Alcalá de Henares is a medieval student town. Walking for three worlds, or in search of Spain: Alcala de Henares Alcala Spain attractions

The idea came to my mind to somehow systematize all my memories and impressions from tourist trips. Again, a diary is an excellent opportunity to tell friends about your vacation, both those living on the next street and those who live on the other side of the state border.

In 2013 I traveled to Spain. She lived mainly in Barcelona and Madrid. As a test of the pen, I’ll tell you about a small town in the vicinity of Madrid - Alcala de Henares.

From Madrid I got there by train, which departs from Atoche station several times an hour.

Alcalá de Henares is an ancient city in Spain, in the autonomous community of Madrid. Historical information about the origin of the city is very voluminously presented in various sources on the Internet, so I will not rewrite it here. It is noteworthy, for me at least, that the city got its name from the Arabic word “al-qalat” - “fortress” or “castle”, since from the 8th to the 12th centuries the Arabs lived here and they built a fortress here. After the Arabs, there were a lot of towns in Spain with the name “Alcala”, so the name of the river was added to this name - de Henares.

So, Alcala de Henares is a very small, but no less famous city.

It was here that the first meeting of the then unknown navigator Christopher Columbus and the Catholic kings Isabella and Ferdinand took place.

It was here that Miguel de Cervantes was born.

Well, first things first.

Upon leaving the train station, I headed down paseo de la Estacion

and very soon I saw the Loredo Palace. The building is made in the Mudejar style with Gothic elements.

Inside the palace there is a small museum, with interiors also in different styles, but I was not lucky. On the day of my trip it was closed. If anyone is interested, perhaps somewhere on the Internet you can see photographs of visitors.

I head further to the building of the oldest university in Spain. It was founded was Cardinal Cisneros in 1496 and consisted of a set of schools of different levels.The first college established by the cardinal was the collegeSan Ildefonso. Subsequently, it acquired a facade, which can be seen in many photographs and postcards.

In 1836, the Spanish government ordered its transfer to Madrid, where it was renamed the Central University of Madrid. Further, in order to simplify the work of the university in the capital of Spain, some of its faculties are transferred to Alcala. and the revival of the university begins in its homeland, Alcala de Henares. After this, he receives as a gift several historical objects from the Cisneriana College, which once belonged to the Conduenos society.

In 1981, the shield and motto of the revived University of Alcalá de Henares were legally enshrined.

The colleges subsequently established around the university are today architectural monuments. And some still operate as university departments. I will definitely get to them.

The university is best known for its outstanding achievements in education during the Golden Age.At that time, scientists put the unique book collections of the University of Alcala on a par with the libraries of the Vatican, Venice, Florence and Paris.

Every year the King of Spain presents the Cervantes National Prize for Literature in the Main Auditorium of the university, decorated in the Mudejar style.

Before college San Ildefonso you can see a statue of its founder.

In 1998, UNESCO declared the University and the historical part of the city of Alcala de Henares an important historical heritage of world history. This was facilitated by the uniqueness of the buildings and structures of the ancient city, as well as the presence within the walls of the University of Alcala of ancient bibles published in different languages ​​and, of course, the fact that this city is the birthplace of the world famous Spanish writer Miguel Cervantes.

Well, I'm moving on. As I already wrote above, Alcala de Henares is a small town and all the most beautiful and remarkable things await just around the corner. Having walked around the University, I find myself in a square of simply indescribable beauty.

Meet Piazza Cervantes:

I tried to convey this beauty as best I could. Whether it worked out or not is up to you to judge.

A few shots from the opposite side of the square:

This is how the Spaniards’ love for their famous native was expressed in such splendor. To be honest, this is not the only attraction of the city associated with the name of Miguel Cervantes.

From Piazza Cervantes to the Cathedral there is a street called Calle Mayor - the longest arcaded street in Spain. . The street has been known since the 13th century; even then it was busy and commercial, belonging to the Jewish quarter.

The street seems to be a single whole: identical two-story houses (on the ground floor there are shops, on the second - the owners’ homes) with identical balconies and identical arcades on the first floor - buyers could make purchases without getting wet, already from the 15th-16th centuries.

Since the end of the 20th century, Calle Mayor has been pedestrianized.

At number 48 on Main Street there is a 15th-century house. It was here that the famous townsman was born and raised. Now this house houses the Cervantes Museum. In front of him, on a bench, the bronze Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are discussing something.

You can sit down with them and take a photo. They prudently left some space between the celebrities for tourists. Tourists of preschool and primary school age take pictures while climbing right on them. But there is still room for mom and dad.

