The Spanish flag

The Spanish flag is probably one of the most distinctive flags of European countries. The Spanish flag has caused the colors yellow and red to be seen as the national colors of Spain.

The current Spanish flag went into use on Dec. 19, 1981. The flag consists of two red strips and one yellow strip. The yellow strip is the same height as the two red strips together. The colors red and yellow have been used on the flag of Spain since 1785 and were chosen because, according to King Charles III, these colors would stand out.

The coat of arms of Spain

The left half of the yellow strip depicts the coat of arms of Spain. This coat of arms has undergone many changes in recent centuries. In fact, until 1981, the coat of arms was adorned by an eagle. The coat of arms of Spain consists of 8 different parts. At the top left of the coat of arms is a yellow tower symbolizing the region of Castile. On the upper right is a crowned lion symbolizing the region of León. The four red stripes in the lower left symbolize Aragon. The gold chain with the emerald in the lower right represents Navarre. The pomegranate in the bottom center represents Granada. The three lilies in the center of the coat of arms symbolize Bourbon, home to the royal house. Finally, the coat of arms is crowned with a crown, reflecting the royal crown.

The pillars on the side of the shield are also called the "Pillars of Hercules," the former name of the Strait of Gibraltar. The red ribbon wrapped around the pillars says "plus ultra" which means, "beyond. With this, the coat of arms of Spain includes the former Spanish territories in the Americas.

The Spanish flag without the coat of arms is also commonly used by Spanish citizens and is also called the civil flag. The flag should not officially be hung out between sunset and sunrise, however, Spanish embassies are an exception to this.

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Madrid metro network

The easiest way of public transportation in Madrid is the metro. The underground in Madrid is the second largest metro network in Europe. Not only tourists like to use the metro in Madrid, the Madrilenians themselves are also big fans of the metro.

The first metro lines in Madrid were built at the beginning of the 20th century. On October 17, 1919, the Madrid metro was opened by King Alfonso XIII. During the Spanish Civil War, Madrid's metro stations served as shelters for the Madrilenians.

The Madrid metro has a narrow network profile and a wide network profile. Metro lines 1 to 5 feature subways that are 2.30 meters wide. Metro lines 6 to 12 have subways that are 2.80 meters wide. Another difference between a narrow and wide network profile is the depth at which the subway lines are located. The narrow metro network profiles are located up to 20 meters below the surface and the wide network profiles are located deeper.

Line 9 was the first metro line in Madrid, passing through the suburbs of Madrid and ending in the suburbs of Rivas-Vaciamadrid and Arganda del Rey. At the beginning of this century, the Madrid airport was connected to the city center thanks to the metro. The entire Madrid metro network is underground with the exception of a small section of lines 9 and 10.

Europe's longest metro line opened on April 11, 2003. Metro Sur, metro line 11, has 41 kilometers of tunnels and the metro line has no fewer than 20 stations. This metro line is the most important metro line in southern Madrid because it connects 5 villages. Line 11 connects with line 10 making the center of the city accessible by metro as well.

A clear difference can be seen between the older and newer metro stations in Madrid. The older metro stations are more compact and and narrower than the new metro stations. Also, the old metro stations often only have a platform next to the tracks while the new stations have multiple platforms. Thus, the busy interchanges have central platforms which makes it easier for travelers to transfer quickly.

Madrid's subway lines are open Sunday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.. On Fridays and Saturdays, the metro is open an hour longer, until 2:30 a.m.. A single trip on the metro costs €2 but there are also 10-ride tickets available that cost €12. These 10-ride passes with a Madrid metro map will make your stay in Madrid even more convenient and fun.

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Around the 17th century, an influential period for prosperity, trade science and culture took place in Spain. The Spanish Golden Age is also known as El Siglo de Oro.

Spanish culture 

In the 16th century, Spain conquered the New World and this brought the country great prestige and wealth. This marked the beginning of the Spanish Golden Age, El Siglo de Oro. At that time, Seville was the richest city in the country, partly because Seville was the port for all trade to the Americas. During the Golden Age, Spain was ruled by the Habsburgs and until 1645 by King Philip II, Philip III and Philip IV, among others. Under the rule of the Habsburgs, all peoples had to learn the Spanish language. However, when Philip III came to power, the Habsburg Empire began to show its cracks and the Netherlands and England, among others, showed their dislike. Nevertheless, Spain was still one of the most powerful countries in the world during this period.

Spanish culture, on the other hand, underwent a great heyday in the 16th and 17th centuries. Spaniards produced so many great works of art and literature that this period is known as the Golden Age. This was also the time of Baroque literature. It was a dark period where pessimism prevailed and it was believed that only death could deliver you from this period. Velázquez, among others, painted masterpieces during the Spanish Golden Age.

