El Escorial, Valle de los Caídos and Castille de Manzanares el Real

We had a busy, wet day visiting some of the sites near Madrid. Our first stop was at the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Constructed during the reign of Felipe II (16th Century), the site holds an amazing treasury of art. Within the walls of El Escorial are works by El Greco, Titian, and Bernini. One of the most interesting features of the palace/monastery is the placement of the king's bedroom next to the main altar of the basilica with a door / window that opened up so that the ailing king could attend mass without leaving his bed. Sadly we were not able to visit the Basilica due to a wedding that was in progress. I truly wanted the students to see one of the most beautiful sculptures that I have ever seen: A marble Christ on the Cross by Cellini (below is a picture I took of the Cellini Christ from a previous trip). Fortunately we were able to see the Bernini's bronze Crucified Christ.

We also had the opportunity to visit the Pantheon of the Kings where all the kings and their wives are buried beginning with Carlos V down to Alfonso XIII. Two of the most spectacular sites are: 1) The grand staircase with its representation of the Apotheosis of Felipe II and 2) the Monastery's library.

After lounging around and eating lunch on the plaza outside the Monastery, we traveled a few kilometers to the Valle de los Caídos.

Built inside a mountain the Basilica is the resting place for José Antonio Primo de Rivera and Francisco Franco. It was consecrated as a basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1960. Interestingly, the basilica is larger in square footage than St. Peter's in Rome. In order to not "out do" the Roman site, a portion of the basilica at the Valle de los Caídos was roped off and excluded from consecration. Above the basilica is a the tallest memorial cross in the world (152.3 meters in height).

Our last stop was the Castillo de Manzanares el Real. This castle was once the home of the powerful Mendoza family, the Marquis of Santillana. The most famous of this noble family was Iñigo López de Mendoza a 15th-century poet.

Visit to the Madrid Spain Temple

On Thursday we went to the Madrid Temple. For those of you who do not know much about the temple. It was dedicated in 1999 by President Gordon B. Hinckley. It is built of carrera marble. The overall design elements resemble those found in buildings from Andalucia and its Muslim heritage. The Celestial room is considered to be one of the most beautiful. We all had a wonderful. It was a special treat when President F. Burton Howard briefly addressed the group.

Candids of the Students

You may wonder what your students are doing while on the trips. Here are some examples.

And, of course, Rhett is he jolly jokester. He decided that he would pose for the camera giving us his best side! (ha, ha, he, he). No, he is really trying to "imitate" the figure in the fountain. What is that on the bottom of your shoe?

Camuñas and the Windmills of the La Mancha

After leaving Toledo we headed south to Camuñas. The city is recognized for the mass held in front of  the local church to commemorate Corpus Christi. During the mass the "Sins" stand in a semicircle several yard from the main altar. At the sounding of a gun shot, the "Sins" begin to scrape their long rods on the ground while they moan and groan showing their displeasure for what is happening and being said in the mass.

After the mass begins the procession. In the Plaza del Reloj the "Sins" put on the offensive against the symbols of good. A final rifle shot announces the arrival of "Little Sin." He alegorizes the sins of the flesh. Behind him comes the "Greater Sin" who dressed in black wears a mask representing the Devil himself.

As the procession progresses the "Sins" run towards the altar in the "Correa" where they are overthrown as they fall before the Host located at the main altar. From this point forward those who represent good form two lines extending from the altar forward. These are the "Dancers" who to the beat of a drum and tambourines begin an elaborate dance called teh "tejer del cordón" (the knitting of the rope).

The lines are headed up by the "Cordel" who represents "Justice" and by "Prudence" that guides the line on the left. Behind follows an indeterminate number of positive souls.

Closing the formation is an immovable figure who represents the blindness of Faith.

This is the "Judío  Mayor" and invokes pejoratives and negative images of the figure. In the interior of the procession is the "Capitan" who represents "Charity," and a man who carries a rod (known as the "Alcalde") represents "Hope" and follows behind the positive souls, encouraging them forward. The man with the "Tambor" and the "Porra," the first representing "Temprance" and the second "Strength." This man moves backwards through the two lines as he encourages the "Madama," who symbolizes "Grace." The "Madama encourages the positive souls to follow her as she (always played by a man) picks up one at a time and weaves them all into an elaborate dance that forms the core of the procession and the creation of the "cordón."

This very complex and highly symbolic ritual ends as the "cordón" that has been woven is unwoven and the strengthened positive souls dance toward the main altar, waving a white scarf in the air in celebration of the victory of Christ. 

Once the "cordón" is unraveled and the positive souls once again form two lines, the "Sins" gather at the far end of the plaza again to do battle with the Eurcharist. Each one runs toward the main altar, fall to their knees, and surrender to the power of Christ. At the end of the procession the Priest carries the Eucharist from the altar and carries it throughout the city.

