Spain is one of Europe’s top travel destinations for many reasons, boasting an unparalleled cultural legacy that you should definitely experience first-hand.
Spain boasts many historical locations ranging from UNESCO sites to ancient cities that make an impressionful statement about its past and culture. Here are some of the best ones worth seeing.
1. La Sagrada Familia Church
Traveling Europe often brings with it breathtaking architecture that dates back hundreds of years; standing before something so ancient is an experience in itself. But in Barcelona, it’s not ancient buildings that leave tourists exclaiming “Ohhhh!”; instead it’s more likely a piece designed only a few hundred years ago that are making waves among tourists.
Josep Maria Bocabella wanted to build an expiatory temple dedicated to the Holy Family, so he hired architect Francisco de Paula Villar to design it in a neo-Gothic style – but Gaudi took over and created something completely original that redefined modernist architecture.
After his death, his disciples continued work on the Basilica and it’s still under construction today – with its final central tower scheduled to be finished by 2026, marking completion.
2. The Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
Cordoba’s Mosque-Cathedral stands as an exceptional testament to both faiths, making it a World Heritage Site and one of the most magnificent structures in all of Spain. At once inspiring and controversial, its presence defines Cordoba as its heartbeat; church officials vie with local activists over control over this symbol of identity.
The Mezquita mosque, also known as El Bazar de Cordoba in Spain, was completed between 784 and 786 on the site of an ancient Visigothic church. Following their conquest of Iberia by Muslim rulers, these rulers purchased and extended this existing church into an expansive place of worship that soon became famous throughout Europe for its beauty and grandeur.
Christian forces recaptured the city in 1236 and converted it to a Catholic cathedral, gradually adding Renaissance cathedral features as well as sealing up its minaret to preserve its Islamic identity. Today, this magnificent structure stands as an extraordinary testament to coexistence among religions of different backgrounds while at the same time offering stunning examples of Moorish architecture.
3. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is one of the world’s premier Christian pilgrimage destinations and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, serving as the grand finale to Spain’s 790-kilometer (490-mile) Camino de Santiago route.
Pilgrims may access the cathedral through the Porta Santa (Holy Door), also known as Puerta del Perdon. This pathway leads to the cathedral crypt and Altar Mayor where St James lies in repose; here, too, can be found special masses as well as on Holy Years or Ano Xacobeo occasions when a majestically swinging Botafumeiro takes its place above this main altar during special masses and on Holy Years or Ano Xacobeo years.
The church itself was constructed between 1075-1076 during Alfonso VI’s rule and under the direction of Bishop Diego Pelaez, with Romanesque arches and an Altar Mayor designed in Churrigueresque style unique to Galicia being its main features. Additionally, pilgrims often come here in search of St James whom many reverently hug and kiss as part of their pilgrimage experience.
4. The Alhambra
The Alhambra (in Arabic, Qala al-Hamra or “the Red Castle”) is the primary reminder of Moorish rule in Spain and one of the top tourist spots worldwide. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Alhambra was built as the palatine residences for kings from the Nasrid dynasty during 13th and 14th century Spain, according to Historian Brian Catlos. Historian Catlos suggests that its complex of palaces and gardens was intended to demonstrate power through multiple interior spaces and courtyards that could be blocked off during times of siege.
Although constructed during Islamic rule, the Alhambra was never static: Christian rulers like Holy Roman Emperor Charles V remodeled parts of it during his rule – specifically so it conformed better with European ideas of symmetry and proportion – while it gained fame for its elaborate fountains and ornate stucco work such as in its Courtyard of Lions.