Unfortunately, there are no photographs from the museum. It is simply prohibited to take photographs inside. The museum very carefully recreates the interiors from the period of Cervantes' life. All halls decorated in accordance with the traditions of the Golden Age, reflecting the daily life of those times. Each room of the museum recreates the life and habits of a wealthy family who lived during the Spanish Golden Age. Here you can see the bedrooms, kitchen, dining room and even the study of Father Miguel de Cervantes, as well as a table on which sketches of future works made by Cervantes 400 years ago are publicly available. Visitorscan also access an immersive installation that recreates Pedro's famous puppet Altar from Don Quixote II, Chapter XXV and other scenes from the book. In addition, the museum containsabout 200 rare books published between the 17th and 21st centuries. The museum's library collections consist of art books and magazines, works related to Alcala de Henares, publications about the life and work of Cervantes.

After visiting the house-museum, I returned back to Piazza Cervantes. To be honest, I really liked the flower-filled cafe on the square. This is where I was going to have lunch.

After lunch, I decided to take a walk around the square and walk to the cathedral along another street.

Directly behind the square, a little to the right, there is a tall tower, which used to be the bell tower of the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor.

Once upon a time in church Santa Maria la Mayor Miguel Cervantes was baptized. His font is still kept in the chapelCapilla del Oidor, and the church itselfwas destroyed during the civil war.

To the right of the square is the Town Hall. it is easily recognized by its clock tower:

Now it houses some kind of museum.

Trinity College is located not far from Piazza Cervantes:

Since I was walking without guides, I laid out the walking route according to the meaning of “wherever my eyes look.” Knowing that all the small ancient cities are organized according to the principle “all roads lead to the cathedral”, in general it doesn’t matter which way to get to it. The main thing is to know the direction.

Beyond Piazza Cervantes, I turned right and walked down College Street. The ancient name of the street - Roman - is due to the fact that two important Roman roads intersected here. The modern name of the street means that the bulk of the city’s colleges are located on it.

In the distance is a building with sharp spiers - Malaga College - now the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature:

College buildings are constantly adjacent to the buildings of churches and monasteries. Apparently science was better with the word of God.

Jesuit College founded in 1546 by Francisco de Villanueva under the patronage of Infanta Juana of Austria. NowThe Higher School of Law is located here:

Saint Catalina College, founded by Catalina de Mendoza y Cisneros in 1586. Inside there is a 17th-century chapel with a Baroque dome:

And I go out to the Square of the Holy Children. To understand why it is called that way, I will copy the historical excursion.

Plaza de los Santos Ninos is named after the holy Christian children Justo and Pastor, who were brutally tortured in this area in 306 by order of Emperor Diocletian. The monument (1986), all filled with some kind of stalls, was erected to commemorate the first meeting of Christopher Columbus and the Catholic kings - Isabella and Ferdinand. The main building of the square, of course, is the Cathedral of the Holy Children (Cathedral de los Santos Ninos).

After the execution of the holy children in 306, a chapel was erected over their tomb, in 1122, 1477 and 1519. The chapel was rebuilt, the last time - on the direct orders of Cardinal Cisneros. Brothers Anton and Martin Egas created the Gothic look that we see today. The tower, on which today storks have built no less than 10 nests, was completed later - in 1582 by the master Nicolas de Vergara according to the drawings of Rodrigo Gil de Hontanon, who began its construction. Already in 1519, the church received the title of perfect; only the Church of St. Pedro in Belgium has received such an honor in the Christian world. Katherine of Aragon, the future Queen of England, Fernando of Bohemia, the future Emperor of Germany, and Manuel Azaña, the future President of the Second Spanish Republic, were baptized here. In 1991, the church became a cathedral.

The cathedral was badly damaged during the Civil War and currently the restoration is not completed. But there is something to see: the crypt, where the relics of Justo and Pastor are kept under 17th-century slabs in a silver casket by Damian Zurero; the incorruptible relics of Saint Diego de Alcala and the crypt where Archbishop Garcia de Loaysa is buried - the only one awarded this honor. There is also a museum here that houses the communion cup of Cardinal Cisneros, the remains of the staircase of the archbishop's palace by Covarrubias, almost completely destroyed in a fire, as well as various objects of art that belonged to the cathedral.

After a walk around the cathedral, I went to the Archbishop's Palace - the next main attraction of the city.

