Talavera de la Reina is a city and municipality in the western part of the province of Toledo, which in turn is part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha, Spain. It is the second-largest nucleus of population in Castile–La Mancha and the largest in the province. Its population of 83,793 makes it larger than the city of Toledo, although the latter remains the provincial capital. The city is settled along the river Tagus (Tajo in Spanish) at a broad bank. There are two islands in the center of the city called Isla Grande and Chamelo Island. The city is surrounded by two ranges of mountains, in the north the Sierra de San Vicente, and in the south Montes de Toledo. The city is divided in two by the river Tagus. The northern part is the larger and more populated; both parts are connected by four bridges, one of them built in the Middle Ages and the latest in the 2000s, The weather is continental; winter is wet and cold with dense fog in the mornings, and summer is quite warm. The area is very fertile with Mediterranean forests, elms, olive trees and corks. The city is internationally known for its ceramics, which Philip II of Spain used as tiled revestments in many of his works, such as the monastery of El Escorial. The nickname of Talavera de la Reina is 'The City of Pottery' (La Ciudad de la Ceråmica, in Spanish).
ORIGINS There are remnants of prehistoric cultures in the area. The village was founded by the Celts as a ford of the Tagus. The first mention of the city (with the name Aebura) occurs in Livy's description of a battle between the Romans and the Carpetanoi, a Celtiberian tribe. After the Roman conquest of Hispania, it was known as Caesarobriga, one of many Celtic toponyms preserved in Roman Hispania, with a name connoting "fortified" that was Caesarobriga served as an important center for agriculture and ceramics in the 3rd and 4th centuries BCE. During the Visigothic period, Talavera reverted to a variant of its Celtiberian name: Elbora or Ebora. Its modern name is derived from Talabayra, the Muslim rendering of this Visigothic name. The city was conquered by Muslim forces in 713 and conquered by Christian forces under Alfonso VI of Castile in 1083.
WHAT TO SEE The city's most outstanding monuments are the bridge of Santa Catalina; the Archiepiscopal Palace, baroque in style and from the 17th century, and situated in Plaza del Pan, the nerve centre of life for Talavera's residents; or the Cervantes college, with a Renaissance façade. There are a great many religious buildings, outstanding among which are the collegiate church of Santa MarĂa la Mayor, from the late 12th century and erected in the Gothic-Mudejar style, with a magnificent façade and tower and a beautiful cloister; the Mudejar church of Santiago, with Gothic influences; the basilica of the Virgen del Prado, a real museum of the famous glazed tiling of Talavera, built between the 16th and 17th centuries; and the Renaissance church of San Prudencio, from the 16th century.
THE ART OF TOLEDO Toledo was famous for religious tolerance and had large communities of Muslims and Jews until they were expelled from Spain in 1492 (Jews) and 1502 (Mudejars). Today's city contains the religious monuments the Sinagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the Sinagogue of el Transito, Mosque del Conde de la Luz and the church of San Sebastián dating from before the expulsion, still maintained in good condition. Among Ladino-speaking Sephardi Jews, in their various diasporas, the family name Toledano is still prevalent—indicating an ancestry traced back to this city (the name is also used among non-Jews in various Spanish-speaking countries).
In the 13th century, Toledo was a major cultural center under the guidance of Alfonso X, called "El Sabio" ("the Wise") for his love of learning. The Toledo school of Translators, that had commenced under Archbishop Raymond of Toledo, continued to bring vast stores of knowledge to Europe by rendering great academic and philosophical works in Arabic into Latin. The “Palacio de la Galiana”, built in the Mudéjar style, is one of the monuments that remains from that period.
