Cuenca:
A visual presentation by Class I A
The city known as the Eagles nest because of its
position high on a hill, is easily accessed by means of
the N430/ N320 highways and has a good
infrastructure within the city. The city is separated
from the nearby rock face by deep ravines in the
which the rivers Jucar and Huecar run.
Castilla La Mancha
Capital
Toledo
Official language(s)
Spanish
Area
– Total
– % of Spain
Ranked 3rd
79,463 km²
15.7%
Population
– Total (2005)
– % of Spain
– Density
Demonym
– English
– Spanish
Statute of Autonomy
Ranked 9th
1,894,667
4.3%
23.84/km²
Parliamentary
representation
– Congress seats
– Senate seats
President
Castilian-Manchego
castellano-manchego
August 16, 1982
20
2
José María Barreda Fontes (PSOE)
The province of Cuenca is one of five provinces within
the region of Castilla-La-Mancha, the other four being
Guadalajara, Toledo, Albacete and Ciudad Real. The
whole area has some of the most historic and beautiful
lands within the whole of Spain. Remains of burial
grounds dating from the Iron Age have been discovered
has well has some major Roman settlements such as
those at Saelices and Valeria.
By Massimiliano Formato
Castile-La Mancha (Spanish Castilla-La
Mancha) is an autonomous community
of Spain.
Castile-La Mancha is bordered by
Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon,
Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and
Extremadura. It is one of the most
sparsely populated of Spain's
autonomous communities.
The capital of Castile-La Mancha is
Toledo.
Castile-La Mancha was formerly
grouped with the province of Madrid
into New Castile ("Castilla la Nueva"),
but with the advent of the modern
Spanish system of semi-autonomous
regions (las autonomías), it was
separated due to great economic
disparity between the capital and the
remaining New-Castilian provinces.
It is in this province where the famous Spanish novel Don
Quixote by Cervantes takes place. Although La Mancha is a
windswept, battered plateau (manxa means parched earth
in Arabic; hence La Mancha is not definitively related to the
Spanish word mancha, or stain, which is derived from Latin
macula) it remains a symbol of the Spanish culture with its
sunflowers, windmills, Manchego cheese and, of course, El
Quijote.
La Mancha's history has
been tumultuous. Going
as far back as the
Muslim domination of
the Iberian peninsula,
La Mancha was the
center of many battles
between Christian and
Muslim forces.
Moreover, this region
saw a lot of struggle in
the 14th and 15th
century with the
unification of Castile and
Aragon in 1492 under
Queen Isabel and King
Ferdinand.
By Giovanni Onesti
How to
get to
Cuenca!!!
The city is clearly
divided into two
parts; the old and
modern. The modern
half offers very little
history, mainly
consisting of modern
residences, tower
blocks and
apartments. The old
part is one of the
most wonderful cities
in Spain and is
worthy of several
days exploration.
By Bruno - Formato Forgione
The Cathedral
The cathedral, pictured
left, located in Plaza
Mayor dates from 1177
and showes architecture
over several periods. The
interior houses many
works of art. there are
several chapels located
whithin; each very
different. The Palacio
Episcopal dating from
the 13th century is also
worthy of a visit.
By Polvere - Carbone
Within many of the cobbled
streets of old Cuenca you
will find rows of tall , town
house , painted in vivid
pastel colours such as those
pictures left. This particular
street is found trough the
arch of the town hall,
heading down the hill.
There are few shops in the
old town other than the odd
tourist shop. For shopping
you need to head to the
modern part of Cuenca. You
will however find a great
shop near the town hall that
sells all manner of local
craft items.
The Town Hall
The town hall dating from
the 18th century is located
near the cathedral. Close to
this you will find several
street cafes where you can
enjoy the afternoon sun.
There are several car parks
close but don‘t be tempted
to park in the Plaza Mayor.
Pictured left is the Plaza
Mayor and Town Hall,
looking from the cathedral
steps.
By Mastronunzio - Morelli
Walk past the
cathedral, up the hill to
the castle for splendid
panoramic views. There
is a walk from the
castle , heading even
higher that gives you
the best views. A little
past the castle you will
find a tourist ample
parking at the top so
taking a car through
the town is not really a
problem. This is also
the place to be if you
are walker. There are
several planned routes
giving the best sights.
