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12 treasures of Spain

On december 31, 2007, Spain has selected its wonders, something like the 7 wonders of the world but only nationwide. The contest was launched on september and during 3 months, spanish people sent more than 9000 proposals by internet and by phone and using the same method for voting, people selected only 20 for the final round. On the 20, below the results of the 12 treasures of Spain chosen by its citizens.

Cathedral of Zaragoza, also known as Basilica-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar, is located at Zaragoza in Aragon and it is reputed to be the first church dedicated to Virgin Mary in history. According to a legend, on january 2, 40 AD, while saint James was praying, she appeared to him

and gave him a small wooden statue of herself and a column of jasper instructing him to build a church in her honor.

zaragoza zaragoza

Cathedral of Cordoba, also known as Great Mosque of Cordoba and as Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, is located at Cordoba in Andalusia. Its construction dates from the year 786 during the reign of Emir Abd ar-Rahman I above the ruins of the Christian Visigothic church of Saint Vincent (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984).

cordoba cordoba

Cave of Altamira is located at Santillana del Mar in Cantabria. It is famous for its upper paleolithic cave paintings featuring drawings and polychrome rock paintings of wild mammals and human hands and the first cave in which prehistoric cave paintings were discovered (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985).

altamira altamira

Cathedral of Seville, also known as Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, is located at Seville in Andalusia. It is the largest christian gothic cathedral in the world and its construction was from 1401 to 1507 above the ruins of an old mosque (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987).

seville seville

Alhambra, full name “al-Qal'a al-hamra” which means red fortress, is located at Granada in Andalusia. It is a fortified city which includes royal palace, mosque, school… and it was built during the mid 14th century by the moorish rulers Ben-Al-Hamar and his son Mohamed II (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984).

alhambra alhambra

National park of Teide is located at Tenerife in Canary Islands. It is the bigger and the older national parks of the Canary Islands where the mount Teide is located with its 3718 meters peak (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007).

teide teide

Roman theatre of Merida is located at Mérida in Extremadura. It is a construction promoted by the consul Vipsanius Agrippa in the roman town of Emerita Augusta, actually Mérida during the years 16 and 15 BC (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993).

merida merida

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is located at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. It is a roman catholic cathedral where the famous burial-place of saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, can be found. Also it is the destination of people doing the way of saint James, a major historical pilgrimage route which followed the tail of the Milky Way since the middle ages (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985).

santiago de compostela santiago de compostela

City of Arts and Sciences is located at Valencia. It is an entertainment based cultural and architectural complex and the most important modern tourist destination in the city.

valencia valencia

Guggenheim museum is located at Bilbao in Basque Country. It is a museum of modern and contemporary art designed by the architect Frank Gehry and built alongside the Bilbao ria (also known as Nervion ria) running through the city to the atlantic coast.

guggenheim guggenheim

Beach of La Concha is located at San Sebastian in Basque Country. It is the most famous beach of Spain located at one of the most beautiful bays called Bay of La Concha.

concha concha

Sagrada Familia, also known as Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family, is located at Barcelona in Catalonia. It is one of the master work of the famous architect Antoni Gaudi who started to build it in 1882 and still under construction but unfortunately, he will not be able to see it finished because he died in 1926 (UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005). Since november, 7 2010, with the benediction of the Pope Benedict XVI during his visit, he declared officially that Sagrada Familia is now a basilica.

sagrada familia sagrada familia sagrada familia