Alfonso X called "El Sabio"
Santa Maria’s sinagogue San Sebastian’s church
The Cathedral of Toledo(Catedral de Toledo) was built between 1226–1493 and modelled after the Burgos Cathedral, though it also combines some characteristics of the Mudejar style. It is remarkable for its incorporation of light and features the Baroque altar called “El Transparente”, several stores high, with fantastic figures of stucco, paintings, bronze castings, and multiple colors of marble, a masterpiece of medival mixed media by Narciso Tomé topped by the daily effect for just a few minutes of a shaft of light from which this feature of the cathedral derives its name. Two notable bridges secured access to Toledo across the Tajo, the Alcántara bridge and the later built San Martín bridge.
The
Monasterio
de San Juan de los Reyes is a Franciscan monastery, 1477-1504,
built in
a
remarkable combination
of
Gothic-SpanishFlemish style with Mudejar ornamentation. The Burial of the Count Orgaz The gentleman with his hand on his chest. Toledo was home to El Greco for the latter part of his life, and is the subject of some of his most famous paintings, including The Burial of the
Count
Orgaz,
exhibited in the Church of Santo Tomé.
Edited by: Francesca Casonato Patricia Aceituno Díaz
T H E T H R E E C U LT U R E S OF TOLEDO
To l e d o h a s a l w a y s b e e n k n o w n a s t h e City of Three Cultures, with the coexistence of Jews, Muslims and Christians. In the city there were areas with more influence of each of them.
CHRISTIANS Christianity appeared in Toledo in the Iglesia de las Santas Justa y Rufina fourth century, and it stayed in the city since then. In the seventeenth century there were nearly seventy ecclesiastical buildings such as schools, hospitals or chapels. The oldest churches, as “la iglesia de las Santas Justa y Rufina”, were remodelled several times, according to the needs of their patrons. After the nineteenth century, many of these buildings started to have civilian uses, private or administrative.
ARABS The urban structure of Toledo is Arabic, with narrow streets. There were 12 mosques, which accommodated only the male inhabitants of the city. The Alcázar and the current Museum of Santa Cruz are part of the Arabic heritage, and they were used to separate the citadel from the rest of the city. The most common Arab structures were the use of brick, masonry, arches, the wooden ceilings and rich plasterwork, used in all types of buildings. Some constructions such as the Alfonso VI doors or the Vado have Arab structures.
JEWS The Jewish part of Toledo has only two synagogues nowadays, meanwhile there were a total of ten in the past. They were in the neighborhood called the Jewish Quarter, which goes from St. Martin in the vicinity of the Puerta del Cambrón to the remains of defensive constructions above the Puente de San Martín called the Castle of Jews. It included the Jewish Gate and the Commercial street. Trade was one of the main activities of the Jews, who lived above their shops and workshops.
Edited by: Adriana Apetrei & Delia Blázquez Cedenilla
Corpus Christi (8 weeks after Easter) Easter (March/April) Virgen del Valle (May 1st) Virgen del Sagrario (August 15th) Las Mondas (Talavera) Fiestas patronales (villages) Fairs
One of the most recognized festivities in the city of Toledo is the Corpus Christi, that was declared to have international touristic interest in 1980. The Corpus is celebrated the eighth week after Easter Sunday, just the following Thursday. During the Corpus there are numerous religious ceremonies, and streets are full with people.
Along with this festivity, there’s another really important for the city of Toledo and that is Easter. It is the second most important festivity, after the Corpus. Toledo is kind of a privileged place to celebrate Easter because of its long, narrow streets, and the mixture of cultures you can appreciate in the city. It all gives the celebration of
Easter a magic touch. The other two main festivities from Toledo (the
“Virgen del Valle” –a romeria- and the “Virgen del Sagrario” –in capital) are the
honour of the Virgin. La Virgen del Valle Las Mondas
Some of the main festivities from other places of the province of Toledo are: “Las Mondas” in Talavera, celebrated the first Saturday after Easter. This festivity has a very old origin, probably from the offering to pre-roman gods. Apart from that, the rest of the celebrations held in villages are their “fiestas patronales” or their festivities to honor their patrons, that are usually celebrated during summer. And there are also some fairs in bigger places (for example Talavera: San Mateo and San Isidro festivities)
Edited by:Martina Forest & Jessica Morante Aceituno
Dom茅nikos Theotok贸poulos TOLETUM
El Greco, whose complete name is Dom茅nikos Theotok贸poulos, was a famous painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. He was born in 1541 in Crete which was a city of the Republic of Venice, and he died in Toledo (Spain) in 1614 at the age of 73, so (this year, 2014) it is the fourth century of his death. He used to draw religious paintings in which Jesus appears.
