Alcalá de Henares

Alcalá de Henares is a beautiful city with a long and rich history. Here Miguel de Cervantes was born, Cardinal Cisneros established a university, and Queen Isabel the Catholic met with Christopher Columbus. The streets are filled with beautiful buildings. If you look closely you will see Alcalá's most famous residents, the storks. At every turn there are things happening. Today was a holiday and many people were out in the streets enjoying the beautiful weather, watching street performers, visiting museums and other interesting sites, and strolling along the old Calle Mayor.  The University opened the doors to the old "patios" and allowed visitors a glimpse into the past. The Calle Mayor is one of the most interesting avenues in the city. The street looks much like it would have in the XVI century when Cervantes wandered the streets as a boy. You will notice in the picture that the buildings are constructed in a cantilever fashion with businesses located beneath the extension and residences above. If you look carefully you will find "key holes" above the entrances to the private residences where the occupants could drop a key down to those wanting to visit. If you were among those who were not welcome (e.g., tax collectors), the resident would often respond to your request for the key with a pail of water.  Some of the columns at the far end of the street are "recycled" from the Roman city of Complutum. The heart of Alcalá is the Plaza de Cervantes. At the far end of the plaza are the ruins of the church where the writer was baptized. What remains are a tower, some foundation stones, and the Capilla del Oidor. Inside the capilla is the original baptismal font used to baptize Cervantes. Strangely, the church ruins have become the favorite spot for skateboarders! Something that Cervantes may not have imagined, but his character Don Quixote may have perceived as one of the many menaces attempting to destroy him! On the left you will see the tower above the Capilla del Oidor.  

If you look closely you will see two storks and their nest.  Storks' nests are very common in Alcalá and can be found on virtually every tower.  Some of these nests have been known to cause a roof to collapse, weighing as much as 1000 pounds.

Finally, we conclude our brief tour  with the Holy Magistral Church of Alcalá de Henares. The story goes that two boys, Pastor (9 years old) and Justo(7 years old), were persecuted for being Christians during the reign of Diocletian who ruled the Roman Empire in the 5th Century A.D.  Because they would not renounce their belief in Christianity they were martyred. The church is believed to be built over the spot where the two were killed. What we know of the episode

comes to us via a poetic work by Prudencio and a work entitled Varones ilustres by San Idelfonso de Toledo.  According to the chronicler, While being led away to be killed, Justo, the younger of the two, worried that his brother would falter, turned to him and said: "Do not fear, little brother, the death of the body and pain of torture; receive the blows of the swords peaceably. So that that God who has seen fit to call us to this great calling will give us strength in proportion to the pains that await us." To this Pastor answered him, "You have spoken well, my brother. It is with pleasure that I will accompany you in this martyrdom in order to attain with you the glory of the battle." If you go behind the altar of the church there is a crypt where the two "niños mártires" are buried.  Alcalá de Henares is filled with so much history both old and new. It is a great place to be.