The Muslim city.

The Muslim city:

Medina (Fortress, Mosque, Store, Souk, Baths)

Arrabal. 

The Kaaba. The Black Stone.

Kaaba plan.

Kaaba sanctuary.

Spanish Transition to Democracy



20th November 1975. Franco passed away.

Juan Carlos I is crowned.

 

Adolfo Suárez´s oath.

1978 Constitution´s "fathers".

 

23rd February 1981. Coup d´etat attempt.

23rd February 1981. The King´s speech to the Nation in the evening.

Demonstration pro democracy right after the coup d´etat attempt. 1981

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Spanish Civil War

War stages.
 

Pure British accent.

Pure British accent from Grantham. First day at 10, Downing Street. 1979.

Tony Blair. Edimburgh.

Kenny Dalglish. Glasgow.

 

Ireland´s call.

 

 

Leprechaun and shamrock.

 

Irish hurling.

Gaelic football.

Irish rugby.

Ireland´s call.

Irish national anthem.

The Harp.

Map of Ireland. Counties and Regions.

 

 

Tour of the Convents in Madrid

*17th century. A process of urban concentration took place and  Monasteries would move from the outskirts to the city centre so that their churches would recieve more visitors and become more important. The old monasteries and convents in towns moved to the big cities such as Madrid.

*Monarchs supported  monasteries economically because their religious beliefs and to have a place to rest in peace and silence. Monasteries were provided with and orchard, gardens, a library, a reliquary and a burial place. 

*From the Middle Ages convents also hosted  widows (crowned or not crowned) or illegitimate descendants.

*Medieval and Baroque convents were a repetition of the outer life in society: At the cloister the individual differences were reflected. Some noble nuns had servants and assistants. Some of them also had their own orchards and were allowed to furnish their cells. Sometimes they even had a living room, a kitchen and a bedroom for their maids. Some complaints from the Court were made to stop these situations. However there were also noble nuns who set a good example of how to live according to the Convent´s rules.

*

"Carboneras" Convent. (Jerónimas del Corpus Christi)

*Founded in 1607 by Beatriz Ramírez de Mendoza, countess of Castellar and grandaughter of Beatriz Galindo "La Latina" (Isabel I´s private tutor)

*It was nicknamed as "Carboneras" because a painting of the Inmaculate Virgin (that can be seen inside) was said to be found in a coal bunker and it was donated  to this Convent as it was miraculous.

*Only one nave. Barrel vault. Extraordinary altarpiece from Felipe III´s time. The central canvas is "The last supper" by Vicente Carducho. (see the unusual position of the table for the supper).

*Cheap materials that try to look rich and expensive.

*Grilles covering windows (Typical from convents)

*At the choir there is a painting of "Jesus Nazareno" which belonged to Saint Teresa. The painted was given to the Convent by Father Gracián (Teresa´s confessor)

*National Monument since 1981.

                                                The Last Supper (by Vicente Carducho)

Inmaculate Virgin (found in a coal bunker).

Basílica Pontificia de San Miguel (since 1892)

*It is in the same place where the parish church of Saint Justo and Saint Pastor used to be until it was demolished in the XVII century to build a bigger one.

*The construction started in 1739 and ended in 1746 under D. Luis Antonio de Farnesio´s sponsorship. (Cardenal Infante de Toledo, Carlos III´s brother).

*Italian-French Baroque not very usual in Spain (as Ribera´s Baroque was).

*The facade is made of granite and is divided in two main bodies subdivided by doric pilasters (the ones below) and ionic pilasters (above). It shows four sculptures which represent the "four virtues". Faith, hope and charity. (Prudence, strength,  restraint and justice are the cardinal ones)

*Architect: Giacomo Bonavía.

*Relief of the saints Justo and Pastor with Daciano (between the statues of the faith and hope.

*At the top the Cardenal - Infante´s coat of arms.

*It is currently the Opus Dei´s main Basilica.

*Narrow and high nave. The arches cross each other. 

*Oval dome over the transept.

*Set of altarpieces by Ventura Rodríguez.

Former Convent of Bernardas del Sacramento. (Bernardas cistercienses Descalzas)

*Founded by Cristóbal de Sandoval y Rojas (Duke of Uceda), Felipe III´s favourite (valido) in 1615.

*Former orchard that is currently a quiet garden in the centre of Madrid. It is attached to some City Hall offices and it´s open to public during the working timetable. After that it is  open just for the neighbours of the attached building. 

*Its temple is the Arzobispal Castrense church. (Acquired by the Defence Department in 1982). It was built in 1744.

*Facade by Bartolomé Bustamante following the model of the Encarnación Convent.

*Made of granite.

*Small square at the front. ("compás")

*Facade formed by a big rectangle framed by vertical pilasters and divided by three horizontal spaces clearly distinguished.

*Grilles covering windows (As it is a convent)

*Cross of Malta over the main gate.

*Saint Bernardo and Saint Benito relief (founders of the Císter Order).

*Cheap materials which look luxurious. 

*Dome supported on pediments.

*The crests on the Military orders: Santiago, Calatrava, Montesa and Alcántara (under the pediments.)

Cristo de los Alabarderos.

Saint Nicolas church. Mudejar tower. The oldest church in Madrid (12th century) that got burned and was rebuilt later. Juan de Herrera was buried here.

Saint Nicolas church or "the Italians´church".

Ramales Square.

Site where the old church of San Juan was. The column commemorates that Velazquez´s body was buried in that church.

Encarnacíon Convent. Agustinas Recoletas nuns.

Lope de Vega in priest´s clothes in  his latests years.

Descalzas Convent.