After the city was recaptured from the Moors, it came under the jurisdiction of the archbishops of Toledo. It was they who became the main customers and sponsors of all construction projects in the city. And the most impressive of them was this palace. It was first built as a citadel, then it was rebuilt into a magnificent residence. In the 19th century, the palace was restored in the neo-Mudéjar and neo-Gothic styles, resulting in a very impressive mixture.

From those times when the palace was still a citadel, a small piece has been preserved - Tenorio Tower from the east side:

It was in these elaborate, Arabian-style walls that Katherine of Aragon, the future Queen of England, and Fernando of Bohemia, the future Emperor of Germany, were born. It was here that the first meeting of Christopher Columbus and the Catholic kings Isabella and Ferdinand took place, and six years later an unknown navigator discovered a new continent...

At the foot of the wall separating the city from the palace, there is a monument to Queen Isabella:

But the statue of another famous crowned person - Catherine of Aragon, the future Queen of England, is located under the Tenorio Tower:

For a long time, the Archbishop's Palace was considered one of the most luxurious palacios in Spain. Unfortunately, it has survived to this day in a very “truncated” form, since most of it was irretrievably damaged during a fire in 1939...

The Palace of the Archbishops, the Cistercian monastery of St. Bernard, standing to the right of it, and even further to the right, the former Dominican convent, form three sides of a small but very cozy square, shaded by abundant and, apparently, uncontrollably growing trees.

The Cistercian monastery of St. Bernard in Alcala de Henares was founded in 1613 by Cardinal Bernardo de Sandoval y Roxas for 20 Cistercian nuns who belonged to his family. The building was designed in the Baroque style by the famous Spanish architect Juan Gomez de Mora, the author of Plaza Mayor in Madrid and is distinguished by an oval dome, like most churches in Spain.

Like most ancient cities. Alcalá de Henares was once surrounded by brick walls. with many gates. Some of this former splendor has already been demolished because it interfered with traffic, but some can still be seen. The city walls have been preserved near the Archbishop's Palace, behindCistercian monastery of St. Bernard:

A few more steps forward and I left the old part of the city.

And finally, a few pictures that I wanted to take in order to leave as much in my memory of the trip as possible:

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Chinchon

(Chinchon)- a suburb of Madrid.

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Medieval city. First mentions of Chinchone date back to the distant Neolithic era. During the Roman rule in Spain (2nd century BC - early 5th century AD) it became an agricultural city, conforming to Roman laws and traditions. Next came Arab domination. Later Chinchon was conquered from the Moors by the legendary King Alfonso VI of Castile and annexed to Segovia. The first document describing the history of the city, preserved to this day in the historical archive Chinchona, dates back to the reign of King Juan II, and dates back to the 15th century.

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Alcala de Henares is a Spanish city located 35 kilometers from the capital of the country - Madrid. The name of the city translates as “fortress on the banks of the Henares River.” It was founded by the Romans several centuries ago, and received its modern name from the fortress of the same name, which was erected by the Arabs. Alcala de Henares is one of the oldest centers of culture, science and art, and has rightfully earned the title “Property of Humanity” by UNESCO.

This city, as in the Middle Ages, unites people of different cultures and confessions: Christians, Jews, Muslims. Alcala de Henares is the world's first university city.

This suburb of Madrid is the birthplace of the famous Spanish writer Cervantes, who gave the world the unforgettable knight Don Quixote. Such influential figures as Emperor Ferdinando and Infanta Catalina of Aragon were born here.

It was in Alcala de Henares that Christopher Columbus, many centuries ago, told the Catholic monks Ferdinand and Isabella the plan for his future journey.

When Madrid was still a small village, the city of Alcala de Henares was the religious center of the country. Monasteries, castles and churches have been preserved from ancient times. In 1998, Alca de Henares was included in the list of cities of world cultural heritage.

History of Alcala de Henares

In 306, by order of Emperor Diocletian, two boys were executed on the site of the future city: Justo and Pastor. A century later, the Archbishop of Toledo consecrated the place of their death, around which a village was formed. This is how the core of the future historical city was born. In the 8th century, Muslims conquered the city and built a fortress here. From the name of this fortress comes the modern name of the city - Alcala de Henares.

And only in 1118 Christians recaptured the city and came under the control of Bishop Bernardo of Toledo.

Already in the 13th century, Alcalá became a center of science. In 1293, with the blessing of the Pope, the General Studies were opened in the city, which in the future would become the foundation for a university, the founder of which would be Cardinal Cisneros at the beginning of the 16th century.

