Spain is a popular vacation destination. A list of the must-see sites there may seem limitless, with the country’s enormous mountain ranges, beautiful coastline, and rich architectural traditions covering multiple centuries and cultures. Here are some prominent attractions:
Seville Cathedral, Seville
One iconic site is the historic Seville Cathedral. The Almohad Mosque was previously on the site before its destruction in 1356. The Cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It is an extraordinary landmark where visitors can experience the magnitude of the structure from within, notably its central nave, which rises to a height of 138 feet.
With its elaborate, gold-laden interiors and 80 chapels, Seville Cathedral is known not only for its beauty, but also for the richness of architectural influences spanning from Gothic to Baroque to Mudejar. The cathedral is the world's third-largest and the largest Gothic one. Christopher Columbus is buried there, and the famous explorer’s tomb is a big draw for tourists.
The Seville Cathedral was built in a little more than a century, from 1401 to 1506. However, the idea for the cathedral and the initial steps toward its construction date from 1248, when Seville was captured by Fernando III of Castile, also buried at the site
The Alhambra, Granada
The Calat Alhambra, also known as the “Red Fortress” originally built by the Moors in the 1200s, is now an extraordinary complex of royal palaces, mosques, baths, shops, and other structures encircled by a defensive wall. The Palacio Nazaries and the 16th century Palace of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, are among the attractions. The Alcazaba, or “citadel,” is another centerpiece of the Alhambra, and served as the principal fortress of the complex.
The Court of the Lions and the Court of Myrtles, the former with a fountain and the latter with a long pool, are the heart of the Alhambra, which includes a museum with items ranging from Nasrid art to archeological artifacts. The Alhambra’s stunning Generalife gardens and structures are particularly worth seeing.
Santa Eulalia Basilica, Merida
Another exquisite example of architecture in Spain is the Santa Eulalia Basilica, named after a girl martyred by being burned at the stake during the Roman Emperor Diocletian's Christian persecutions. She is said to be buried there.
Now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site complex, the basilica was erected over the ruins of a 4th-century Paleo-Christian church and Roman dwellings after the town of Merida was recaptured by Christian monarch Alfonso IX of León in 1230. The edifice was constructed mainly in the Romanesque style but featured Gothic and Baroque elements, such as an arched horseshoe gateway and an internal chapel.
Today, visitors can access the Santa Eulalia Basilica by the crypt or via the arched gateway with plant and bird patterns, open during worship hours. The Temple of Mars is a modest building at the site, created from recovered marble used to construct the original Roman colony's temple devoted to the god. It is open to the public in the basilica's atrium.
The crypt of the Santa Eulalia Basilica is particularly remarkable, as it contains Roman mausoleums, a tomb covered with mosaics, and graves from the Visigoth era sealed with marble. The crypt spans 20 centuries of Merida's history.
Seville Cathedral, Seville
One iconic site is the historic Seville Cathedral. The Almohad Mosque was previously on the site before its destruction in 1356. The Cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It is an extraordinary landmark where visitors can experience the magnitude of the structure from within, notably its central nave, which rises to a height of 138 feet.
With its elaborate, gold-laden interiors and 80 chapels, Seville Cathedral is known not only for its beauty, but also for the richness of architectural influences spanning from Gothic to Baroque to Mudejar. The cathedral is the world's third-largest and the largest Gothic one. Christopher Columbus is buried there, and the famous explorer’s tomb is a big draw for tourists.
The Seville Cathedral was built in a little more than a century, from 1401 to 1506. However, the idea for the cathedral and the initial steps toward its construction date from 1248, when Seville was captured by Fernando III of Castile, also buried at the site
The Alhambra, Granada
The Calat Alhambra, also known as the “Red Fortress” originally built by the Moors in the 1200s, is now an extraordinary complex of royal palaces, mosques, baths, shops, and other structures encircled by a defensive wall. The Palacio Nazaries and the 16th century Palace of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, are among the attractions. The Alcazaba, or “citadel,” is another centerpiece of the Alhambra, and served as the principal fortress of the complex.
The Court of the Lions and the Court of Myrtles, the former with a fountain and the latter with a long pool, are the heart of the Alhambra, which includes a museum with items ranging from Nasrid art to archeological artifacts. The Alhambra’s stunning Generalife gardens and structures are particularly worth seeing.
Santa Eulalia Basilica, Merida
Another exquisite example of architecture in Spain is the Santa Eulalia Basilica, named after a girl martyred by being burned at the stake during the Roman Emperor Diocletian's Christian persecutions. She is said to be buried there.
Now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site complex, the basilica was erected over the ruins of a 4th-century Paleo-Christian church and Roman dwellings after the town of Merida was recaptured by Christian monarch Alfonso IX of León in 1230. The edifice was constructed mainly in the Romanesque style but featured Gothic and Baroque elements, such as an arched horseshoe gateway and an internal chapel.
Today, visitors can access the Santa Eulalia Basilica by the crypt or via the arched gateway with plant and bird patterns, open during worship hours. The Temple of Mars is a modest building at the site, created from recovered marble used to construct the original Roman colony's temple devoted to the god. It is open to the public in the basilica's atrium.
The crypt of the Santa Eulalia Basilica is particularly remarkable, as it contains Roman mausoleums, a tomb covered with mosaics, and graves from the Visigoth era sealed with marble. The crypt spans 20 centuries of Merida's history.