History After he was born, he was living in Crete for twenty-six years, after those years, he moved to Italy and he was living there for ten more years . But in 1577 he migrated to Madrid. Then he moved to Toledo where he lived and he worked the rest of his life. His work is composed of big canvases for many churches and a lot of incredible portraits with the maximum level. Before going to Spain he painted many detailed paintings.
“The Cleansing of the Temple” At this moment San Agustín and San Esteban are burying Mr Orgaz with their own hands. The count of Orgaz caught up eternal life because he had certain virtues like charity or prayer to the saints. That’s why, Jesus and the Virgin were in the sky waiting for him.
“The gentleman with his hand on his chest” He painted it when he was already living in Toledo (Spain) in 1578. In this picture we can see a “gentleman” with his right hand on his chest. The position of the hand represents an oath. He wears elegant clothes and he is grabbing a golden sword with his left hand. Nowadays, we don’t know exactly who he is.
Edited by: Anna Borgolotto & Víctor de las Heras
MIGUEL DE CERVANTES Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered to be the first modern European novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written. His influence on the Spanish language has been so great that the language is often called “la lengua de Cervantes”. He was dubbed “El Príncipe de los Ingenios”.
BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE. It is assumed that Cervantes was born in Alcalá de Henares, a city about 35 kilometres from Madrid, probably on 29th September 1547. The probable date of his birth was determined from records in the church register and given the tradition to name a child with the name of the feast day of his birth. He was baptized in Alcalá de Henares on 9th October 1547 at the parish church of Santa María la Mayor
HIS MOST KNOWN PIECE: DON QUIJOTE DE LA MANCHA Don Quixote is two separate volumes, now nearly always published as one, that covers the adventures of Don Quixote, also known as “the knight or man of La Mancha”, a hero who carries his enthusiasm and self-deception to unintentional and comic ends. Don Quixote works as a satire of the romances of chivalry, which, though still popular in Cervantes' time, had become an object of ridicule among more demanding critics. The choice of a madman as hero also served a critical purpose, for it was "the impression of ill-being or 'in-sanity,' rather than a finding of dementia or psychosis in clinical terms, that defined the madman for Cervantes and his contemporaries. Indeed, the concept of madness was associated with physical or moral displacement, as may be seen in the literal and figurative sense of the adjectives eccentric, extravagant, deviant, aberrant, etc. The novel allows Cervantes to illuminate various aspects of human nature.
Edited by: Gloria Feltrin & Tomás Morell Llorente
Don Quijote route is made up by the different trips that Don Quijote, the character of the famous novel of Cervantes made.
There is an officially recognized touristic Don Quixote route that goes through 148 towns throughout its more than 2,000 km. of routes that cover a vast stretch of historical and livestock trails that are indicated with clear signs. The route is divided into 10 itineraries and 56 stages that unite the most important sites highlighted in Cervantes' masterpiece. The Don Quixote Route was distinguished in 2007 as a European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe.
The Don Quixote Route begins in Toledo, capital of Castile-La Mancha, and UNESCO World Heritage site
WHAT CAN YOU DO IN THE ROUTE? You have around 25 places to visit and around 4000 places to stay and a lot to do like different sports such as canoeing, climbing, etc. Whatever your reason for coming, you will not regret it! It is one of the most important attractions in the comunity. It attracts a lot of people to see their natural places in the route such as: Parque Nacional Cabaùeros (Ciudad Real y Toledo) y Parque Nacional Tablas de Daimiel (Ciudad Real) – six Natural Parks -Parque Natural Alto Tajo (Guadalajara y Cuenca), Parque Natural
Hayedo
de
Tejera
Negra
(Guadalajara), http://elingeniosohidalgo.com/ruta/ruta.html
Edited by: Anna Iseppi and Nacho Ochaita
M U S E O N AC I O N A L D E L P R A D O & DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ “El Museo Nacional del Prado” is one of the most visited museums in the world and hosts more than 50.000 examples of sculptures, paintings from different styles, ages and places from all around the world.
