Author: ambyrn25

Written by: Mikey Mitrokostas (Session 1)

After our week-long tour of Southern Spain, visiting Cordoba, Sevilla, and Granada, by far the most stunning city of them all to me was Sevilla.

The city holds a unique beauty. From its people, culture, architecture, and deep-rooted history, Sevilla gave off a vibe and vibrant energy that was different from any other city we have traveled to so far. My only complaint was that we only got to spend two nights there. 

Sevilla is the perfect encapsulation of Spain, and we took full advantage of it. From the moment we dropped our bags off at the hostel, we were off. We started the day off by visiting the Royal Alcazar Gardens. The picturesque city of Sevilla is a seamless mix of Moorish, Christian, and Jewish history, and the Alcazar of Sevilla is the perfect representation of those traditions. The royal palace was one of the most beautiful things I’ve witnessed in Spain so far. The distinct Muslim and Jewish influence on a palace that housed a Christian King is another reminder of the preservation of culture and prioritizing beauty throughout Spanish history.

I am a big fan of when we all get the chance to share a meal together, which we had the chance to do on our first night in Sevilla. Maybe it was the good food & drinks, or Profe’s tear-jerking toast, or perhaps it was the fact we got to sit overlooking the beautiful river that runs through Seville, but this meal was one of the most fun and memorable moments we’ve had as a group on the trip so far. 

The next morning we woke up early and toured the Archivo de Indias, which as a building has served many purposes over Sevilla’s history but was originally created to centralize the city’s rich trading industry. The tour served as the perfect all-encompassing history of the city’s history.

Afterward, we hurried over to the Cathedral of Seville for mass. This cathedral is an architectural masterpiece, and to be honest, it was hard to focus on the mass while basking in awe of its beauty. (If it wasn’t for our visit to the Mezquita-Cathedral in Cordoba just a couple of days before, I would say it was the most beautiful cathedral I’ve ever seen.) The Cathedral of Sevilla is the world’s largest gothic cathedral and I cannot nearly describe its sheer size through this blog, but hopefully, this picture helps:

After mass, we got to climb the Giralda tower attached to the cathedral and take in amazing views of Sevilla from over 300 feet up!

Later that day we visited the Plaza de Espana. Profe Juan explained to me that this park-like place and surrounding buildings were created in the early 1900s when Spain hosted an Ibero-American expedition for the world fair. Influenced by the Spanish Renaissance, the Plaza’s large marble columns, colorful patterns, and intricate tower designs serve as a beautiful representation of the country.

Profe Juan told me that usually buildings created for world fairs in other countries get destroyed, but the architect did such an impressive job with the Plaza that the city had to keep it; yet another example of Spain’s tradition of preserving beauty. 

During our visit to the Plaza, I got the honor of rowing Profe (& perrito Mambo) around the surrounding river in a small row boat, a personal highlight of my trip so far.

Before coming to the city, Sevilla already had an important place in my heart. When my sister was in college, she studied abroad at the Universidad de Sevilla, which became one of the most fulfilling and special times in her life. Being able to finally see the city that she (constantly) talks about, was a blessing. I am forever grateful to have had the chance to share just some of those similar experiences with her.

After this trip, I think I may have to petition the study abroad office for the creation of a future May-Mester program based in Sevilla. 

 

Written by: Callie Nairus (Session 1)

Córdoba was our first stop on our six-day trip to the South of Spain. Our first impressions were hindered by the downpour of rain that greeted us as we got off the train from Madrid, but after taking a few hours to recover in our beautiful hostel, we were ready to explore the city. Donning rain jackets and umbrellas and hopeful for some sun, we first visited the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. The palace’s beautiful mosaics and fountain-filled gardens veil its dark history. Formerly inhabited by Isabella I of Castille and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the fortress was the site of Catholic monarchs’ planning for the reconquest of Granada and where they granted Columbus permission for his expedition to India. Nearby the Alcazar was the Judería de Córdoba, where we visited the Córdoba Synagogue, one of three medieval synagogues left in Spain. Jews could practice their faith under the Muslim rule of Spain, but the building became a hospital when they were expelled by the Catholic monarchs in 1492. While exploring, we were struck by the architectural contrast from the streets of Madrid we were used to: Córdoba’s white buildings with floral accents made us feel like we had been transported to Greece.

