Mark's Journal

2001-04-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

The only other sight that compared to the majesty of the Toledo Cathedral, was that of the cathedral located in the massive structure known as El Escorial. The first major difference between the two places is that the cathedral in Toledo is simply a massive church located in the heart of the city, whereas the cathedral in El Escorial is located about 50km northwest of Madrid. This is mainly because it is not just a cathedral; instead it is a three part fortress including a palace, monastery, and one of the best stocked libraries in the world today. The architextural wonder commands the surrounding area, covering a rectangular stretch over 30,000 square meters. It contains just some of the following: 9 towers, 9 organs, 16 patios, 300 cells, over 1600 paintings, 73 statues, 86 sets of stairs, 88 fountains, 1200 windows, and 2673 doors. As with the Cathedral in Toledo, you feel very small as you enter the massive courtyard of the monastery with beautiful mountains in the background. The first place I entered was through the doors leading into the church. The beauty and majesty of that cathedral amazed me. There were massive paintings on the ceiling, with such intricate detail they appeared real. Down in front is the alter, a truly breath-taking sight, containing superior sculptures and paintings with gold trim and
massive pipe organs off to the side. It would seem that some type of divine inspiration msut have occurred to construct such an amazing structure that has survived over hundreds of years.
The monastery was originally built to honor St. Lawrence after he defeated the French on August 10, 1557; King Phillip II commissioned his scholars to find a location. Five years later the construction began and wasn't actually totally complete until 1654 when the pantheon was completed. The building has survived many political and demographical changes For example, the town that resided on the plateau that Escorial was built on, was given the title Villa, and removed from the jurisdiction of Segoria. The building also contains a few mausoleums, one containing the remains of all the kings and queens since Phillip II. That room is made of marble and gold, as are the caskets going around the room in their carved nitch in the wall. It also contains a mausoleum for infants and one for princes. The structure was built with the idea of representing the divine power of the crown while holding on to its simetry and austerity. At the entrance of the Patio of the Kings in the antechamber of eternity, are sculptures of the Kings of Judea who returned Isreal to the srervice of God. The correct title for the monastery is El Real Monestario de San Lorenzo del Escorial. To many Spaniards it is the 8th wonder of the world and after having experienced it for myself, I would have to agree. The building can be accreditted to Juan Bautista de Toledo, Lucas de Escalante, and Pedre de Tolosa due to the fact that they designed and constructed it, Ferdinand VII restored the structure. The Cathedral in Toledo is very magnificient unto itslef, while Escorial is simply one portion of unbelivable design within a massive building where its not the only attraction. Instead it is one piece of an enormous building that is small compared with the remainder of Escorial.

2001-04-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

While returning to the United States, one of the things that I was thinking about was the difference between two such beautiful structures such as the Cathedral in Toledo and Escurial, the monestary on the outskirts of the city of Madrid. The cathedral in Toledo was the second of the two architextural wonders that I encountered. It is located at the heart of the city, a gothic structure, which took over two hundred years to build; from 1227 to 1493. Internally gothic masterpieces as well as Rennaissance and Baroque, this is why it stands out as one of the most fascinating places I visited. Because the construction took over two hundred years, it enabled the opportunity for a variety of influences from some of the most reverred artist and sculptors in history. The outside of this massive building is said to be best seen from outside the city. The main entrance to this majestic cathedral is the Puerta de Mollete, which is beside the main tower. When you initially enter the cathedral you realize just how small you are in compoarison to this massive structure built over 700 years ago; the doors themselves tower above you. Once inside the cathedral you enter a huge hallyway, the ceilings appear to stretch at least one hundred feet up; at the same time you are surrounded by some of the best artwork and sculptures I have ever seen. At the heart of the church, blocking nave, is the Coro where there are two tiers of wooden carved stalls. There is one section of the cathedral ceiling that has massive spiraling scluptures and paintings that rise up to a stained glass window; when the the beams of sunlight enter through this window it lights up the entire carved section, a truly spectacular sight that words or photographs could never do it justice.
The alterpiece, Capilla Mayor, is not only enormous, but is also considered one of the triumphs of gothic art. Its intricate detail is completely amazing, every piece done to perfection. It displays a synopsis of the entire New Testament ending in Calvary at the summit. Directly behind the alter is the Transparante; very Baroque, it displays marble Cherubs sitting on fluffs of cloud, also made out of marble. This cathedral is not just a tourist attraction, but it also still holds mass daily in the Capilla Mozarabe according to the ancient Visigoths rites. This is just one of the many chapels housed within the cathedral. Some of the artists creditied with the construction of the cathedral, from paintings to sculptures were El Greco, Valazqueze, and Goya. These individuals contributions to Spain are innumerable, and there works can still be witnessed hundreds of years later embodying their true brilliance. Toledo itself was the capital of the medieval capital of Spain until 1560, and it is still the seat of catholic primate, while it is redolent of its past glories. The city is isolated by a looping gorge of the Rio Tajo. Every last nook of space has been built upon including houses, synagoges, churches and mosques. The street is almost completely cobblestone, and their is a giant bridge that takes you across the gorge, which gives the impression that Toledo is like enter through the big bridges for casltes in some movie or fantasy world.