Drama began to gain popularity during the Golden Age. Well-known playwrights of this era include Félix Lope de Vega and Pedro Calderón de la Barca. Félix wrote 2000 plays that were mainly about honor and love. After his death, Pedro became one of the most famous playwrights. His works are known for his religious drama about Catholic beliefs.
The death of Pedro Calderón de la Barca in 1681 is often seen as the end of the Spanish Golden Age. The Spanish Golden Age was also a successful period for the famous Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes. Among other things, he wrote the modern novel "Don Quixote," one of the most famous novels in Spanish history. In addition to novels, Cervantes also wrote several plays. Miguel Cervantes played a major role in Spanish history and this can still be seen today on the Spanish 10, 20 and 50 cent euro coins.

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One of the most famous Spanish paintings

Las Meninas was created by Spanish painter Diego Velázquez. One of the most famous Spanish painters of the golden age, he created many portraits of the Spanish royal family. The Dutch name for Las Meninas is De Hofdames.

Velazquez

Born in Seville, Diego Velázquez began painting at a very young age. At 12, Velázquez was an apprentice painter with Francisco Pacheco. When he moved to Madrid in 1622, he attracted the attention of Spain's King Philip IV.

In 1629, Velázquez left for Italy for a year and a half to study his classical predecessors. All at the expense of Spanish King Philip IV. Upon his return, Velázquez became the court painter of the Spanish royal house. In 1649, he went to Italy again, but this time to procure art for King Philip IV.

Las Meninas is one of the first modern Spanish paintings. A modern painting makes you think about everything on the canvas.

At the center of the painting is the Spanish princess, she was the apple of the family's eye, and at the time the only living child of King Philip IV. It is unusual for a princess to be the center of a painting. At the time the painting was made, princesses were often married to cousins or uncles in the family, to ensure that there was a male heir to the throne.

Everything on the life-size canvas makes the viewer think. For example, the painter has depicted himself, at work, on the canvas. It looks like he is painting Las Meninas. This is not the only thing that makes the viewer think. For example, all the persons in the painting, are looking outside the painting. There is also a mirror painted on the canvas. In this mirror the faces of the royal couple can be seen. The viewer is like the royal couple, we look out over the artist's studio, and the viewer is portrayed.

The main question all this raises is, am I looking at the painting or is the painting looking at me? Find out the answer for yourself during a visit at the Prado Museum in Madrid.

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Rural tourism on the Costa Blanca

Besides the sol y playa tourism, quality, rural & nature tourism plays an increasing role within tourism in Spain. The interior of the Costa Blanca is still partly undiscovered and offers many opportunities for vacations that are more exploratory and more focused on the experience of an authentic Spanish environment.

Furthermore, it seems that tourists are also increasingly looking at the sustainability of a destination and this is where Spain could excel. For example, in the use of solar energy and the use of water-saving techniques. Two aspects that are right up Spain's alley. After all, there is a lot of sun and little water. This makes sustainability a logical concept that suits the country and climate! Furthermore, concepts such as Glamping (glamorous camping) etc. are easier to realize due to the climate than in other countries.

La Comunidad Autonoma Valenciana has an estimated 9,000 beds in Casas Rurales and similar enterprises in 2012. A Casa Rural is a general description of private and business properties that are generally rural and operated as tourist properties. The Costa Blanca that lies within La Comunidad Autonoma Valenciana and accounts for 5.3 million tourists. The climate here is described as the best and healthiest in Europe by the World Health Organization.

So an ideal vacation climate with very long seasons. When the Dutch roads are actually constantly glistening with drizzle, rain, hail or later covered with a white layer, it is spring here. In January and February the almonds are in bloom and the winter wheat is sown, the cycling teams from Belgium and the Netherlands come here to train and this Spanish state hosts many hikers, sports climbers and golfers from northern Europe. Above all, come and enjoy this beautiful part of Spain and its vast nature.

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When the Republicans won the elections in 1931 with a small majority, the Spanish monarchy came to an end. This caused some conflicts in Spain and strong antagonisms arose between the left (republicans) and the right (nationalists).

After the elections in 1931, major antagonisms arose between the left and the right. In the end, the small left majority provided a very leftist constitution to the annoyance of the nationalists. In 1932, the nationalists tried to carry out a coup, but failed. New elections took place in November 1933 and the right-wing parties won. This went well until October 1934. Then a very right-wing party joined the government and this caused uprisings from the left. The leftist leader called for a revolution and during this uprising Catalonia declared independence.

