Spanish-American War

Amid the instability and economic crisis that afflicted Spain in the 19th century there arose nationalist movements in the Philippines and Cuba. Wars of independence ensued in those colonies and eventually the United States became involved. Despite the commitment and ability shown by some military units, they were so mismanaged by the highest levels of command that the Spanish–American War, fought in the Spring of 1898, did not last long. “El Desastre” (The Disaster), as the war became known in Spain, helped give impetus to the Generation of 98 who were already conducting much critical analysis concerning the country. It also weakened the stability that had been established during Alfonso XII’s reign.

Climate

Due to Spain’s geographical situation and orographic conditions, the climate is extremely diverse; discounting the mountain climate, it can be roughly divided into five areas:

• A Continental Mediterranean climate in the inland areas of the Peninsula (largest city, Madrid).
• A semiarid climate or arid Mediterranean in the southwest (largest city, Murcia).
• A Mediterranean climate region extends from the Andalusian plain along the southern and eastern coasts up to the Pyrenees, on the seaward side of the mountain ranges that run near the coast. Also in Ceuta and Melilla (largest city, Barcelona).
• An Oceanic climate in Galicia and the coastal strip near the Bay of Biscay or (largest city, Bilbao). This area is often called Green Spain.
• A Subtropical climate in the Canary Islands.

Background

Wide plateaus and rugged mountains, but also the finest sand beaches and fertile hills dominate Spain. And as diverse as the landscape reveals the Spaniards themselves

Although Spanish, ‘el Castellano’, the Spanish official language, but Catalan, Galician and Basque also recognized – concession to the strong sense of regional peripheral provinces, whose history, culture and traditions differ greatly from the central highlands differ.

Especially in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast, where the Moors ruled almost 800 years, the differences clearly fall into the eye. The sophisticated irrigation systems provide the Arabs here today for a fertile and prosperous hinterland. Moorish architects have created masterpieces like the Alhambra in Granada and left their influence also in the everyday architecture.

A chapter for the many festivals and celebrations, especially in summer everywhere in Spain held and expression of the Mediterranean temperament and the joy of life are. Every city and every village each year celebrates its patron saint extensively. As a mix of exhibitions and fairs provide colorful fiestas for a ausgelassenes bustle. World famous are the mysterious Bußprozessionen during Holy Week, which hardly affect a visitor.

Geography

At 194,884 mi² (504,782 km²), Spain is the world’s 51st-largest country. It is some 47,000 km² smaller than France and 81,000 km² larger than the U.S. state of California.

On the west, Spain borders Portugal, on the south, it borders Gibraltar (a British overseas territory) and Morocco, through its cities in North Africa (Ceuta and Melilla). On the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and a number of uninhabited islands on the Mediterranean side of the strait of Gibraltar, known as Plazas de soberanía, such as the Chafarine islands, the isle of Alborán, the “rocks” (peñones) of Vélez and Alhucemas, and the tiny Isla Perejil. Along the Pyrenees in Catalonia, a small exclave town called Llívia is surrounded by France. The little Pheasant Island in the River Bidasoa is a Spanish-French condominium.

Mainland Spain is dominated by high plateaus and mountain ranges, such as the Sierra Nevada. Running from these heights are several major rivers such as the Tagus, the Ebro, the Duero, the Guadiana and the Guadalquivir. Alluvial plains are found along the coast, the largest of which is that of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia.

Alcázar

Rapunzel towers, turrets topped with slate witches’ hats and a deeeeep moat at its base make Alcázar a prototype fairytale castle, so much so that its design inspired Walt Disney’s vision of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Fortified since Roman days, the site takes its name from the Arabic al-qasr (castle) and was rebuilt and expanded in the 13th & 14th centuries.

What you see today is an evocative over-the-top reconstruction of the original which burnt down in 1862.

Highlights include the Sala de las Piñas, the ceiling of which drips with a crop of 392 pineapple-shaped ’stalactites’, and the Sala de Reyes (Kings’ Room), featuring a three-dimensional frieze of 52 sculptures of kings who fought during the Reconquista. The views from the Torre de Juan II are exceptional, and put the old town’s hill-top location into full context.

When to Go

Spain can be enjoyable any time of year. The ideal months to visit are May, June and September (plus April and October in the south). At these times you can rely on good-to-excellent weather, yet avoid the extreme heat – and the main crush of Spanish and foreign tourists – of July and August. But there’s decent weather in some parts of Spain virtually year round. Winter along the southern and southeastern Mediterranean coasts is mild, while in the height of summer you can retreat to the northwest, to beaches or high mountains anywhere to escape excessive heat. The best festivals are mostly concentrated between Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) and September to October.

Madrid

Madrid (pronounced [ma'ð̞ɾið̞] or colloquially [ma'ð̞ɾiˑ] in Spanish, and [məˈdɹɪd] in English) is the capital and largest city of Spain.^[1]

The city is located on the river Manzanares both in the centre of the country and Community of Madrid (which comprises of the city of Madrid, its subsequent conurbation and extended suburbs and villages); this commununity is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha. As the capital city of Spain, seat of government, and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also the political center of Spain.^[2] The current mayor is Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón from the center-right People’s Party. He has been in office since 2003, when he left the Presidency of the Autonomous Community of Madrid and stood as the candidate to replace outgoing mayor José María Álvarez del Manzano, also from the PP. In the last local elections of 2007, Ruiz-Gallardón increased the PP majority in the City Council to 34 seats out of 57, taking 55.5% of the popular vote and winning in all but two districts.

As the capital, Madrid is a city of cultural and political importance. It is also a major European economic centre, and its international airport at Barajas is the largest in Spain. Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size, Madrid is considered the major financial center of the Iberian Peninsula; it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies, as well as the headquarters of three of the world’s 100 largest companies (Telefónica, Repsol-YPF, Endesa).^[3]

While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the huge Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the imposing 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain’s historical archives; an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three superb art museums: Prado Museum, which hosts one of the finest art collections in the world, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.^[4]

The population of the city is roughly 3.2 million (December 2005), while the estimated urban area population is 5.1 million. The entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area (urban area and suburbs) is calculated to be 5.84 million. The city spans a total of 607 km² (234 sq mi).

Spain

Spain (Spanish: España (help·info), IPA: [es'paɲa]) or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España),^[5] is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish mainland is bordered to the south and east almost entirely by the Mediterranean Sea (except for a tiny land boundary with Gibraltar); to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. With an area of 504,030 km², Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe (behind France) and with an average altitude of 650 m, the second highest country in Europe (behind Switzerland).

Spain is a constitutional monarchy organised as a parliamentary democracy, and has been a member of the European Union since 1986. It is a developed country with the eighth largest economy in the world and fifth largest in the EU, based on nominal GDP