2001-04-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

One thing I wondered about when I arrived in Spain, was how the food would differ form the food in the United States. I found that the food was very similar to Italian food, which I grew up eating. However, it wasn't just what they ate that was different, but it was how they ate that differed greatly from how we eat in the U.S. Lunch usually wasn't until abut four o'clock, and would last for a few hours. The entire city seemed to shut down druing this time of day for food and ciesta. In the States lunch is normally around noon; and because everyone seems to be in a rush, it is typically over within an hour and its back to work. The Spanish style creates a much more laid back atmosphere, which adds to the mystic of the country making it very unique.
Dinner, on the other hand, started around nine and lasted until about eleven. This is obviously much different then our dinner hours. It is a bit of an adjustment, to adapt to the different customs of another country; especially when they are significantly different then what I was accustommed to. However, I found that I liked this stlye of lliving more than how we do it here in America. One could actually have the opportunity to sit down and enjoy thier meal and have a descent conversation while eating and drinking i a very relaxed enviroment.
It wasn't so much that they were that different that intrigued me, but however it was how my experiences were different because of falling into these customs. Going back to the ancient greeks, eating and drinking was always held in high regards, this all done while making libations to the gods. It is no different in Spain, you eat for a few hours while drinking and talking. After dinner ended you could then decided waht to do next. Everything is so clsoe togehter that you can walk about five minutes to the square in Barcelona off Las Ramblas, and eat, drink and meet people not only from Spain, but also England, Whales, Ireland, and various other surrounding countries. This in itself is a good foundation for gaining a new perspective on life itself; it provides the basis for furthering one's culture just by going down to the town square to get food and a few drinks. In the United States we defonotely do not take the time to enjoy are surroundings and relax long eonough to actually ejoy the food they're eating. Rarely does one talk to any random people at the restaurant; whereas this is common in Spain, it is a rarity in the United States. Life experience may be one of the best classrooms a student can hope for. Something as simple as eating can turn into an eduacational experience you could never have in a college classroom; the customs practiced by the Spanish enable this type of experiece to occur. So the issue concerning how different the the food is in Spain from the United Sates is that even somethijng that goes much deeper than the surface. The atomospeher that this creates am atmosphere that is conducive to co habititat
ion with the those of different cultures and backgrounds.