By Polvere
Local crafts
Historical artefacts in the
museums of Cuenca prove that
for many centuries, the
province has been well known
for its craftsmanship in many
mediums. Even to this day,
craft activity has been injected
with new techniques and new
forms. The area has been
noted for its crafts in ivory,
glass, carpets and ironwork.
Wood, ceramics and
wickerwork are also still
popular today. We have
ceramics from Cuenca and
Priego, glass from Cuenca, wax
objects from Albalete and
Tarancon, taxidermy from Mota
and cutlery from Minglanilla,
and these are just a few.
By D'Alessio - Iollo - Cecere
Cuenca's beautiful
Parador is in an
old Sixteenth
Century convent
opposite Cuenca's
famous "casas
colgadas", the
hanging houses buildings which
seem to cling
precariously onto
the rocky side of
the gorge dividing
one side of
Cuenca from the
other.
Because of the location of Cuenca Parador, visitors have
spectacular views of Cuenca on one side, and of the Huecar
River Gorge on the other.
By Grasso - Formato
Villages and towns of
Cuenca Province: Alarcon
In the south of the province, a walled
village built to a medieval plan and well
preserved. The village has four “mustsee” churches and a castle where Don
Juan Manuel wrote most of his works.
The hill where the village is situated
seems to have been inhabited since
prehistoric times. It was conquered by
the Romans, converted into a fortress
by the Arabs and conquered back by
Alfonso VIII. The enclosing ramparts
are one of the best known and most
complete defence systems existing in
Spain today. The castle was built by
Alfonso VIII on the site of an earlier
Arab castle.
By De Santis - Catillo
The “Hanging
Houses”
The “Hanging Houses”
one of which is pictured
right, are possibly the
most surprising and
amazing freatures of the
city. These four houses
literally hang on the edge
of the cliff, overlooking
the deep ravine near San
Pablo Bridge. These
houses have become a
symbol of Cuenca.
By De Santis - Catillo
Belmonte
A monumental town of
great interest with many
well preserved architectural
gems , not last of all its
castle. It was built by Juan
Pacheco in 1456-1470 on
the site of an earlier castle
dated 1324.It was restored
at one point and point and
used as a private residence.
The walled precinct whose
15th-16th century ramparts
and glades connect the old
town with the castle is
particularly well preserved.
Belmonte has more than its
fair share of churches,
palaces and convents. The
hermitage of Nuestra Senora
de Gracia dated 17th
century is certainly worthy
of a visit.
By Onesti - Iodice
Spain
Madrid is the capital of
Spain and the largest
city in the Iberian
peninsula. It is also the
third most populous city
in the European Union
after London and Berlin.
Its effect on and politics,
as well as its major
cultural influence, has
ranked Madrid one of
the major global cities of
the world.
Madrid
By Caporaso - Izzo
Madrid is also the largest city in Spain, as well as in the province and
the autonomous community of the same name. It is located on the
river Manzanares in the center of the country, between the
autonomous communities of Castilla-León and Castilla-La Mancha.
By Caporaso - Izzo
Due to its economic output, standard of living, and
market size, Madrid is considered one of the major
financial centers of the Iberian Peninsula, together with
Barcelona and Lisbon. As the capital city of Spain, seat
of government, and residence of the Spanish monarch,
Madrid is also the political center of Spain.
By Caporaso - Izzo
Madrid
underground
map
By Caporaso - Izzo
The “Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias”
in Valencia
The Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (Valencian), Ciudad de las Artes y
las Ciencias (Spanish) or City of Arts and Sciences is an ensemble of
five areas in the dry river bed of the now diverted River Turia in
Valencia, Spain.
By De Palma - Abate
Designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava and started
in July 1996, it is an impressive example of modern architecture.
By De Palma - Abate
The "city" is made up
of the following,
usually known by their
Valencian names:
•El Palau de les Arts
Reina Sofía
•Opera house and
performing arts centre
•L'Hemisfèric — Imax
Cinema, Planetarium
and Laserium
•L'Umbracle —
Walkway / Garden
By De Palma - Abate
Spanish government
Politics of Spain takes place in
a framework of a parliamentary
representative democratic
constitutional monarchy, whereby
the Monarch is the Head of State
and the President of the
Government is the head of
government and of a pluriform
multi-party system. Executive
power is exercised by the
government. Federal legislative
power is vested in both the
government and the two
chambers of parliament. The
Judiciary is independent of the
executive and the legislature.
