ZARAGOZA - Spain Travel Guide | Around The World
Zaragoza also called Saragossa is the capital city of the Zaragoza province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributaries, the Huerva and the Gállego, roughly in the center of both Aragon and the Ebro basin.
On 1 September 2010 the population of the city of Zaragoza was 701,090, within its administrative limits on a land area of 1,062.64 square kilometres (410.29 square miles), ranking fifth in Spain. It is the 32nd most populous municipality in the European Union. The population of the metropolitan area was estimated in 2006 at 783,763 inhabitants. The municipality is home to more than 50 percent of the Aragonese population. The city lies at an elevation of 199 metres (653 feet) above sea level.
Zaragoza hosted Expo 2008 in the summer of 2008, a world's fair on water and sustainable development. It was also a candidate for the European Capital of Culture in 2012.
The city is famous for its folklore, local gastronomy, and landmarks such as the Basílica del Pilar, La Seo Cathedral and the Aljafería Palace. Together with La Seo and the Aljafería, several other buildings form part of the Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Fiestas del Pilar are among the most celebrated festivals in Spain.
Christianity took root in Zaragoza at an early date. According to legend, St. Mary appeared miraculously to Saint James the Great in Zaragoza in the first century, standing on a pillar. This apparition is commemorated by a famous Catholic basilica called Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar).The annual Fiestas del Pilar last for nine days, with its main day on 12 October. Since this date coincided in 1492 with the first sighting by Christopher Columbus of the Americas, that day is also celebrated as El Día de la Hispanidad (Columbus Day) by Spanish-speaking people worldwide.
Near the basilica on the banks of the Ebro are located the city hall, the Lonja (old currency exchange), La Seo (literally the See in the Aragonese language) or Cathedral of San Salvador, a church built over the main mosque (partially preserved in the 11th-century north wall of the Parroquieta), with Romanesque apses from the 12th century; inside, the imposing hallenkirche from the 15th to 16th centuries, the Baroque tower, and finally, with its famous Museum of Tapestries near the Roman ruins of forum and port city wall.
Some distance from the centre of the old city is the Moorish castle (or palace) Aljafería, the most important Moorish buildings in northern Spain and the setting for Giuseppe Verdi's opera Il trovatore (The Troubadour). The Aragonese parliament currently sits in the building.
The churches of San Pablo, Santa María Magdalena and San Gil Abad were built in the 14th century, but the towers may be old minarets dating from the 11th century; San Miguel (14th century); Santiago (San Ildefonso) and the Fecetas monastery are Baroque with Mudéjar ceilings of the 17th century. All the churches are Mudéjar monuments that comprise a World Heritage Site.
Other important sights are the stately houses and palaces in the city, mainly of the 16th century: palaces of the count of Morata or Luna (Audiencia), Deán, Torrero (colegio de Arquitectos), Don Lope or Real Maestranza, count of Sástago, count of Argillo (today the Pablo Gargallo museum), archbishop, etc.
Places to see in ( Zaragoza - Spain ) El Tubo
Places to see in ( Zaragoza - Spain ) El Tubo
El Tubo is a network of narrow streets of Zaragoza that houses the main tapas area of the city and the most solera. It can be accessed directly from Plaza de España and would be formed by the area between El Coso , Alfonso I , Don Jaime I and Mendéz Núñez.
The streets that form this set are: August 4, Mártires, Libertad, Ossau, Cinegio, Estébanes, Blazon Aragonés, Pine and Plaza Sas. Highlights include the legendary El Plata coffee shop or the old-fashioned Casa Lac restaurant , one of the oldest in Spain and Europe dating back to 1825.
El Tubo is a city centre area of the city of Zaragoza, often frequented for eating Spanish tapas and especially lively in the evening. El Tubo is a perfect place to enjoy the tradition of eating Spanish tapas in several different bars, and we recommend doing so if you want to experience the best of the miniature cuisine of the city of Zaragoza. It has a special charm with its wide streets full of people, many of whom are sitting on stools savouring Spanish tapas from various bars. This district is located between Mártires, Estébanes and Cuatro de Agosto Streets, and each of its bars tends to be specialised in a different Spanish tapa. There are also restaurants to enjoy more traditional food.
Furthermore there are interesting buildings in the area, such as the San Gil Abad Church and the Prior Ortal, Torrero and Canal Houses. Furthermore, as it is a city centre district, it is near the area of the city with the most monuments as well as the Palace of the Counts of Sástago, the Palace of Montemuzo, and even the Pilar square with its impressive basilica.
( Zaragoza - Spain ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Zaragoza . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Zaragoza - Spain
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