2001-04-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Another question I would like to answer or explore, is that of the diference between Bilboa as compared to the rest of Spain that we had visited. Spain is currently under the direction of Juan Carlos, who is a very democratic leader and tolerant of the many different cultures existing within Spain. This was however not the case for over seventy years during the dictatorship of Franco, a facist ruler. Conflict originally arose because Franco was not tolerant o the different customs and language of the people living within the Basque region of Spain, to the north of the country. The Basques' wanted to keep their indigenous language as well as customs, while Franco wanted the unification o Spain through one language and the Catholic religion. The Basque's decided to fight or thier customs and more imporatntly the preservation of their language, which is one o the oldest dialects still used in the world today. Unortunately, I am out of time and must go to class, however I will continue to explore this question on my next journal posting.
The Basque's nationalism dates as far back as the late 1890's, when Arana organized the first public demonstration openingly decalring Basque Nationalism. In 1895, Arana formed the Basque Nationalist Party, which waws an underground independence movement. He is also responsible for writing the Basque National Anthem, "Gora ta Gora". It is not hard to understand why the Basque people have such a strong nationalistic attitude toward the preservation of thier customs that have such deep foundations. Victor Hugo said "The Basque language is a country, almost a religion" during one of his visits in 1843 (Kurlansky, The Basque History of the World. pg. 308). The ETA, an organization of activists that are still fighting for the right to hols onto the old customs and traditions, engages in many terrorostic activities in order to preserve these traditions.
Having visited Bilboa, which is in the Basque region of Spain, I found it to be a much more peaceful area than I had originally expected. I would attribute this to the radical cahnges that the city has undergone in recent years, such as the construction of the Guggenhiem Museum, bringing a new found wealth to the area; while at the same time providing a variety of jobs. The city was also undergoing the consrtuction of an underground tunnel linking the city in the valley to the airport on the outskirts of town, providing a more direct route for travelers. I also found the Basque people to be very friendly, despite the obvious language barrier. It would seem prudent in a time centered around progressive change, that a region, such as the Basque, should be able to exist under whatever form of government that protects such an ancient tradition; especially the language, which is a big part of that tradition. They should not be forced to speak one universal language at the whim of a leader such as Franco. However, like most activists, the nationalist in the Basque region often resort to extreme measures in order to get attention and ensure the preservation of their nation, which they considr to be seperate from the rest of Spain. It is for this reason that Bilboa almost feels like a different country thatn the reat of Spain, because the way of life in Bilboa is very deviant from that of Madrid, Barcelona, and even Toledo. It would seem the equivalent to this would be if the United States owned Canada and someone went from New York to Philadelphia, and then on to Tronto; every city has its own little variences on tradition however, Toronto would feel like a separate country unto itself due to the different dialect as well as customs that do not coincide with that of the rest of the country.

2001-04-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Upon arriving in Spain, one of the questions I asked myself was: How would the city of Madrid compare to Philadelphia? At first I felt as though the amount of history present in Madrid was much more dense. Due to the age of the city and the thousands of years of history present within Spain's culture, Madrid seemed to be a virtual museum unto itself. The first thing that struck me was the arches outside of Puerta de Toledo that were brought over by the Greeks and signified the gateway to the city. It felt as though Philadelphia for example, didn't have anything that could compare to the majesty of such architexture with a deep historical meaning. Perhaps this is because our country is only just over 200 years old and there just isn't that kind of history indigenous to our area. However, just the other day I was in Fairmount Park and it struck me that although there aren't as many historical sculptures and evidence of history, there is comprable statues, sculptures, and buildings that hold a significant historical meaning. The are in and around the Art Museum, including the Museum, is also a source of the history and development of one of the most significant cities in the United States. From the coblestone to the parks, Philadelphia has many of it's own attractions comprable to Madrid. On that level there is not a huge difference between the cities, which is why I felt quite at home walking down the streets of Madrid. However, there is a significant difference between the cultures of the two cities. In Madrid, the people seemed to have a deeper understanding of culture because no matter where you go you are imersed in histoy and customs. This is not to say that people in Philiadelphia aren't cultured, it's just in a different manner. People indigenous to Philadelphia did not suffer the atrocities of fuedalism or the hundreds of years of constant war. For this reason are culture is vastly different then that of Madrid's culture. Another aspect of significant difference I found was the language spoken. It seemed that many of the people I met in Madrid, and Spain in general, could speak at least two languages fluently. I attribute this to the fact that because the neighboring countires are so close, and they have influenced the development of Spain, there is more of a need to be alble to communicate with people from various cultures who have different dialects. There is not one universal language such as English which is spoken throughout our country. Most of the people in Madrid could also speak English to a degree, this I also attribute to the need to communicate with Americans who are many times ignorant of the native dialect of people who reside in Spain. In America we expect people to be albe to speak our universal language, which is present from the East Coast to the West Coast. This also does not hold true in Spain because not only do dialects shift from city to city depending on the location and the influence present within the culture, Bilboa for example, has an entirely different dialect known as Basque, which is one of the oldest forms of language still in active use today. Dialects within the United States also shift to an extent as you move about the country, where you get variations of the English language. However, this is just a slight adaptation of English where the individual, depending on location, may have a different accent. This is to say that there are different inflections used in pronouncing certain words; such as the southern draw, or the infamous Bostonian inflections on certain words. If one knows English they will have no problem understanding these different accents and shifts in dialect; whereas in Spain, not all Spanish speaking people can speak the Basque language or even the dialect used in Barcelona where words are different than they are in Madrid. Although the two cities of Madrid and Philadelphia are very different, as well as the other cities in Spain; Barcelona, Toledo, and Bilboa, there are some similarities present. The United States is not as culturally challenged as some may think however, there is a significant distintion between the kind of culture we have and the culture within Spain.