The university's unique collections of books ushered in the golden age of Spanish history and brought fame to Alcala itself. The university library stood on a par with the famous collections of books in Venice, the Vatican, Paris and Florence. The University of Alcala gave the world outstanding writers, scientists, politicians and thinkers such as Ignazio de Loyola, Tirso de Molina Quevedo.

In the 17th-19th centuries, the Spanish state experienced crisis and decline, and therefore, in 1836, the university was moved to Madrid, while retaining the name Complutence, in memory of its origin.

Having passed difficult times, Alcala de Henares, which already experienced a rise in cultural and economic life in the 19th-20th centuries, emerged from oblivion. The population grew from 25 to 160 thousand people. The city has turned into an important industrial and tourist center of Spain.

What to visit in Alcala de Henares

The city center of Alcala de Henares is a historical and artistic value, with unique attractions.

If you head down Paseodela Estacion, you will come to the main historical attraction of Alcala - the Laredo Palace. It was designed and built in the 19th century by the architect and artist Manuel José de Laredo. He was the mayor of the city. His dream was to combine elements of different architectural styles in one building. His creation fully justified the author’s idea; among the many styles, the most prominent are: Gothic, Moorish style, Mudejar. There is a museum inside the palace; according to many tourists, the halls and rooms themselves are already magnificent exhibits of history. Guided tours take place every hour.

Walking further along the street, you will come to the square in front of the university. The facade of this building is considered the hallmark of the city. You can get inside the university on a guided tour. The following famous personalities were graduates of the university at different times: Calderon, San Juan de la Cruz.

The modern faculties of the university are located in medieval buildings: the Jesuit School of Maximo, San Francisco de Paulo and the School of San Ildefonso, in which the tomb of the founder of the university, Cisneros, rests.

In honor of the famous native, an architectural masterpiece was created in Alcala - Cervantes Square. The splendor of this square amazes tourists all over the world and puts it on a par with Seville Square and Madrid's Plaza Mayor. Don Quixote became not only the hero of Alcala de Henares, but also a symbol of the whole of Spain, so many are in a hurry to come to the homeland of Cervantes.

In Piazza Cervantes there is the Tower of St. Mary, which used to be the bell tower of a church, now destroyed. You can climb the tower and explore the beauty of the city.

The oldest street, built in the 12th century along the Jewish quarter, leads from the square to the city Cathedral. This pedestrian street is famous for its stone arcades. The Cathedral itself is illuminated in honor of the holy children, Justo and Pastor, who are very revered in Alcala de Henares. It was built on the site where children were executed for their Christian beliefs. The cathedral has not only a religious, but also a spiritual basis. The monastery of St. Bernard is worth a visit. The square in front of it is a favorite place for tourists.

Very close by is a significant historical building - the Archbishop's Palace. It was here in 1486 that the meeting between Christopher Columbus and Isabella Costilska took place, thanks to which the traveler received funding for his legendary expedition and, 6 years later, discovered America to the world.

In the 14th century, the archbishop strengthened the palace by erecting 21 towers; 16 have survived to this day. For many centuries, the Archbishop's Palace was the most luxurious in Spain, but a fire in 1939 irrevocably destroyed some of the splendor.

Alcala de Henares has many beautiful corners and interesting places; suffice it to say that there are about 50 attractions.

Things to do in Alcala de Henares

In Alcala de Henares, in addition to visiting historical architectural monuments, tourists organize their holidays in different ways.

Who doesn't love shopping in Spain? You can visit branded clothing and shoe stores, jewelry stores and various exhibitions in Madrid, which is a 30-40 minute drive from Alcala.

Tourists visit restaurants, cafes, discos, and pubs, where they can taste Spanish vermouth made according to an old recipe. The cuisine of Alcalá de Henares is famous for its desserts, among which the local donuts (rosquillas), an exquisite delicacy covered with azure, deserve special love.

In the city, as throughout Spain, it is customary to celebrate holidays cheerfully and solemnly. Saint Bar Tolomé, although not the patron of the city of Alcala de Henares, annually celebrates the saint in the city. This holiday originated in the 12th century, then it was a fair dedicated to the end of summer, where animals were sold, and at the same time festivities were held. Over time, Alcala became an industrial center and the fair became an annual celebration. On the twenties of August, on the streets of the city, you will meet processions of costumed artists, giants and dwarfs, whom walkers make fun of. The celebration on the main square begins with a shot from a rocket launcher; this is an honorable mission, and it is entrusted to a famous person. At the fair, children are invited to rides, musicians perform, famous performers come, and bullfights are held. And the end of August ends with grandiose fireworks. Since folk festivals form an integral part of Spanish life, tourists will not be bored. Almost every month the city hosts events to celebrate another religious or cultural event.