Diego Velázquez is one of the most well-known Spanish painters. His most famous paint is “Las Meninas”
Museo Nacional Del Prado The museum of El Prado is placed in El Retiro. It is one of the most visited and with more influence in the world. The museum has an enormous variety of the master pieces of the European greatest painters from the XVI to XIX century. For example, Velázquez, El Greco, Goya, Tiziano, Rubens, Murillo, Zurbarán, Tintoretto or Van Dyck among others. The building was first meant to be the Natural History Cabinet designed in 1785 by Juan de Villanueva to be placed along with the new way of thinking of the Enlightenment. It was first opened in 1819 and only hosted Spanish paintings. The collection of paintings is really big. Almost 3.000 are from the Royal Collection, more than 2.000 are from “El Museo de la Trinidad” and the rest are donations, sales and paintings from the Modern Art Museum.
Diego Velázquez He was born in Sevilla in 1591 and died in Madrid in 1660. In Sevilla he started to develop his paintings. Later, he moved to Madrid where he was proclaimed the official painter of the king Felipe IV and only four years later Velázquez was named painter of the chamber, the most important place among the painters of the court where he worked until his dead. He was in charge of painting the king and his family. He is one of the most famous Spanish painters and one of the most well-known around the world. His most famous painting is “Las Meninas”.
Edited by: Giulia Lisetto Ada Martínez de la Casa Fernández
Economy of Talavera
Talavera’s flag In the next pages you will find both historical and actual economy of the city. Because
of
its
proximity
to
Toledo,
Talavera
has
also been colonized by different cultures, and its economy has changed along the time.
Economy of Talavera HISTORICAL ECONOMY Talavera is, and it has always been internationally known
for
its
pottery,
used
for
example
in
the
monastery of El Escorial. Also,
the
textile
industry
was
considered
very
important, as well as its stock market, famous in the entire region. In fact, Talavera stands out for its own native sheep.
NOWADAYS ECONOMY As the city is situated in a humid zone next to Alberche and Tajo rivers, it has very rich and high quality crops, which are mainly vegetables, fruits (melon, watermelon and tomatoes), barley, etc. However,
nowadays
Talavera
has
become
one
of
the
most important commercial cities in the region, so it attracts people who live not only in villages near Talavera, but people living in other regions like Extremadura. To supply this demand, it has 3 shopping centers.
Edited by: Cristina Fernรกndez Aceituno and Francesca Lolli
Talavera’s pottery
Talavera de la Reina’s pottery objects have been found in recent archaeological excavations; some of them date back to the Roman Empire. Arabs brought to the city new techniques as well as a new style. Ceramics of Talavera have been used to make fountains; examples exist in Cuba and Brazil. Tiles for buildings have been made; some are in New Orleans, Tokyo and Paris.There are different kinds of pottery depending on the historical period, but the most typical is the one decorated with white and blue, simulating the official colours of the city.
Preparing to Throw The first step in the throwing process is wedging the clay. Wedging is a process of kneading the clay. Wedging is important because it gets rid of air bubbles that make it difficult to center the clay and keep it centered while throwing. To wedge the clay, cut off the desired amount from the block using the wire tool and knead it like kneading bread. Push down with the heels of your hands and then bring the sides of the clay toward the front.