The civil war had begun

In February 1936, new elections took place between the republicans and the nationalists. With a small majority, the republicans won again. In April that year, there were attacks claimed by right-wing groups. The civil war had begun. When the murder of José Calvo Sotelo took place in July 1936, it prompted the army of Spanish Morocco, led by Francisco Franco, to advance into the Spanish peninsula. Soon Cadiz, Zaragoza, Seville and Burgos joined the nationalists led by Franco.

The nationalists received voluntary support from Germany and Italy. The republicans received support from Russia. The nationalists had an army with a large military background. Consequently, this ensured that by 1936 50% of the Spanish peninsula was already in the hands of the nationalists. Especially the Basque Country and Catalonia were difficult to overcome. In 1937 Bilbao was conquered and in 1938 the Nationalists were most successful, gaining control of Catalonia. Only the major cities of Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid were not yet in Nationalist hands. When at the end of 1938 the Russians withdrew, it was only a matter of time before the republicans were overcome. Barcelona was conquered in January 1939 and Valencia and Madrid followed in April that year.

Guernica

During the Civil War, a major bombardment took place in Guernica. This bombing took place under the leadership of Francisco Franco and killed 1,500 people and wounded 800. This bombing shook all of Western Europe. Pablo Picasso created a giant painting of the city of Guernica. Picasso did not depict what the city looked like during the war. Picasso wanted to convey the feeling people had during this bombing.

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Spanish actors

Many internationally known actors and actresses are of Spanish descent. For example, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Fernando Rey, among others, are from Spain. Antonio Banderas is also one of many well-known Spanish actors. In addition to being an actor, Antonio Banderas is also a reggisseur, producer and singer.

José Antonio Dominguez Banderas was born on August 10, 1960 in Benalmádena, Malaga. In his younger years, Antonio always wanted to become a professional soccer player. However, this dream fell apart when Banderas broke his foot at the age of 14. At that time, he went to see the theater show "Hair" with his parents and thus his interest in theater was awakened. Soon after, Antonio started taking drama classes. He then joined a theater group and toured the whole country with this group. In this theater group, he caught the attention of some big names in the Spanish theater industry. As a result, he managed to secure a place in the National Theater of Spain. From the theater, he rolled into the film industry and frequently starred in Spanish films.

Fame with "The mask of Zorro"

His breakthrough came in 1990 with his role in the film "Tie me up! Tie me down!", a Spanish romantic comedy. Until 1992, Antonio Banderas barely spoke English but still managed to attract the attention of the film industry in America. In 1993, he broke through in America with his role in the film "Philadelphia. This was followed by many roles in well-known films including Desperado, Evita, The Mask of Zorro, Spy Kids and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. The 1990s in particular were good years for Banderas; his roles in Evita in 1996 and "The Mask of Zorro" in 1998 brought him great fame. And even led him to take on the role of Zorro again in 'The Legend of Zorro' in 2005.

In 2003, Antonio Banderas returned to the theater with his role in the musical "Nine. Banderas has also voiced many voices for various animated films. His best-known voice role can be found in "Shrek 2," "Shrek the Third" and "Shrek Forever After. In these films, he voiced the role of the Puss in Boots. This cat became so popular that the Puss in Boots was even given its own movie for which Antonio Banderas once again contributed the voice.

His input in various films has also earned Antiono Banderas several awards. In 2005, for example, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2006, Antonio Banderas won the "Gabi Lifetime Achievement Award" at the Los Angeles International Film festival. He was also nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards and presented the 69th version of the Golden Globe Awards ceremony with Salma Hayek in 2012.

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Spain is home to many internationally known museums. These include the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, the Guggenheim Museum and the Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueras. However, the most famous museums in Spain can be found in Madrid, including the Prado Museum.

The Prado Museum in Madrid

The Prado Museum is one of the world's most famous museums. Together with the Museum Thyssen - Bornemisza and the Museum Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, the Prado Museum is part of Madrid's Golden Triangle.

The building of the Prado Museum was designed in 1785 and the museum was open to the public in November 1819. In 2007, the museum was remodeled and expanded by 50%. The renovation added the former Jeronimos Monastery to the museum. The new section includes a restaurant, a restoration studio and the temporary exhibitions are located here.

The museum contains works dating from the 14th to 19th centuries. The collection includes 5,000 drawings, 2,000 applied art objects, 2,000 prints and 700 sculptures. Besides the masterpieces, don't miss the fine art with Greek works and the beautiful Roman murals.

In the 16th century, the Netherlands fell under Spanish rule, causing the works of a number of Dutch and Flemish artists to be exhibited at the Prado Museum. This collection includes works by Bosch, Pieter Brughel and Rubens, among others.

