Murcia
is girl of the desert. At the same time wild by the aridity of its climate,
captivating by the magnificence of its inheritance and its history,
Murcia is full with contrasts. The city was founded in year 831 by Abderrahmane
II in the center of the valley of the Segura River. Arab time the city
kept the wall which surrounded it, whose some
vestiges are still visible at various places
of the city. It measured 15 m height and was
composed of 95 turns. An importance which is also highlighted through
the many archaeological discoveries, like those of palate type, carried
out with the Convent of Las Claras. The Christian
city it also left its marks with in particular two of its principal
arteries, Platería and Trapería,
still witnesses of the intense
corporative activity which developed in the big city. However, it will
be only starting from XVIeme century, and particularly with XVIIIeme,
that Murcia will reach an urban splendor which will lead it to extend
beyond its walls with in particular from splendid examples from Baroque
architecture to the Sanctuary from Fuensanta or the Monastery from San
Jerónimo the, known one like “Escurial de Murcia”.
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Multiple
churches will rise in the city, mainly baroques as well as temples like
those of Merced, Saint Michel, Sainte Anne, Las Claras, Sainte Eulalia,
or Saint Jean de Dieu, which unite with their artistic architectures,
an important pictorial and sculptural inheritance, with the works carried
out by Francisco de Salzillo. The first temple of Murcia is its
Cathedral, its contruction started
towards the end of XIVeme century
and present of the Gothic elements such as the door of the Apostles
and the vault of Los Vélez, of the element of the Renaissance,
as it is the case of the Vault of Junterón, and baroques, among
which one distinguishes his frontage, conceived as a gigantic retable
of Jaime Bort, with a good mixture of sculpture and architecture. Its
tower is also singular: it measures 92 m height and was built in several
stages between XVIeme and the XVIIIeme century. Beside the Cathedral,
the Episcopal Palate also of the XVIIIeme century and the old grain
silo, known under the name of El Almudi, are other elements testifying
to constructive rise reaches at that time.
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But
Murcia also kept its streets and its places of the XIXeme
century, splendid examples of architecture, such as the
Town hall, the Victoria Hotel, the Romea Theater and particularly the
Casino. It is about a building built in 1847 and increased
as from 1902, and whose decorations are of a great interest,
quoting, for example, its ballroom, the patio néonazari
or the library, without forgetting its frontage decorated with an important
sculptural decoration. All this artistic and historical richness is
manifest in the museums which the city has, the such Archaeological
Museum, that of Beautiful arts or that of Salzillo where one can contemplate
the tanks created by the sculptor murcian for the procession of the
morning of the Holy Friday, like his famous crib, starting
point
of one of the artisanal traditions most anchored to Murcia.
And of the close friend union
who exists between Murcia and the River Segura, the bridges
like the “Old Bridge” or Puente Viejo, are there like attaching
the past, the present and the future. Murcia besides is a dynamic city
which likes to animate its streets and to receive events.
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Thus
the Holy Week, with obvious influences of
the “huerta” of Murcia, exhibe in the streets sculptures
of Salzillo beside those of other important artists. The “huerta”
is also the protagonist of Bando, one of principal the ceremony of the
festivals known as of spring. Along one day, the “huerta”
seizes the city and the costumes show their
union. The Burial of Sardine,
for its part, is crowning of the aforesaid festivals. It is a multicoloured
procession, with tanks and thousands of gifts for the public which encumbers
the streets of Murcia. People also come to the Fair from Murcia, in
Romería, during which they accompany the owner by the city, the
Virgin of Fuensanta, to her Sanctuary. But passed with the outside of
the city, nature opens its arms to you and accommodates you in the middle
of valleys offering of the landscapes of any beauty.
You will be able to practice there excursion and VTT within a splendid
and natural framework.top
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The
gastronomy also has an important place, one says that here them Tapas
are an art! The pork-butchery with its morcillas, its languanisse, its
soubressade or its chorizo is a delight. The rice brought back by Arabic
is the base of several mets. The migas are a treat and obviously the
vegetables are with the honor as in any Mediterranean country. Not do
not forget that the vines give rise to excellent wines and that the
proximity of the shore makes that the fish has a beautiful place in
the kitchen of Murcia with in particular the “sardine Moraga”.
You will certainly be allured by the perfumes which will emanate from
these pots, letting predict savors which will put to you in appetite.
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Another
asset of the area, its craft industry. The
cribs are a tradition, the crib carried out at the XVIIeme century,
by the sculptor murciano Francisco Salzillo on ordering of a friend
and patron Jesualdo Riquelme, is splendid and it is carried out with
more than 500 parts. But the traditional pottery, just like leather,
wood or metal belong to the knowledge to make area of Murcia. A beautiful
range of memories to be brought back in your luggage !top
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Between
history and nature, Murcia offers opportunity to you of combining the
culture and the sports activities. It enables you to plunge in the middle
them traditions just like to leave to discovered of wild territories.
You will be able at the same time to share intense moments with the
population at the time of local festivals for example, just like you
will be able to find the escape and the rest beyond the walls of the
city.
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Many
thanks to the tourist office of Murcia for its assistance and the photos
which enable us to laced our text.