La Giralda | Spain

This beautiful postcard was sent by Joey from Spain via Postcrossing [ES-377660]. It shows La Giralda. The Giralda (Spanish: La Giralda ; Arabic: الخيرالدة‎) is a bell tower of the Seville Cathedral in Seville, Spain. It was originally built as a minaret during the Moorish period, with a Renaissance style top subsequently added by Spaniards. The Giralda was registered in 1987 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO along with the Alcazar and the General Archive of the Indies. The tower is 104.1 m in height and remains one of the most important symbols of the city, as it has been since medieval times. [wikipedia]

The stamp used was issued in commemoration of the International Year of Water Cooperation [2013].

Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Barcelona | Spain

The city of Barcelona must have received the light of Christian faith very early on. The martyrdoms of Saint Eulalia and Saint Cucuphas during the Diocletianic Persecution bear witness to the existence of Christians in Barcelona at least by the late 3rd and early 4th centuries. 

Unfortunately, we have no historically proven records of the ecclesiastical organization of our dioceses until 343, when Bishop Praetextatus of Barcelona and another five bishops of Hispania attended the Council of Sardica to ratify the provisions set forth in the Ecumenical Council of Nicea (325) as to the divinity of Jesus Christ. 

Certain solidly grounded conjectures lead us to believe that Barcelona already had an Episcopal temple or Cathedral at that time, which would be used soon thereafter for pastoral ministry by other key bishops of our diocese: Saint Pacian (390), Lampius (400), Nundinarius (461), Nebridius (540), Ugne (599), Severus (633), Quiricus (656), Idalici (688), Laülf (693), Frodoí (890), etc. In the year 599 our Cathedral appears in a document dedicating it to the Holy Cross (Second Council of Barcelona). 

Recent excavations of the substrata of the Carrer dels Comtes of Barcelona (which currently runs along the Eastern wall of the Cathedral) brought to light a building comprising three naves separated by two series of white marble columns. This undoubtedly identifies with the paleo-Christian basilica constructed in the 4th century and ennobled by subsequent bishops over seven centuries despite the difficulties caused by the Arian fight. 

That early basilica solemnly housed the relics of Saint Eulalia in one of its chapels, hidden to avoid profanation by the Arab invaders of our peninsula (711). In 877 they were miraculously discovered at the temple of Santa María de les Arenes (or Santa María del Mar). 

The primitive Cathedral, profoundly affected when the Arab chieftain Almanzor burned and destroyed the city, remained standing until 1046, when the Count of Barcelona, Ramon Berenguer the Old and his wife Almodis, together with Bishop Guislabert, commenced construction of another Cathedral, called the Romanesque Cathedral. That second Cathedral was consecrated on 18 November 1058 by the Archbishop Wilfred of Narbonne. 

The Gothic Cathedral we have today was built on the foundations of the primitive paleo-Christian basilica and the subsequent Romanesque Cathedral. Construction commenced on 1 May 1298 during the mandate of Bishop Bernardo Pelegrí and the reign of King James II of Aragon, the Just, and was virtually completed by the mid-15th century, under the mandate of Bishop Francisco Clemente Sapera and the rule of King Alfonso V of Aragon. 

Three distinct periods can be defined within the 150 years of construction: in the first, the building was planned and the apse and radial chapels were built, as were the presbytery - with its altar and crypt- and the pseudo transept; afterward, the three naves, with their respective lateral chapels, were extended back to the choir; finally, construction of the basilica continued to the façade, which was later closed with a simple wall (1417). The Cloister was finished in 1448. 

At the end of the 19th century, the Barcelona industrialist Manuel Girona Agrafel offered to undertake the work on the façade and on the two side towers, in keeping with the plans drawn up by the architect Josep O. Mestres and inspired by the initial 15th-century project. Mr Girona's children finalized their father's work in 1913 on completion of the cimborio. [Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Barcelona]

36 years ago in Barcelona

These three postcards were sent from my aunt, who was then living in Barcelona, to my mother in the year 1974. At that time she started working at the hospital shown on the third card! She writes that Barcelona is a magnificent city and that she thinks she could spent the rest of her life there!

Gothic Quarter

 On the first postcard you can see the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. El Gòtic ('Gothic Quarter' in Catalan; Spanish: Barrio Gótico), also known as Barri Gòtic, is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere.

Despite several changes undergone in the 19th and early 20th century, many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Remains of the squared Roman Wall can be seen around Tapineria and Sots-Tinent Navarro to the north, Avinguda de la Catedral and Plaça Nova to the west and Carrer de la Palla to the south. El Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, is located within this area too.

The Barri Gòtic retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most of the quarter is closed to regular traffic although open to service vehicles and taxis.

Barcelona of Gaudí

 
Antoni Plàcid Guillem Gaudí i Cornet (25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Spanish architect who worked during the Modernisme (Art Nouveau) period but became famous for his unique and highly individualistic designs regarded as beyond the scope of Modernisme. He is sometimes referred to, in English, by the Spanish translation of his name, Antonio Gaudí.

Comillas Pontifical University

Comillas Pontifical University (Spanish: Universidad Pontificia Comillas) is a private university located in Madrid, Spain. It is a Catholic institution run by the Society of Jesus. The university ranks 5th in Spain's best schools of law ranking by El Mundo, 4th in best industrial engineerins schools and 3rd in best social work schools. It is involved in a number of academic exchange programmes, work practice schemes and international projects with over 200 Higher Education Institutions in Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia.

Pope Leo XIII founded the Pontifical Seminary of Saint Anthony of Padua in 1890 in the town of Comillas (Cantabria, Spain) in response to efforts made by the Marquis of Comillas to build an institution for educating candidates to the priesthood. At the time of its foundation, the Seminary was entrusted to the Society of Jesus. In 1904, the Pontifical University was established when Pope Pius X granted the Seminary the power to confer academic degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Canon Law.

Teide

Teide, the National Parque of Tenerife is absolutely amazing. The whole scenery seems like you are on the moon! It takes a bit of time to reach the top of the volcano and when you get there the air is so thin that you can hardly breathe, but it worths the effort!
It is an Unesco World Heritage Site.

Mount Teide or, in Spanish, Pico del Teide (Teide Peak), is the highest elevation in Spain and the islands of the Atlantic (it is the third largest volcano in the world from its base, after Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea located in Hawaii). It is an active volcano which last erupted in 1909 from the El Chinyero vent on the Santiago (northwestern) rift and is located on Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife | Spain

Puerto de la Cruz is located in Northern Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It is a very beautiful seaside city with bright colours and friendly people. Except of the piscines shown in the card, there are some natural pools shaped by lava. Many people bathe there.

Casa Milà/La Pedrera (1906-1912)

Casa Milà was designed by the most famous spanish architect Antonio Gaudi. It started to being built in 1906 and was finished in 1912. It is located at 92, Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample district of Barcelona. It is even more spectacular when you see it in person. So much detail!
It is an Unesco World Heritage Site.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona...I've been there in 2001. It is a beautiful city with amazing citizens!

Barcelona is the capital of the province of Catalunya. This region is well known for its economic and cultural differences with the rest of Spain. The most striking difference with the other Spanish regions though, is the Catalan language. Catalan is quite different from Spanish - it is spoken in Catalunya but also in a small part of France, the Balearic Islands and around Valencia - and the Catalan population takes great pride in using their own language.