Welcome to Zaragoza...
Caressed by the Ebro, Zaragoza, capital of Aragon, in Spain, is a destination that we have had on our shelves for two years.
Winter is the ideal season to visit the cities of Spain in our opinion. So we're heading to Zaragoza, but where to sleep when we're barely civilized savages like us? The Los Monegros border seems quite close to Zaragoza. All you have to do is go there to get an idea.
Gas cylinders full, shopping done in a local supermarket, we take a dirt road for 7 kilometers, 20 minutes from Zaragoza, and decide to unhitch "Roulotte" for a quicker identification "in the green". A short distance away, a track leads us onto a median opening onto a field of winter wheat with its ruined farmhouse. We decide to set up our base camp there for at least two nights..
We feel good in this lost place. Our only dislodger will be the weather, as is often the case in such cases! After a peaceful night, we leave Roulotte hidden behind century-old cades and take a shortcut dotted with muddy ruts with significant puddles due to the recent rains. Jean-Paul is driving at full speed, I hold on to the handle, imploring the universe so that we arrive whole in Zaragoza, our car still on its four wheels and us on our two legs! Finally, bitumen!
...with its fortified palace: the Aljafería
For this first visit, we favor the Aljafería Palace, a little out of the center of course, but open on Mondays, unlike many other buildings in the city. So we cross Zaragoza, find a parking space 400 meters from the palace and move forward quickly, eager to discover it.
We thought we would not be able to take panoramic views of this place steeped in history, the sun's rays barely penetrated the persistent clouds. We had left our cameras in the car but once we arrived, it was obvious that we had to immortalize this solitary palace with its crenellated towers. Real photographers always have their cameras with them! After the Alhambra of Granada and the mosque of Cordoba which we visited last year, we are looking forward to returning to the characteristic Mudejar architecture.
The tickets taken, we enter the fortress towards the central patio decorated with columns and chiseled stucco. Along the route there are different rooms competing with each other with their remarkable coffered ceilings in shimmering colors. The Throne Room is our preference. Parchments from the Koran were reportedly found during the latest renovations of the ceilings.
... and Mudejar Art
Moreover, Zaragoza, during the darkest periods of its history, knew how to protect its Moorish masons who were able to continue their work, even after the arrival of the Catholic kings. The Mudejar style has become typical of Spain, an architectural reference of great finesse which is the fruit of the cultural cohabitation of Jews, Muslims and Christians
Thus, the Aljaferia Palace built in the 11th century went from a residence for Muslim monarchs to the home of Catholic kings before being a prison during the Inquisition, a barracks and more recently, the parliament of the autonomous community of Aragon.
After two hours of visiting, with his head thrown back, a break is necessary. I lost the photographer who took refuge in the cafeteria for a comforting hot chocolate. Once the gourmand has been found, we work together to decide on the structure of the panoramic visit to this palace, a visit for which you will find the link on the button at the bottom of this article.
Once this difficult task is accomplished, quite proud of ourselves, we mount our steed to reach the historic center.
But that's another story that I'll tell you in the next episode.
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This panoramic tour is now online, in three languages, and is just waiting for your encouragement. We provide the direct link at the end of this article. But be aware that if you plan to use a mobile, you will have minimal functionalities whereas on a tablet, they will be a little more extensive. The computer remains the ideal device for accessing all information and navigation icons. Do not hesitate to send us your feedback via our contact form.
As a reminder
Our goal is to bring you the luxury of satisfying your curiosity without moving, while immersing you in this unique space with breathtaking reliefs and colors..
See you soon dear visitors.
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