Finishing Touches Dry the pot completely before firing it in the kiln. Bake the pot at about 1700 degrees Fahrenheit, then glaze it. Use wax to keep the glaze from the bottom of the pot. Glazes can-often do-run during the final firing, causing pots to stick to shelves. Once glazed, fire the pot again at about 2100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Drying and Trimming Allow the pot to dry until it is leather-hard. Center it on a trimming wheel or bat and use the trimmer to cut away the excess clay. This is also a good time to create a foot on the bottom or add initials or designs.
Throwing Place the clay in the center of the bat or wheel and begin spinning. Make sure the clay is wet. If it begins to feel tacky or sticky, add more water. Seal the clay onto the bat by running your fingers along the bottom of the clay where it meets the wheel or bat. Using your whole body to center the clay is crucial because your arms alone can wobble, making centering difficult. Keep your elbows against your hips, and push down on the top of the clay until it forms a disc shape. Pull the clay back up into a cone shape and repeat this step until the clay is centered.
Edited by: Camilla Chiruzzi Francisco Javier Alonso GutiĂŠrrez
The Tagus The Tagus runs trough Spain and Portugal. It crossesTalavera de la Reina, Toledo and other cities...
The Tagus (Spanish: Tajo), is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. It is 1,038 km long and it flows from Spain to Portugal where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean, near Lisbon. Several dams supply drinking water to Portugal and most of central Spain, including Madrid, while dozens of hydroelectric stations create power.
The Tagus The first town on the Tagus route is Sacedón. Below Aranjuez it receives the combined flow of the Henares and the Tajuña. Below Toledo
it
Guadarrama
receives river.
the Above
Talavera de la Reina it receives the Alberche. In Valdeverdeja is the upper end of the long upper reservoir, the Valdecañas damm beyond which are the Embalse de Torrejón, into which flows the Tiétar, and t he lower reservoir, the Alcántara Dam into which flows the Alagón at the lower end..-There is a canal and aqueduct between the Tagus and the Segura river.
GEOLOGY The lower Tagus is on a fault line. Slippage which has caused numerous earthquakes, the major ones being those of 1309, 1531 and 1755.
HISTORY The river also had strategic value for the Spanish and Portuguese empires, as it guarded the approach to Lisbon. For example, in 1587, Sir Francis Drake briefly approached the river after his successful raid at Cádiz.
The Tagus in song and Story Richard Crashaw's poem "Saint Mary Magdalene, or the Weeper" refers to the "Golden" Tagus as wanting Mary Magdalene's silver tears. In classical poetry the Tagus was famous for its gold-bearing sands (Catullus 29.19, Ovid, Amores, 1.15.34, Juvenal3.55, etc.).
Edited by: Veronica Furlán & Roberto Arenas
Myth of Cabeza del Moro In this ancient city situated in the River Tajo’s bank that dates back to Roman times, there are many myths and legends. Among them, one of the most famous is called myth of ‘’Cabeza del Moro.’’
In the street of ‘’Cabeza del moro’’ we can find a stone that stands on the tower of ‘’El
Polvorín’’. Since immemorial
times, people from Talavera have thought that this stone was a head of some ancient character.
Torreón ‘’El Polvorin’’ in the Ancient times and nowadays
There are many stories, but according
to
the
most
popular one, in the Arabian times,
the
Moorish
Stone of ’Cabeza del moro’’
dominated the city, or maybe newly conquered Talavera, lived a beautiful and noble Christian that fell in love with a Moorish. The girl’s father found out this relationship and decided to enclose her in an unknown place where the Moorish could not find her. Desperate, he walked around Talavera searching her, until one day, removing miraculously the stone of the tower of ‘’El Polvorín’’, appeared a prodigious garden. In the background of that paradise he found her. After a while, the young Christian’s father knew of the visit and ordered him to be beheaded. Many people believe that this head is from the Moorish, but in fact it is the head of a Celt boar that was sculped by the Celt village more than two thousand years before. So, this street, instead of being called ‘’Cabeza del moro’’, it should be called ‘’Cabeza del Toro’’. Edited by: Valentina Rossi and Cristina González Galán http://www.iespuertadecuartos.es/ http://www.itcgsansovino.it/
ART IN TA L AV E R A
Pottery The
city
is
internationally
known for its ceramics, which Philip II of Spain used as tiled revestments in many of his
works,
such
as
the
monastery of El Escorial. The nickname of Talavera de la Reina is 'The City of Pottery' (La Ciudad de Cerámica)
Basílica de Nuestra Sª del Prado It is a religious temple of catholic
debotion
and
debotion to the patron saint of the city. It is protected because it is a patrimony of cultural interest.
