In the world there are many cities that are not capitals or large settlements, but nevertheless do not become less interesting from this. They have a rich history and a huge number of attractions that tourists will be curious to look at. One of these small towns is Guadalajara in Spain. What is special about this city?
Guadalajara, Spain: History
Before talking about the sights of Guadalajara, it is necessary to at least briefly touch on the history of this town. It is located 60 kilometers from the capital of Spain, Madrid, which takes about an hour to travel from. The city is located on the banks of the river Enares in the province of Castilla.
Guadalajara is a very ancient settlement. Its history dates back to ancient Roman times, when a small ancient settlement was located on this territory, whose name can be translated into Russian as "The Rocky Path". Of course, by now there is nothing left of it, only the old bridge connecting the old city now with the new, modern one, recalls the old days. This, incidentally, is one of the attractions of Guadalajara in Spain, but we will return to this issue later.
The German tribes drove the Romans from this land, having founded their fortress there. However, their rule did not last long: the territory was chosen by the Arabs. They built a city there - then it was called Vadalajara. This is the name that became the first for the settlement we are discussing in Spain.
Christians began to govern Guadalajara only in the eleventh century under the rule of the then king of Castile Alfonso. At that time, Guadalajara began to flourish, but by the seventeenth century its takeoff had ended. The whole history of this city is continuous prosperity and decline. The next time Guadalajara began to gain strength two centuries later in order to survive the crisis again in the twentieth century. Currently, there is another wave of takeoff and flowering of Guadalajara, including among tourists.
Savage or voucher
What is the best way to go on holiday to Spain - “in a civilized way”, having bought a tour, or on your own? Both this and the other method have their advantages.
When buying a tour, you don’t have to worry about anything: the selected company will do everything for you. The final price of a ticket to Spain, as well as to any other country, as a rule, includes flights, accommodation, meals, and even excursions. However, in total this can be much more expensive than if you go savages, because then you will look for the hotel and tickets yourself, which means you can save somewhere by choosing the option that suits you best. Yes, of course, this is a waste of your time, an extra headache, but at the same time it is an opportunity to arrange your vacation completely to your taste. To whom is closer - here, in fact, is a personal matter of each specific tourist ...
Guadalajara, Spain: what to see
Despite the fact that the aforementioned town is a relatively small settlement, there is something to see there. Therefore, at least a couple of days in Guadalajara should definitely come. Unless, of course, I want to spend time in Spain with benefit.
Ancient bridge
First things first, you need to see the same ancient bridge called Puente Arabe, preserved from Roman times. It is still operating, cars even run on it. As mentioned earlier, this bridge connects the two parts of Guadalajara, modern and historical, so it will not be difficult to easily and quickly move from one district of the city to another.
Alcazar Fortress
Another attraction of Guadalajara, which is certainly worth seeing, is the Alcazar fortress, built at the turn of the 9-10th centuries. At first the Arabs erected it, then the Christians rebuilt and completed it, and later the Arabs again. In general, many people had a hand in the construction, and that is why the fortress contains elements of both Gothic and Renaissance styles, as well as various other styles. Together, this gives Alcazar a unique, inimitable, unlike anything look.
After the sixteenth century, the fortress was abandoned. They remembered about it only two centuries later. Then they opened a textile factory, later there was a school, and headquarters, and even barracks, and much more. And during the civil war in Spain in the mid-thirties of the last century, the Alcazar was generally destroyed. However, now the fortress is being restored, rebuilt and is available for viewing.
Ancient castles
There are a lot of castles in Guadalajara. For example, the castle of Safra. It was erected in the thirteenth century as an impregnable defensive fortress, but two centuries later it turned into a residential building, which is currently (from the beginning of the seventies of the last century) owned by private owners. Time did not spare the castle, it is dilapidated, although for several decades it has been gradually restored. Both the object itself and the surrounding area are interesting to fans of the Game of Thrones series, because it was there that the shooting of the sixth season of the television saga took place.
Another interesting castle in Spanish Guadalajara is the Infantado Palace, which belonged to dukes with a similar surname. This nobility was members of the Mendoza family, one of the most influential Spanish families of great importance to the country. Their palace arose at the end of the fifteenth century and is considered one of the main (if not the most important) attractions of the city.
Its distinctive feature is that it was this building that was first built without the influence of Italian traditions, solely on the basis of local architecture. In the Civil War, the palace, like much in Guadalajara, was badly damaged, and later it was restored. Now there is a historical museum, you can visit the patio for free, but you will have to fork out for the passage to the palace itself: give five euros. Inspect the Spanish "treasury" is only possible with a guide.
La Concordia Park
Where you can take a walk in Guadalajara is the La Concordia Park, founded in the nineteenth century. Now the park occupies a relatively small plot of land, and earlier, when it first appeared, its territory was huge. It had to be reduced as the city developed and built up — there was nowhere to lay roads for vehicles.
In the park you can work out on free simulators, play, just walk along cozy paths, sit in the shade of trees.
What else to see?
Guadalajara's sights in Spain are famous: castles, chapels, towers and other architectural structures can be admired for hours, and all of them certainly deserve the attention of visitors. We list at least some of them: the church of Santiago, the Monastery of Piety, the palace of Mendes (now there is a lyceum), the church of de San Gin (it contains the tombs of many rich and famous people of the country).
Still need to see the area for the bullfight - Plaza de Toros; Pantheon of the Duchess of Seville, which during life was very much loved; La Catilla Palace, which now houses the art school; Major street - it looks like Madrid with its boiling life ... And this is only a fraction of the sights of Guadalajara! Verily, it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times.
To Guadalajara from Madrid
If you are staying in the Spanish capital, you can get into the pearl of Castile as follows:
- By bus - for twenty euros and an hour's journey.
- By train - about the same time, but for 6-10 euros.
- By taxi - this is for the wealthiest, who do not mind spending 75-100 euros one way.
- By car, if you rented a car for trips around Spain. A liter of gasoline in this country costs 7 euros, about five liters will be needed on the road to Guadalajara.
Interesting facts about Guadalajara
- The population of Guadalajara in Spain is just over seventy thousand people.
- Mexico has its own Guadalajara.
- The town is in third place in Spain in terms of cost of living (second only to Madrid and Barcelona).
- The flag of Spanish Guadalajara depicts a knight on a horse.
- There is almost no rain in the city, and the temperature rarely drops below plus ten degrees.
- Gastronomic holidays are often held in Guadalajara: the cuisine here is famous throughout the country, so if you manage to get to the town at the height of such a celebration, this will be one of the best experiences for the whole trip. One of the best restaurants in the city, by the way, is Alvarfanez.
- Guadalajara hosts monthly cultural festivals: theatrical, literary or musical. The city is considered a very cultural place. They also love shopping very much and say that it is no worse than in Madrid.
If you want to spend time in Spain interestingly and usefully, you should definitely include Guadalajara in your list of places "mast visit". And you will not regret it!