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We left Camuñas and went to the Windmills in Consuegra. The windmills are similar to those described in Miguel de Cervantes El ingenioso caballero Don Quijote de la Mancha. We got a great group shot at the top of the mountain and a nice view of the surrounding "La Mancha."

The place was so inspiring that it made you want to break into a song, "To dream the impossible dream..." (oh by the way, some students did!!!).

Toledo

Toledo is the city of three cultures: Muslim, Christian, and Jewish. With this diverse mixture of influences the city is a treasure trove of architectural influences. For several centuries the city was under the control of the Moorish kingdom and became one of the areas busiest trading centers. In the 11th century Alfonso VI conquered the city making the capital of Castile. Toledo became best known for its steel industry and its production of the finest swords in all of Europe. Artists also flocked to Toledo to serve the rising commercial class citizens who had money to spend. Among the best known of these artists was El Greco whose influence is felt everywhere.  Let me take you to some of the sites in Toledo.

The central feature of Toledo is its Cathedral. Its construction began in 1227 and was not completed until 1493 under the direction of the Catholic Kings Isabel and Ferdinand.  It is marked with a double ambulatory and a "Transparente" (an oval opening in the ceiling with elaborate sculptures of angels descending from Heaven) whose light illuminates an altar on the backside of the High Altar. It holds one of the most impressive collections of artwork by El Greco, Caravaggio, and Titian, and is where one can see El Greco's "El Espolio."

A fine example of medieval Jewish architecture is the synagogue turned church Santa María la Blanca. With its colonnades, white walls and simple detail it is reminiscent of the design associated with Islamic mosques. Just down the street is El Tránsito follows a more traditional layout for Jewish synagogues and is the location of Toledo's Sephardic Museum.

The city's Mosque is known today as the Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz. Originally a Visigothic church, the building was converted into a mosque when the city was taken by the Moors. According to legend, when Alfonso VI rode up to the mosque his horse stopped in front of the mosque and knelt on one knee. While excavating the site the workers found the figure of a crucified Christ still illuminated by a lamp that had been burning continuously for over 350 years. Thus its name. Unfortunately the building is in restoration and the visits were very limited. I include two pictures from a previous visit to the site: One of the building and one of the stone that indicates the place where Alfonso's horse knelt.

The Iglesia de San Juan de los Reyes was built as an offering by Isabel of Castile to God for having given the Christians the victory over the Moors in Granada. It is in an elaborate Gothic design. One of the interesting aspects of the cloister is its playful designs representing men hunting, children climbing trees, a monkey playing a flute and another dressed as a monk, reading a book while sitting on a medieval toilet.

The ceiling of the upper cloister displays the crests of Castile and León as well as the insignia of Aragon. Throughout are the initials of "I" and "F" for Isabel and Ferdinand. Cross arches read "Tanto Monta" reflecting the two monarchs agreement to sit as equals over their respective kingdoms.

San Juan de los Reyes is also well-known for its facade. According to legend Isabel took the hand and leg chains that held the Christian captives and had them hung on the outside of the Church. To this day they hang there as evidence of the Christian's victory over the Moors.

We were fortunate to be in Toledo just days before the Corpus Christi celebration. The whole city prepares for the event by decorating the city, especially the path that the Cathedral's Custodia will take. The streets are strung with garlands, and the buildings covered with banners.

There are also processions in the streets. We were fortunate to see one involving the "gigantones," bands, and demons. There were men dressed as buffoons on stilts.

Soccer Time!!!

Not everything we do in Spain is study and travel. Sometimes the students need to let off a little steam. The best way to do it is to play a good, hard game of soccer. Every Tuesday the students get together at Alcalá's Municipal Park to play and socialize. Don't be surprised when I tell you that the man have more than met their match with these young ladies. They are pretty competitive and even tougher.

Northern Spain Part 3: Covarrubias and Santo Domingo de Silos

The final part of our trip was to the small towns of Covarrubias and Santo Domingo de Silos.  The first on our stop, Covarrubias, is a picturesque town on the Arlanzón river.

Much of the city is still much as it would have been two or three hundred years ago. The construction of the many of the buildings is of beams and adobe

This town was once the home of the one of Spain's most powerful nobles, Fernan González.  He is buried in the small church in the town.

You will also find the "Torre de Urraca," a beautifully constructed Medieval fortress located in the middle of the city. The fortress was built in the 12th century.

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That same afternoon we traveled to Santo Domingo de Silos and its well-known monastery. The monastery was first established under the name of San Sebastian in the 10th century. In the 11th century Saint Dominic arrived and began to add to the existing monastery of Gregorian monks.  The site is famous for its cloister that holds some of Romanesque art's most outstanding pieces, including the pier sculptures that depict the life of Christ.

The cloister is a collection of amazing columns, each with a distinct, decorative capitol. These capitols represent scenes from the life of Christ, dragons, pine cones, and other natural elements.