Plaza del Pan It was also known as plaza de Santa María, it is one of the only ancient places that has been rebuilt giving it a more regular shape.
Monument to the battle of Talavera It is formed by three monoliths one for each country that fought in the battle, in each monolith the names of the people who fought are written.
Roman Bridge It is the oldest bridge of Talavera, it is believed that it was built by the Romans but it is not for sure because there are not many remainings from that epoque.
Teatro Victoria Its fachade is famous because of the use of famous Talavera´s pottery. It was bought by the town hall and rebuilt in 1991.
Albarranas tower Originally there were 47 towers and the evidence points they were built in the XIII century.
Edited by: Jasmine Dallagnese & Daniel Martín Magán
BASÍLICA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL PRADO The Basilica of “Nuestra Señora del Prado” of Talavera' in the province of Toledo, is a religious temple of catholic worship under the Marian dedication of the Virgen del Prado, mistress of the city. Its regime of protection performs good of cultural interest. The sacred local character goes back, at least, to Roman epoch, when in this place, in the suburbs of the former Caesarobriga, there was a temple dedicated to protective deities of the agriculture and the ranching, as Pales and Ceres. In their honor they celebrated parties for those who, apparently, got down the current Cleanings. The place was made christian in the visigode period, when, according to the most widespread version, the king Liuva II gave to the city the primitive image of la “Virgen del Prado”. Already in the XVIth century, this building is replaced with other one of Renaissance style, which constitutes the most ancient part of the current construction (from the feet up to the grating of the presbytery). In this epoch its magnificence was already such that Philip II refers to it as the 'queen of the hermitages'. In 1649 Lorenzo of Saint Nicholas reforms it again with the addition of the current major chapel and its characteristic dome, all this under the Monk's direction, with what it acquires its current aspect. After the devastations caused by the French invasion, new reforms are done in 1855. In 1956, the Pope Pío XII signs a papal bulla granting that the image of the “Virgen del crowned canonically
Prado” is
Plaza de toros On the former square it was built the current one that makes honor to its
nickname
of “the capricious one” (La Caprichosa), being inaugurated on
September 19th, 1890. On 16th, May 1920
the bullfighter Joselito died there.
Fray Hernando de Talavera Fray Hernando (Talavera de la Reina 1428 -Granada 14th May 1507), was a Spanish monk of the Order of Saint Jerome, of converso origins. Around 1458, Fray Hernando graduated in Theology from Salamanca University, becoming a Prior of the Monastery of Prado, near Valladolid, Royal Confessor of the ruling Queen Isabel I of Castile (1452–1504). Hernando de Talavera was also a financial Administrator of Salamanca Bishopric, (1483–1485), Bishop of Avila, (1485–1492), and Archbishop of Granada, (1493–1507) the last conquered Moor Kingdom of Granada. According to the accusations raised against him by the Spanish Inquisition, Hernando de Talavera was the son of the Lord of Oropesa, province of Toledo, related to Great Master of the Military Order of Santiago, and the bastard son born out of a Jewish mother fathered by King Alfonso XI of Castle.
Jardines del prado The “Jardines del Prado” were made in the nineteenth century with the idea of a park that urbanized the road leading from the city wall to the Chapel of Nuestra Señora del Prado, declared a Minor Basilica in 1989. Considered an artistic set, follows the French model especially in its design, with some European influences and a Islamic garden.