To visit the museum, it is recommended to take at least one day. For those who only have a few hours or half a day, the Prado Museum has outlined 3 routes to visit the museum's masterpieces. The shortest route takes about 1 hour and takes you past 15 works of art. To see 30 works, it is recommended to take the 2-hour route. Should you have 3 hours, it is also possible to follow the longest route that takes you past 50 works. Among others, "The Annunciation" by Fra Angelico, "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Hieronymus Bosch and "The Three Graces" by Rubens are visited during these routes. In addition to international works, Spanish works are also incorporated into the routes. For example, one passes Velázquez's "Las Meninas" and Ribera's "Jacob's Dream.

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Spanish Music

Several Latin Awards are presented each year in the United States. The Latin Grammy Awards and the Billboard Latin Music Awards are two of the four annual American music shows.

Latin Music Awards

The Billboard Latin Music Awards have been presented since 1990. These awards are presented in honor of the international Billboard. Billboard is a magazine with news and charts based on the number of songs downloaded over the Internet, radio exposure and the number of albums and singles sold. Since 1999, the Billboard Latin Music Awards have been broadcast by U.S. television station Telemundo. The most recent ceremony took place on April 25, 2013, in Miami.

Some Spanish artists won awards at the latest ceremony. For example, Enrique Iglesias (along with Jennifer Lopez) won the award for "Tour of the Year. Enrique has received 26 Billboard Latin Music Awards in recent years. For example, in 1996 he won his very first Billboard Latin Music Award for "Album of the Year," he won the award for "Artist of the Year" 3 times and he won a total of no less than 4 awards for album of the year. David Bisbal is another Spanish singer who took home an award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards ceremony in 2003, the award for Best New Artist'. Bisbal became famous in 2001 when he placed second in Operación Triumfo, the Spanish version of X-Factor.

Latin Grammy Awards

The other major Latin Awards presented each year are the Latin Grammy Awards. The fourteenth time these awards will be presented will be on Nov. 21, 2013 in Las Vegas. During the Latin Grammy Awards, awards are presented in 47 different categories. Spanish music is also doing very well at this award show.

In addition to his Billboard Latin Music Award for best new artist in 2003, David Bisbal received the award for "Best Traditional Pop Album" at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. However, Bisbal is not the only Spanish artist to receive a Latin Grammy Award in the past. For example, Rosario Flores won the award for "Best Female Artist" in 2002 and 2004. In 2003, Enrique Iglesias received the award for "Best Male Pop Artist. Alejandro Sanz, however, takes the crown. Sanz won the award for Best Male Pop Artist' in 2001, 2003 and 2010. This is not all, as Alejandro Sanz also received three Latin Grammy Awards for "Best Album of the Year. However, this is not yet his complete Latin Grammy Award collection. He may also add no less than five awards for `Best record of the year.

Photos by Prisa Radio and Jose Antonio Blaya Garcia

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One of the most famous cultures from Central America is the culture of the Maya. Who does not know the Mayan calendar or Chitzen Itza. These are just a few of the impressive structures from the Mayan civilization. The Mayan empire stretched from southern Mexico to northern Central America.

Mayan culture originated around 2000 BC. The peak of Mayan culture was from 250 to 900 AD. However, after this period, the empire continued to grow. It was not until the 9th century that Mayan culture in the central lowlands went into decline. This was caused by wars and because agriculture could no longer handle the required yield due to the prevailing drought. Because of these conditions, Maya culture moved to the edges of the Maya empire. In the north of the Mayan Empire, cities continued to flourish until the 15th century. In 1450, the Mayan empire disintegrated and the city-states were then conquered in 1520 by the Spanish who took advantage of the rivalry between the Mayan cities.

The Maya civilization consisted of 8 to 9 million Maya. Although Maya culture has changed a lot, Maya people still live in Central America. Today, they live mostly in Guatemala. One of the characteristics of Maya culture is the clothing they wear. People almost always wear brightly colored clothing whose fabric is woven by the people themselves. The woven capes and dresses are also a nice souvenir for tourists and thus generate money for the Mayans.

The Mayan calendar

The Mayan calendar is perhaps the best known part of Mayan culture. The Mayan calendar consists of three parts; the Haab, the Tzolken and the Long Count. These three are used together and make up the entire Mayan calendar. The Haab consists of 365 days, and 19 months. 18 Months consist of 20 days and 1 month consists of 5 days. The Haab is similar to the calendar as we know it. To determine religious days, the Maya use another part of the calendar, the Tzolkin. The Tzolkin consists of 260 days divided into 20 periods consisting of 13 days. Even though the Tzolkin does not run concurrently with the Haab, this calendar begins again after the calendar is completed. The last part of the Mayan calendar is the Long Count. It is used for longer periods of time. The Long Count consists of 2,880,000 days, which is equivalent to 7885 solar years. The Long Count is also the part of the Mayan calendar that predicted the world would end in December 2012.

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