How to get to Alcala de Henares

The railway station is located one kilometer from the Cathedral to the north. From Alcalá de Henares you can get to Madrid by train lines C2, C7, travel time is 40 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office or from vending machines; the cost of a round trip per passenger is about 5 euros.

To say that tourists like Alcala would be an understatement. This city enchants and makes you fall in love with it. In the ranking of the most attractive cities in Spain, Alcala de Henares leads the way, along with cities such as Seville, Cuenca and Santiago de Compostela. This city has its own legend, a rich historical past, architectural and religious monuments, bright, cheerful holidays, and the majestic beauty of the landscape. Alcalá de Henares always lovingly welcomes numerous guests from all over the world.

General information, history, attractions

Why go?

A pleasant small suburb of Madrid, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A university was founded here in the 15th century, Spanish grammar was invented here, and Cervantes was born here. On every more or less elevated tower of the city, no matter whether it is a church bell tower or a chimney of a house, storks live - an impressive and peaceful sight. The city is recommended for leisurely walks. It took us about 3.5 hours to take the city including the road (without visiting museums and monasteries, except for the house of Cervantes).

Story

The first people settled here back in Neolithic times, then Celtic tribes lived in this area for some time, and in the 1st century. BC. The Romans founded the city of Complutum here, from which comes the affectionate diminutive name of Alcala - Complutence. Emperor Augustus in his notes mentions the city of Miakum, on the road between Segovia and Titulcia, it is believed that Complutum is meant. Under the Romans, 10 thousand people already lived here, which is quite a lot for a city by modern European standards.

In the vicinity of the city there is the so-called. Casa Hippolytus, a Roman villa built in the 2nd century. with a unique mosaic “fish” floor created by the master Hippolytus and even thermal baths. There is a version that there was a school for young patricians here. I don’t know how to get here on our own, but the city’s website states that a tourist bus runs here from the travel agency. If you don’t want to go, but it’s still interesting to look at the remains of Roman times, you can visit the Archaeological Museum, which is opposite the Archbishop’s Palace.

The local drama also brought undoubted benefit to the city: by order of Emperor Diocletian in 306, two Christian boys, Justo and Pastor, were executed here, after which pilgrims flocked to the city, and when a century later the Archbishop of Toledo canonized the martyrs, the people's path to the town was not overgrown and under the Visigoths, who captured these lands after the Romans. Since 711, the area came under the rule of the Arabs, who immediately erected a fortress on a high hill slightly away from the Roman settlement to fight off the infidels and control the area. They called it “al-qalat” - which translated means “castle, fortress”, but since there are a good dozen towns containing the word “alcala” in their names in Spain, “de Henares” (the name of the local river) is added to the name.

On May 3, 1118, the city was recaptured by the troops of the Archbishop of Toledo, and the new inhabitants chose to settle on the Roman site, leaving the castle to decay. The city developed mainly due to a lively market and an advantageous position: along this road the kings of Castile (I remind you that there was no united Spain yet) traveled south. On May 20, 1293, the king of Castile, Sancho IV, signed a decree on the opening of Estudios Generales in the city, transferred to the authority of the archbishop and receiving the blessing of the Pope himself. These General Studies served as the foundation of the future university, founded in 1496 (according to some sources - in 1499) by Cardinal Cisneros.

By the way, it was in Alcala de Henares that the first meeting of the then unknown navigator Christopher Columbus and the Catholic kings Isabella and Ferdinand took place.

The presence of a famous university in a town leaves an indelible imprint on the city itself, its architecture, buildings, and its way of life. Somehow you immediately understand: students live here. Lots of students. These are Leuven in Belgium, Oxford and Cambridge in England, Bologna and Perugia in Italy, Heidelberg in Germany, Friborg and Neuchâtel in Switzerland, Lund in Sweden, Harvard in the USA (despite the fact that it is much newer than all of the above), Salamanca in Spain... Such is Alcala de Henares. Such cities are especially pleasant to explore.

At that time, scientists put the unique book collections of the University of Alcala on a par with the libraries of the Vatican, Venice, Florence and Paris. Students of the University of Alcala have gone down in Spanish history and are known throughout the world. Listen to these names: Lope de Vega, Antonio de Nebrija, Francisco Quevedo, Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Tirso de Molina, Ignatius of Loyola... Local natives are also well-known: Miguel de Cervantes and Catherine of Aragon.