Edited by: Randy Polotto and Mario Martín Muñoz
Plaza Del Pan & La Colegial
La Colegial “Colegiata De Santa María” is a catholic church located in Talavera de la Reina (Spain). It was built in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in Gothic-Mudejar style. It is declared of Cultural Interest. The origin seems to date back to Roman Times, when the city was called Caesarobriga, it was the forum and the temple of Jupiter. In visigoth times, it was probably the house of the Bishop. The plant is rectangular, with three longitudinal aisles topped by polygonal apses without transept. The three sheds are covered by cross vaults with “terceletes” in the central shed.
In this church it is developed the poem of the canon of the Collegiate, included in “ El libro de Buen Amor” By Juan Ruiz, Hita archpriest .
Plaza del Pan Its origin is linked to the city itself, since it was the ancient Roman Forum. Its shape is rectangular and in the center is a public space with fountains made by Ceramic. BUILDINGS
MERCY HOSPITAL
TOWN HALL
OLD TOWN HALL Edited by: Eva Dall´Armellina and Mario Sánchez Camacho
Talavera de la Reina’s history.
Talavera de la Reina is a town situated in the Northeast of the Iberian Peninsula. It is in the province of Toledo in Castilla-La Mancha. It is the biggest town in the province of Toledo and the second biggest in Castilla La Mancha. It is crossed by the river Tajo.
Talavera de la Reina
Talavera through ages. Prehistory: It was inhabited by the vetons and
Modern Ages: Between the XV and XVI
the town was known as Casaeróbriga. Even
centuries Talavera became really popular
though there is not too much information
thanks to the pottery. (examples: Monasterio
before the Roman Empire there are some
de San Lorenzo del Escorial, la Catedral Vieja
remains from this time like “El berraco en el
de Salamanca o la Iglesia del Real Monasterio
Torreón” known as “Cabeza del Moro”.
de Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas en
Ancient history: Casaeróbriga was the principal
Burgos). The town was also famous thanks to
township in Hispania and the capital of “El
the “Real Fábrica de Seda” that gave work to
Convento Jurídico de Augusta Emérita”. It was
4000 workers and kept working for a century.
an important economic and political center of
XIX Century:Battle of Talavera: on the 27th and
the
for
28th of July in 1809 there was a battle
communication but also a great point for the
between the English-Spanish troops and the
trade mostly of grapevine and cereals.
French ones produced in Medellín´s Hill.
Middle Ages: The Visigods arrived as well as
Thanks to the General Arthur Wellesley the
Christianism: Liuva II gave the statue of “La
French were expulsed to the other side of the
Virgen del Prado” as a gift to the town making
Alberche river.
“Las Mondas” the new spring festivity. The
With the appearance of the railway Talavera
muslims arrived in 712 providing the town a
became one of the most populated cities in
barrier, fountains, and mills and the city
the middle of the peninsula.
Talavera was maintained muslim till 1113.
XXICentury:Talavera is now one of the biggest
After being reconquered in the kingdom of
cities of Castilla La Mancha. (the second, after
Sancho IV, the king gave two farming festivities
Albacete). Talavera is well known in Spain
which are now the festivity of San Isidro in May
because of the pottery. Talavera nowadays has
and the festivity of San Mateo in September.
got lots of high schools, schools and a
region
and
an
strategic
point
university. It also has 3 theatres, 2 cinemas, a football stadium, 4 public swimming pools, one public library and lots of parks and green areas.
Edited by: ANNA PIOVESAN VÍCTOR PATO DÍAZ.
Celebrations in Talavera
Las mondas It takes place the Sunday after the Resurrection and it´s a very old celebration where Romans offered the first fruits of the season to the godess Ceres. Now it is cristianized and people offer different things like pottery or sweets to the “Virgen del Prado”. During the weekend there are many things like bullfights and bonfires near the Tagus river.
La Virgen del Prado It takes place the 8th of September and it is Talavera de la Reina’s patron saint.
Easter in Talavera de la Reina: It has a very important role in Talavera de la Reina.