The following day we were lucky to see the sun again with no rain in sight. We started the day at the Palacio de Viana, a medieval palace surrounded by twelve gorgeous patios filled with greenery and colorful flowers decorated with mosaics and paintings. After, we went to our most anticipated stop: the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba. Its combination of Islamic and Christian architecture captivated us after learning about the conquests and reconquests of Spain over the past several weeks. The structure was originally a mosque until the Christian Reconquests, during which Christian elements were added to convert it into a Cathedral. As a result, a Renaissance-style Cathedral sits at the center of the building, surrounded by red and white Islamic horseshoe arches. After admiring the mosque for several hours, we ended our day with a lighthearted olive oil tasting. We learned about different types of olive oil and their uses, ending with us all buying olive oil to bring home to our families. After two great days in Córdoba, we were ready to continue exploring the South of Spain. 

Written by: Emma Coonan (Session 1)

Throughout the Middle Ages, many developments and changes occurred in Spain. Faith was a main theme of the time period and three main religions were present: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Today, if you ask many people in Spain about the history during the time period of Christopher Columbus, they do not know about the presence of the Jews and Muslims in Spain. Nevertheless, they both had an important influence due to the many technological, scientific, and literature advances.

Many important events took place during this time, especially in 1492: the fall of Granada, the expulsion of Jews (along with the presence of Muslims), and the expedition of Christopher Columbus. The cultures of the Jews and Muslims had a great effect on the development of Spain as a country. For example, the Jews worked as carpenters, shoemakers, and merchants that assisted with everyday necessities. In addition to these useful occupations, they created astronomical tables that showed information about the stars to help with navigation at sea, which had a lasting impact and is still relevant today. Additionally, the Muslims greatly impacted scientific, literature, and philosophical advances resulting in the rise of intellectual literature in Spain. However, conflicts of religion occurred and the Muslims were expelled to the north of Africa, but the Jews stayed and because they were not allowed to practice their religion, they had to do so in secret, resulting in them being called “marrones,” or pigs. Why a country would want to expel a group of people who greatly contributed to society remains a mystery, and was pointed out by the Ottoman Empire, who happily welcomed them, saying “How can anyone call Ferdinand wise when he impoverishes his own kingdom to enrich mine” (Fintz). 

Unfortunately, those who practiced in secret were sometimes discovered and then executed, tainting their family name for the rest of history. As seen in class, the Jewish slums, where the Jews were forced to live, still exist today in Spain. The mosques where the Muslims practiced still exist; for example, the Abu Bakr, which is seen in the included photo. These landmarks in Spain show the lasting impact and influence of the Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the Middle Ages.

Written by: Emma Coonan (Session 1)

En los tiempos medievales, habían muchos desarrollos y cambios en España. La fe fue el tema principal en este tiempo y habían tres religiones diferentes: cristianismo, judaísmo, y islam. Ahora, si preguntas a mucha gente sobre la historia durante el tiempo de Cristóbal Colón, no conocen la presencia de los judíos y los mulsumanes en España. Sin embargo, los dos tenían una importante influencia porque hicieron muchos avances tecnológicos, científicos, y literaturas.

Muchos eventos importantes ocurrieron durante esta edad, especialmente en 1492: la caída de Granada, la expulsión de los judiós (y la presencia de los mulsumanes), y la expedición de Cristóbal Colón. Las culturas de los judiós y los mulsumanes tenían un gran efecto en el desarrollo de España como un país. Por ejemplo, los judiós trabajaron como carpinteros, zapateros, y comerciantes que ayudaron con las cosas diarias. Además de estos trabajos útiles, hicieron tablas astronómicas que mostraron información sobre las estrellas para ayudar con la navegación en el mar que tenían un impacto significativo y todavía es relevante hoy. Los musulmanes trajeron avances en los científicos, literaturas, y filosofía que resultó en el aumento de la literatura intelectual en España. Sin embargo, los conflictos de religión ocurrieron y los mulusumanes se expulsaron al norte de África, pero los judiós se quedaron, pero, porque no podían practicar su religión, tenían hacerlo en secreto y se llabaman “marrones.” Es un misterio porque un país querría expulsar un grupo de personas que añaden muchos elementos positivos a la sociedad y el imperio ottoman se dio cuenta de esto y les invitó diciendo, “Cómo alguien puede llama a Ferdinand es sabio mientras empobrece su reino para ayudar mio” (Fintz).

Desafortunadamente, a veces, ellos que practicaban en secreto, fueron descubiertos y ejecutados y el nombre de su familia se arruinó para siempre. En clase, vimos los barrios bajos  donde los judíos tenían que vivir, que todavía existen en España. Para los mulsumanes, las mezquitas, como el Abu Bakr en Madrid en la foto, todavía existen. Estos lugares demuestran la influencia de los judiós, musulmanes, y los cristianos en la edad media.