This section covers the cities and sites around Madrid, that can be reached in an hour or two, and a radius of about 100 km. Some nearby cities like Toledo, was in the past, more important than Madrid itself, because it preceded Madrid as the capital of the Kingdom. These towns and cities, near Madrid, […]
Cuenca is a municipality belonging to the Castilla la Mancha autonomous community. It is located on a rocky promontory, that descend almost vertically into the Júcar and Huécar rivers. As seen in the picture above, the “hanging houses”, were built in the fifteenth century, on the rock which rise to form the Huécar river canyon. […]
The Walls of Avila are a Romanesque military fence surrounding old city of Avila, which is 115 Kms. (72 Miles) from Madrid. Avila is the capital municipality and province of Castile and Leon, Spain. The importance of this walls, is derived from the fact that they are the best preserved medieval wall in Spain, and […]
The Convent of Santa Maria de las Dueñas in Salamanca, was founded in 1419 to house the nuns of the Dominican Order. The original building, was donated by Doña Juana Rodriguez Maldonado, with the intention of creating a place of worship for the noble ladies. This gave the convent, the nickname of Las Dueñas (The […]
Pedraza is a medieval walled town, located 37 km (23 Miles) northeast of Segovia, with a resident population of 467 people (2011). It was declared Historical Complex in 1951. Thanks to some clay pots found, it showed that this place existed 400 years BC. Also it is known that it was occupied by the Muslims, […]
Manzanares El Real is located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, 50 kilometers away from Madrid, in the upper basin of the Manzanares River, immersed in nature and near the Regional Park “La Pedriza”. The Castle of the Mendoza, also known as New Castle of Manzanares El Real, is one of the best preserved medieval fortresses […]
As you wander the streets of Salamanca, you will stumble across many churches, convents, and university buildings. The Dominican Convent of St. Stephen, is of particular interest, and one of the city’s most impressive historical attraction. The Dominican friars, settled in Salamanca between 1255 and 1256. In this current site occupied by the Iglesia de […]
Salamanca was founded in the pre-Ancient Rome period by the Vacceos, a Celtic tribe, as one of the forts to defend their territory near the Duero river. This recent picture, mixes eighteenth century Baroque style of the Plaza Mayor, with today’s modern art. In this picture, the monumental sculptures called The Meninas by Manolo Valdés, […]
In the image above, detail of two cathedrals are shown. The Romanesque style of the old cathedral is shown in the Torre del Gallo, and to the right, the dome of the New Cathedral. On this photo, you can see the Cathedral taken from what remains of the Wall, that once surrounded the city of […]
Toledo is located on the right bank of the Río Tajo, on a hill a hundred feet above the river, which surrounds it at its base, forming a sharp bend known as “Torno del Tajo”, at the right of this picture. This photo was taken from the terrace of the “Parador”, which is a Spanish […]
El Escorial is a complex of a palace, a basilica, and a monastery in a town of Madrid (province), called San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The palace was the residence of the Spanish Royal Family, and in the basilica, there is their pantheon, and burial chambers. El Escorial is one of the most unique Renaissance […]
Chinchon is located in the southeast of Madrid Community, 44 kilometers (28 Miles) away from the capital city. The special geographical condition next to the Tajuña River, has promoted human settlement since ancient times. The town of Chinchón, in addition to the historical and artistic attractions, keep alive their traditions, and offers visitors with a […]
El Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen or the Abbey of the Holy Cross) is a monument built between 1940 and 1958. It is located in the municipality of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, in Madrid (Spain). It is located 9.5 km north of the Monastery of El Escorial in the Sierra […]
The Royal Palace of Aranjuez is one of the residences of the Spanish Royal Family, managed and maintained by the National Trust. Located in the Villa de Aranjuez (Madrid), on the banks of the Tajo River. It was built by Felipe II of Spain, who entrusted the project to the architect Juan Bautista de Toledo, […]
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