However, in the XVIII-XIX centuries. the city fell into decay, the university was moved to the capital in 1836, the monasteries around sold off their land, and the town turned into a residential suburb of Madrid.

Alcala de Henares is located in the very center of Spain, just 30 km. , but the charm and intimacy that its streets breathe differ sharply from the capital. So.

Alcala begins its history back in those ancient times, when the Iberian Peninsula was inhabited by different tribes. During the excavations, a fortress dating back to the Iron Age was discovered, where the Celtiberians lived.

In the 1st century AD, the Romans founded the city of Complutum on the banks of the Henares River. Nowadays, thanks to archaeological excavations, most interesting mosaics and what remains of the Roman Complutum have been found. All this can be seen in the Alcalina museum Casa de Hippolytus.

The course of history is inexorable, and the Romans were replaced by the Arabs, who in the 9th century. N.E. founded a defensive fortress on the left bank of the Henares River and called it al-Qal’at abd al-Salam, which can be translated as “abd Salam castle”. This is where the name Alcala de Henares comes from - the castle on Henares.

Gradually the city turned into a lively center of trade, and subsequently culture. For several centuries, Muslims, Jews and Christians coexisted peacefully. Let's take a walk around the city and see for ourselves.

Plaza Cervantes is the central square of Alcala. Low houses, city hall, Ruinas de Santa Maria with a chapel where the baby Miguel de Cervantes (who was born here) was baptized, a music kiosk and a bunch of shops and cafes. All this is framed by old, well-kept flower beds.

Next to the square is a majestic university. It was founded in 1499 and is a heritage site (UNESCO, 1998). Its walls remember many legendary figures of Spanish culture.

Calle Mayor (Main Street) is the heart of Alcala. This street is considered to be the longest porticoed street in Spain. In the 12th century, this part of the city was Jewish and on the ground floor of the houses there were merchants’ shops (that’s why part of the street was covered, so that the weather would not interfere with trade), and the owners themselves lived on the second floor. Here you can sit on one of the many terraces, drink a glass of wine with traditional tapas (snacks) or try the local sweet costrada.

In the middle of the street, a place of pilgrimage for numerous tourists is the house-museum of Miguel de Cervantes. Here the author of “” was born in 1547 and spent his childhood. Now it is a museum open to visitors.

The calle Mayor faces the Plaza de los Santos Niños (Square of the Holy Children), where the Catedral Magistral de los Santos Niños (Cathedral of the Holy Children) rises. In the 5th century, Christian children Justo and Pastor were executed at this place, and subsequently a chapel was built here in memory of this event, and then the church.

Nearby is the Palacio de Arzobispal (Archbishop's Palace). In 1209, a tower was built here in Mudejar style (a peculiar mixture of Moorish and Gothic styles that arose in Spain in the 11th-16th centuries). The building was rebuilt and expanded many times over the centuries and is a majestic ensemble and museum protected by UNESCO. Its walls have seen brilliant receptions and such significant events as the meeting between Isabella I of Castile and Columbus in 1486, when financing the grand voyage of the discoverer of America was discussed.

Calle Santiago originates in a shady square near the palace. In the Middle Ages, the Muslim part of the city was located in this area.

Every year in October Alcala hosts Semana Cervantina (Cervantes Week). During this week, exhibitions, concerts, and most importantly, the Mercado Medieval (medieval market) are organized. Here you can fully experience the interweaving of three cultures that peacefully coexisted and mutually enriched each other. In the fabulous kaleidoscope of shops where you can find absolutely everything (artisans from all over Spain come here), you feel like a citizen of “that” Alcala.

Who would refuse to try Muslim delicacies, stock up on herbs for all diseases, taste cheeses, breads, and liqueurs from all over the country? The main thing is not to be afraid of the terrifying procession. Musicians (playing, by the way, medieval-style instruments) accompany Death itself - the guest who came to the people of that time so early... Music, spicy smells, and the smoke of frying meat can be heard from all sides. A kaleidoscope of bloomers, turbans, robes, lace and corsages flashes by. All this changes reality beyond recognition. And now, it seems that the old man selling ancient books on alchemy in his darkened tent is handing you a magic recipe... Oh, no. This is a bookstore business card.

“When traveling, you are always tormented by the fear that upon returning you will not be able to answer affirmatively the question that awaits you: “You, of course, saw?..” Why am I forced to see what others saw? I don’t travel for a specific purpose, I’m not an antiquarian,” is Mérimée’s arrogant complaint. And here, as if especially for him, is Asorin’s humble dignity: “To live is to see how everything repeats itself.” It seems that this is the motivating motive for all kinds of trips.
Weil again, Genius Loci again

The final story has two parts.