By Cecere - Iollo - D'Alessio
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born August 4,
1960 in Valladolid) is the President of the
Government (Prime Minister) of Spain. The party
he leads, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE), won the general election on March 14,
2004. Controversial actions of his government
have included withdrawing Spanish troops from
Iraq, legalizing same-sex marriages and giving
amnesty to over 700,000 illegal immigrants in
Spain [6]. He also presided over the Spanish
Parliament's approval of the Controversial Statute
of Autonomy of Catalonia.
By Cecere - Iollo - D'Alessio
The Spanish King
Juan Carlos
I, King of Spain
(baptized as Juan
Alfonso Carlos
Víctor María de
Borbón y BorbónDos Sicilias) was
born on January 5,
1938 in Rome and
is the reigning King
of Spain (Rey de
España).
By Cecere - Iollo - D'Alessio
On 22 November 1975,
two days after the death of
Francisco Franco, Juan
Carlos was designated King
according to the law of
succession promulgated by
Franco. He successfully
oversaw the transition of
Spain to a democratic
constitutional monarchy.
For passing on personal
power to democratize the
country, he is widely
revered by Spaniards.
By Cecere - Iollo - D'Alessio
Juan Carlos' titles include that
of King of Jerusalem, as
successor to the royal family of
Naples. He is also a direct
descendant of Queen Victoria
of the United Kingdom through
his grandmother, Victoria
Eugenie; of Louis XIV of France
through the House of Bourbon;
of the Emperor Charles V, who
belonged to the Habsburg
dynasty of the Holy Roman
Empire; of the House of Savoy
of Italy; etc.
By Cecere - Iollo - D'Alessio
His name, when rarely
anglicised, is rendered
as John Alphonse
Charles Victor Maria of
Bourbon (and BourbonTwo Sicilies). He was
given these names after
his father (Juan de
Borbon), grandfather
(Alfonso XIII) and
maternal grandfather
(Prince Carlos of
Bourbon-Two Sicilies).
By Cecere - Iollo - D'Alessio
Goya
Francisco José de Goya y
Lucientes (March 30, 1746
– April 16, 1828) was a
Spanish painter and
printmaker.
Goya was a jester on the
court. he was also a
Spanish Clown and a
chronicler of history. He has
been regarded both as the
last of the old masters and
as the first of the moderns.
The subversive and
subjective element in his
art, as well as his bold
handling of paint, provided
a model for the work of
later generations of artists,
notably Manet and Picasso.
Many of Goya's works are
on display in the Museo del
Prado in Madrid.
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí Domènech, Marquis of Pubol or
Salvador Felip Jacint Dalí Domènech (May 11, 1904 – January 23,
1989), known popularly as Salvador Dalí, was a Spanish artist and
one of the most important painters of the 20th century. He was a
skilled draftsman, best known for the striking, bizarre, and beautiful
images in his surrealist work. His painterly skills are often attributed
to the influence of Renaissance masters. His best known work, The
Persistence of Memory, was completed in 1931. Salvador Dalí's
artistic repertoire also included film, sculpture, and photography.
The Persistence of Memory
By Baccari - Paradiso
Miguel de Cervantes
Don Miguel de Cervantes
Saavedra[b] (September
29, 1547 – April 23, 1616)
was a Spanish novelist,
poet and playwright.
Cervantes is one of the
most important and
celebrated figures in
literature and the leading
figure associated with the
cultural florescence of
sixteenth century Spain
(the Siglo de Oro).
By Formato - Grasso
His picaresque novel, Don
Quixote, is considered a
founding classic of Western
literature and regularly
figures among the best
novels ever written; it has
been translated into more
than sixty languages, while
editions continue regularly
to be printed, and critical
discussion of the work has
unabatedly persisted since
the 18th century.
By Formato - Grasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso was born in
Málaga, Spain, the first child of
José Ruiz y Blasco and María
Picasso y López. He was
christened with the names
Pablo, Diego, José, Francisco de
Paula, Juan Nepomuceno, Maria
de los Remedios, and Cipriano
de la Santísima Trinidad.
Picasso's father was Jose Ruíz,
a painter whose specialty was
the naturalistic depiction of
birds and who for most of his
life was also a professor of art
at the School of Crafts and a
curator of a local museum. from
an early age.