2001-04-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

As I was searching for the answer to my first question, I found that my view concerning the religious and political aspects of the Spanish architexture, especially the cathedrals was also shared by Adam Ruskin. He gave birth to the idea of asthetic socialism in which he created a thesis regarding the political and religious aspects of the construction of the cathedrals. It was his opinion that Gothic architexture was the greatest ever done, he believed it pulled the community togetherfor the glory of God.
On the other hand he felt that with the advent of the industrial revolution, as well as the birth of capitalism, which created the monotonous factory work, was done simply for the benefit of money and the advancement of individual wealth. In this case Ruskin and I agree that the industrial revolution and capitalism were simply for the advancement of the individual and private property. However, it is prudent to think that the massive cathedrals were constructed with the pure ideals of the enlightenment and the glory of God. When Gaudi constructed the Casa de Familia, the holy family's cathedral in Barcelona, I do not think he did it for his own advancement of wealth or glory, but instead for the benefit of the people whether they were peasants or rich aristocracy. Instead the people in positions of power used such cathedrals for their own benefit and lavish living styles. This is a discredit to an extent of what such beautiful inspired creations, such as Gaudi's cathedral and even Escorial.
Escorial was perhaps one of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen and I can't imagine that it was built simply to house the rich and powerful. It is hard to stand inside the walls of the monestary and not think that there is a higher power present in the universe. With that feeling, it would be arrogant of me to think that that was simply constructed to house the leaders of the time who simply used it to marvel at their own wealth, while in the meantime they were subjecting the lower classes to a rigid poor existance. The lower calsses were not meant to live in poverty while the Kings and Dictators lived a lavish lifestyle within the walls of a monestary that was constructed for the glory of God and thus; it was meant for the benefit of all people, a place were they could come together and rejoice in their faith.
There can be some comfort in the integrity of these structures today since they are open to the public. Now anyone can have the benefit of being exposed and emersed in the beauty of these structures as well as the tremendous sculptures and artwork within. They are finally being used for the good of the people rather than helping a ruler hold power over persecutted lower class societies. If these works of art are not inspired by God or a higher power, then it is hard to imagine what is. The massive amount of dedication talent and actual labor that went into the construction of these buildings should be something that is for everyone to experience; you definitely walk away from those palces with a different outlook on life itself. I wonder if mankind can ever overlook our own selfishness and drive for power and actually use these structures to come togehter for the benefit of all people and not just the priviliged classes; we have taken a step in the right direction in Spain, but it's time to take a long hard look at our own country if we want the idea of peace to ever take hold.

2001-03-27T11:20:00.000-08:00

Since I have returned form Spain it is quite evident to me how different Europe is in comparison to the United States. While in Spain I asked myself many questions however, they all seemed to revolve around a more central question which is; Why were such marvelous structures built in a time when society was not as technologically advanced as ours, was it for the glory of God from a religious aspect, or was it only to enhance and strengthen the government and political structure of Spain? These two seem to interrelate since the construction of these cathedrals as well as many of the paintings which hold significant political and religious implications were done at a time when there was not a separation between church and state. These are the ideas and questions that I will explore within the contents of this journal over the next couple of weeks.

2001-02-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

This is my first entry in my journal that I will be keeping while exploring Spain and its vast culture and historical monuments.