The first is about the birthplace of Cervantes, the city of Alcala de Henares.

We stayed in this city on our last night in Spain at the Evenia Alcalá Boutique Hotel. The choice was determined, firstly, by the fact that it was convenient to get to Barajas airport from there, and our flight was in the morning. Well, secondly, this city is recommended for visiting as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Significant facts about the city:
1. The writer Cervantes was born here.
2. Here Christopher Columbus told the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella about the plan of his journey, which led to the discovery of America.
3. Since the 13th century, Alcala de Henares has been a center of science and education; the first Spanish university grew out of the General Studies at the beginning of the 16th century.
In addition, when preparing for the trip, I saw so many amazing photographs and reports about the trip to this city that I expected very, very much from it. But here it somehow didn’t work out for us. Perhaps because we only had one evening to explore the city, and the not very well lit streets did not make the right impression. We were delighted in the evening, but one can only marvel at the lighting there. Perhaps in March there is no such lush floral vegetation on the streets and squares for which the city is so famous. In general, I couldn’t even come close to the magnificence that I saw in others’ photographs.
But still, we managed to see something.

Square in front of the university:

The main square of the city in honor of the famous native is called not Plaza Mayor, as throughout Spain, but Cervantes Square:

But the main street is called Calle Mayor. The entire street is almost entirely identical houses with identical arcades and balconies:

Monument to the inseparable literary couple in front of the Cervantes house-museum on Mayor Street:

Perhaps, during our entire two-week trip, this turned out to be the most underrated and undiscovered city for us (yes, after - we still have to try to overcome the impression). I am sure that a lot of interesting things await the traveler on its streets and squares. Here, at least, is our hotel: in the courtyard there are underground passages, in the restaurant at breakfast there are huge ceramic vessels.

But it was time for us to go home.
The flight went without any problems, we were at home at night and still had Sunday left before going to work to recover and unpack our suitcases.
After which I sat down to write this incredible report, and Andrey began planning his next trip. I didn’t interfere in the process because I was afraid I wouldn’t have time and the impressions of the Spanish trip would be interrupted by new expectations and emotions.
Second part. Debriefing in Spanish

We were pleased with the planning of this trip. The vacation turned out to be varied in impressions and not tiring, without long journeys and leapfrogs of successive cities.
As a result, the trip map turned out to be as follows.

This is the first part of the route - to Madrid (accordingly - parts 1-10 of the report):

This is the second part of the route - after Madrid (parts 12-16 of the report):

I'll repeat it again key points:
Barajas Airport - Aranjuez - Consuegra - Toledo (2 nights) - Avila - Salamanca - Medina del Campo - Tordesillas - Valladolid - Segovia - palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso - El Escorial - Madrid (4 nights) - Chinchon - Valencia (2 nights) – Cuenca - Ciudad Encantada - Alcala de Henares - Barajas.
Mileage- 1756 kilometers – from 8 to 22 March 2014.

Hotels.

Even despite the low season - the exception was two nights in Valencia during the festival - hotels in Spain were not cheap. 14 nights cost 60 thousand rubles. At first glance, this is not that expensive and is comparable to the cost of hotels in Austria, Italy and Switzerland. But the stereotype about cheap Spain is immediately broken, especially when you consider that in most cases breakfast and parking are not included in the price of your stay. Breakfasts were decent in most cases. In Madrid, we did not include breakfast when booking a room, but upon check-in we were told that we could go once and have a look. We went and liked it. This is how we had breakfast all four days.
Second point: when booking hotels in Spain, there are practically no cheaper booking options without cancellation. As a result, we sadly watched as in February our hotels for 80 euros began to cost not 3600 full-fledged ones, but 4200. Every day the cost of booking in the iPhone application grew until I thought of changing the currency from rubles to euros. So at least the number of euros remained unchanged, which was psychologically somewhat more pleasant...
In Spanish hotels, almost nowhere we found kettles; once there was a coffee maker, but a minibar in the room is a must.
There were no problems with incompatible sockets, everything fit (I remember we had a lot of trouble with this in Switzerland).
In hotels (even five stars) there were often no slippers in the rooms by default; you had to ask, then they brought you both bathrobes and slippers right away. It would seem like an insignificant detail. But when we spent nine days in seven hotels in Holland asking for cheap slippers - and never got them, we walked around barefoot - then the option becomes important.

