE MONASTERY OF PIEDRA.

The monastery of Piedra was founded in 1195 by the monks of the Order of Citeaux whi came from the monastery of poblet. Of the initial construction still subside: the tower of homage, the lowest part of the façade of the hostelry, the cloisters and the refectory. The apsis of the late church still exists also a door of pure baroque style standing by an altar of the same period. The monumental staircase, work of art the 14th century, is also worthy of consideration.

Apart from these architecturak beautis the splendour of the surronding contry is bound to attract the attention of the traveller un this part of Aragon.

In contemplating the park of the monastery, an enchanting site, one belives that barrenness of the mounts of aragon is such, so as to frame and draw the perfection nature can come to, when left to its own whim.

Light, waterm vegetation, rocks, all keep in harmony. Withiin two kilometers one can admire then waterfalls one as nice as the other, the height of whicj varies from 10 to 50 meters.

The lac des canard and the lac du miroir are both veri enchanting and provide the relaxatio and peace of mind so dear to the tourist.

The wonderful grotto of the ¨queue de cheval¨ with its stalactites and te imposing waterfall at the entrance crowns alla there beauties.

The monastery of piedra is at 800 meters high above sea level and there is also an hotel uun the monastery itself.

TOURIST ROUTES

 

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.



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Saragosa. How to see Zaragoza. Saragose. Tourist Routes in Aragon. Zaragoza. Tourism in Aragon. Tourist Routes in Aragon. Saint James Routes in Aragon, Route OF THE VIRGIN MARY, MUDEJAR Routes, Romanesque ART, Route of the CASTLES, GOYA in Aragon

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