By Caporaso - Izzo
The young Picasso
showed a passion
and a skill for
drawing shortening
of lapiz, the Spanish
word for pencil. It
was from his father
that Picasso had his
first formal academic
art training, such as
figure drawing and
painting in oil.
By Caporaso - Izzo
Real Madrid is a Spanish sports club
best known for its football team
which was three times World
Champion, and also ranked as 'The
20th Century's Best Club' by FIFA.
The club, which went in place of the
Spanish FA, was also one of the
founding members of FIFA. They play
their home games at the Santiago
Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. Real
Madrid have been European
Champions a record 9 times and have
also won a record 29 La Liga titles.
The club also operates a reserve
football team, Real Madrid Castilla,
and a successful basketball team,
Real Madrid Baloncesto and are in
talks to sponsor a rugby team, CRC
Madrid Noroeste and a Formula One
team. Real Madrid is unusual in that,
unlike most football clubs, it has been
owned and operated solely by its
members (socios) since 1902.
Real Madrid
•Banderas as Zorro in The
Legend of Zorro
•Birth name José Antonio
Domínguez Banderas
•Born August 10, 1960 (age 46)
•Málaga, Andalusia, Spain
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas
(born August 10, 1960), better known
as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film
actor who has appeared in several
high-profile Hollywood films including
Assassins, Interview with the Vampire,
Mariachi Trilogy, Philadelpia and The
Mask of Zorro.
By Baccari - Paradiso
Santiago Calatrava Valls (born July
28, 1951) is an internationally
recognized and award-winning Spanish
architect and engineer whose principal
office is in Zurich, Switzerland.
Calatrava was born in Valencia, Spain,
where he pursued undergraduate
studies at the Architecture School and
Arts and Crafts School. Following
graduation in 1975, he enrolled in the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
(ETH) in Zürich, Switzerland for
graduate work in civil engineering. In
1981, after completing his doctoral
thesis, "On the Foldability of Space
Frames", he started his architecture and
engineering practice. Classed now
among the elite designers of the world,
he has offices in Zurich, Paris, New
York and elsewhere.
Santiago Calatrava
By Caroscio - Iollo
Calatrava is currently
designing the future train
station - World Trade
Center Transportation Hub
- at Ground Zero in New
York City.
Calatrava’s style has been
heralded as bridging the
division between structural
engineering and
architecture. In this, he
continues a tradition of
Spanish modernist
engineering that includes
Félix Candela and Antonio
Gaudí. Nonetheless, his
style is very personal and
derives from numerous
studies he makes of the
human body and the
natural world.
By Caroscio - Iollo
Bullfighting or tauromachy is a
tradition that involves
professional performers (in
Spanish toreros or matadores,
in Portuguese toureiros) who
execute various for mal moves
with the goal of appearing
graceful and confident, while
masterful over the bull itself.
Such manoeuvers are
performed at close range, and
conclude (in Spanish-style
bullfighting) with the death of
the bull by a well-placed sword
thrust as the finale.
Bullfighting or tauromachy
By De Blasio
Labeled as a blood sport and considered a
traditional event by some, or an example of
animal cruelty by others, the practice
generates heated controversy in many areas
of the world, including Spain where the
"classic" bullfighting was born. There is
contention between supporters of
bullfighting — who claim it is a long held
and culturally important tradition — and
animal rights groups — who oppose
bullfighting due to the suffering of the bull
and horses during the bullfight.
By De Blasio
ETA
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or ETA
(Basque for "Basque Homeland and
Freedom";), is a paramilitary Basque
nationalist organization.
Founded in 1959, it evolved rapidly
from a group advocating traditional
cultural ways to a terrorist group
demanding Basque independence.
Its ideology is Marxist-Leninist.
By Marco Pirozzi
All formulations of ETA's goals have centred on
sovereignty and self-determination for the Basque
Country. ETA's motto is Bietan jarrai ("Keep up on
both"). This refers to the two figures in the ETA
symbol, a snake (representing politics) wrapped
around an axe (representing armed fight).
ETA has committed approximately 900 murders
and dozens of kidnappings. More than 500 ETA
militants are held in prison in Spain and France.
On March 22, 2006 the organization declared a
"permanent ceasefire." ETA broke the ceasefire
with a car bomb attack on December 30, 2006 at
Barajas International Airport, Madrid killing two
Ecuadorian immigrants
By Marco Pirozzi
The End!