Roads and gasoline
During the entire trip, we never used toll roads – and we didn’t notice it. The roads in this part of Spain are convenient, comfortable, and deserted. Really, who will go there? This is not a transit country, when crowds of cars rush through Poland/Germany to the rest of Europe (and in comparison with recent Holland too). Here it’s “calm, just your own people.”
Even in Catalonia we felt the difference between toll highways and free roads, but here everything is equally comfortable for the trip.
The cost of gasoline ranged from 1.38 to 1.41 euros.
For 1756 kilometers we filled up three times, each time something around 60-65 euros. Translated into a common European language - that is, almost for nothing.

Parking
Every time you travel to a particular country, you gain new and new knowledge about how to pay for parking. And you are surprised by the inventions in parking meters (in the Netherlands this is a separate topic that requires an expressive story). There is nothing to say about Spain in this sense: everything is quite traditional, they take euros, and any cards, and change, and bills - just give it a go.
But in Madrid they are faced with a new type of tariff: payment is per minute; when parking for more than 24 hours, the accrued figure is divided in half and is already 32 euros.
Don't hesitate to ask hotels about discounts on public parking. In Salamanca and Segovia, at the hotel reception we were given a card, which was inserted into the parking meter at the same time as the parking ticket, so that a discount (5-6 euros) was given automatically.

Restaurants and food in general
One should write songs about the gastronomic impressions of this trip, which I did regularly in my reports. No nonsense like differently shaped pastas - just delicious roasted meat from a sizzling wood-burning oven. The average price of a portion of pig or lamb is 20-25 euros. A glass of average wine costs 3-5 euros, a cup of coffee costs the same. But it was not possible to enjoy delicious vegetables at this time of year: all ensaladas are painfully recognizable hydroponics, tasteless Chinese lettuce and pink tomatoes. When I ate strawberries, the crunch was like that of a radish. You should come to pick up strawberries in May - there are whole “strawberry trains” from Madrid going there at this time of year. But the famous jamon, after a trip to Austria-Switzerland, gave way to Alpine speck in the personal ranking of priorities and preferences: for my taste, notes of smoked meat and smoke suit the meat more than the subtle aroma of smoldering in dry-cured meat. But this is not for everyone. The average bill for a delicious lunch in Spain in very decent places is 50-60-70 euros. In Holland, approximately the same set of dishes cost 20 euros more, but I won’t mention the quality and taste of the food.
Compared to the Italian siesta, in Spain it is almost impossible to remain hungry during the day. Just go to any bar and order a beer: tapas will serve as a perfectly acceptable snack.
By the end of the Spanish trip, I realized that we had only been to the supermarket once: on the first day, when we bought water, some food and all sorts of small things. There was no need for any sandwiches with such a catering arrangement.
We can say with full responsibility that Spain is an ideal option for a gastronomic tour: wine, olives, cheeses, sweets and, of course, delicious meat - all this makes your vacation unforgettable.

Museums, tourist information offices, printed materials, etc.
The main disadvantage of the Spaniards here is the universal ban on photography. I don’t think that the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum employs more careless and less competent specialists who allow the exhibition to be photographed. I do not argue that photography is the most incompetent way of obtaining reproductions. But the museum does not always have a catalogue, including one in Russian. Much is forgotten. And the presence of a photograph, including a sign indicating the name of the author, is a great chance to remember the work and look at its history in other sources. But in Spain – noooo!
Printed materials and audio guides in Russian are available in the Prado, in the Alcazar of Segovia, and in Toledo. Perhaps nowhere else (here - hello to beloved Austria!)
Opening hours are a characteristic feature of Spanish attractions. This option is not uncommon: from 11 to 17, from 13 to 15 – break. This is especially typical for churches/monasteries, so you need to either plan your visit time more carefully, or not be upset if you can’t get inside.

The language barrier
He's gone.
No, we don't speak Spanish. And the vast majority of Spaniards speak English not very well. Therefore, the Spaniards prefer to understand you at the level of “I don’t know how I can do this” - and no questions arise. The Dutch, like any “normal” Europeans, themselves speak the related languages ​​of their neighbors - the Germans and the English - and quite reasonably expect others to have the same knowledge of at least English. Otherwise, they have a standard situation: sorry, I don’t understand you. In Spain, I repeat, not a single person reacted like that. I have the impression that the Spaniards are very close to us in temperament, worldview, and behavior. They don’t impose themselves with fake smiles, but communication with them is always to the point and to the point. So again - a plus in the piggy bank.

Most recent note.
Spain, its central part, is the most comfortable country and region for travel.
Each of the cities we visited left a vivid picture in our memory.