Ferias de san Mateo They take place from 21st to 23rd of September where there are many attractions and parties and various famous singers and groups come to Talavera everyday.
Ferias de san Isidro They take place from the 15th to the 17th of May, and there are many attractions and parties and also singers come to Talavera everyday.
Done by Chanel Michielin and JesĂşs Prieto Herrero
M E R CA D I L LO D E SA N J E R Ó N I M O DAYS: FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
TYPE OF MARKET: MEDIEVAL
AND
HANDCRAFT.
PLACE: PLAZA
DE
SAN
AGUSTÍN (TALAVERA DE LA REINA)
TIME: FROM 11A.M. TO 9P.M
WEB: www.avsanjeronimo.es
GASTRONOMY:
MUSIC:
TYPICAL MEDIEVAL FOOD.
MEDIEVAL MUSIC ALL AROUND THE STREETS.
CRAFTWORKS:
TAVERNS:
RINGS, LEATHER BRACELETS.
TAKE A DRINK LIKE MEDIEVAL PEOPLE.
MEDIEVAL THEATRE
BOOK FAIR
EDITED BY: PABLO GÓMEZ CALVO & IRENE BARRO
Ruiz de Luna was a Spanish potter born in Noez (Toledo) the 12th of July 1863; he died the 25th of September 1945. Member of an
important
family
saga
of
potters and ceramists was the Antonio Ruiz de Luna and
Spanish
father of
grandfather of
Alfredo Ruiz de Luna. Part of his work is in the museum that bears his name. He was aware of the importance of Talavera pottery,
and
started
studying
and
collecting pieces. Finally in 1908 he set up
his
first
ceramic
workshop
"Ruiz
de
Luna and Gravel and Co.". Between 1927 and 1930 his work reaches its greatest fame. In 1997, the Museum of Ancient Ruiz Luna, deposited and made an exhibition of his private collection that was ceded to the city hall, moving to the old building of the Church of St. Augustine the Old in Talavera de la Reina.
MUSEUM Originally set in ancient ceramics workshops in the Plaza del Pan de Talavera de la Reina, after various avatars he moved to a new facility
in 1997.
The building consists
of two
architectural bodies: the old church and then high school of St. Augustine, with a brick facade of baroque Talavera work of Fray Lorenzo de San Nicolas; and secondly, the old convent. The Ceramics Museum Ruiz de Luna houses an important chapter in the history of Talavera pottery, from its Roman and Arab origins to the heyday in the fifteenth and sixteenth and most recent samples
of
the
nineteenth and
twentieth
centuries.
Some archaeological objects found in the excavations of the building are also on display. Museum Ruiz de Luna takes up in Talavera de la Reina an ancient Augustinian convent of the seventeenth century.
MUSEUM
INFLUENCE Nowadays we can still find craftmen making pottery like Ruiz de Luna made it. Such as pottery skulls, necklaces and bracelets, etc.
Edited by: Monica Bucciol Carlos VĂĄzquez GarcĂa
Fernando de Rojas
La Puebla de Montalbán
Talavera de la Reina
He was a Spanish author, politician and a humanist from the end of the XV century and the beginning of the XVI. He is known for his only surviving work, La Celestina.
Fernando de Rojas
was born in La Puebla de Montalbán (Toledo)
in 1470. Between the years 1490 and 1496 he studied law at the University of Salamanca, graduating around 1498. While at university he began writing
La Celestina
(originally titled “Tragicomedia de
Calisto y Melibea”). After leaving the university, he returned to the family home, where he practiced as a lawyer and where “La Celestina” was finally published (1499).
The work has been variously described as a drama, a dramatic poem, a dialogued novel, a novel-drama, and as a genre entirely of its own. It was never staged during Rojas's lifetime, but the majority of modern scholars consider it a drama. It describes a love affair, with much bawdy and comic detail, before a tragic ending. The scholar Dorothy Severin has written that it may be considered as either the last Spanish work of the Middle Ages or the first of the Renaissance. In 1530 Rojas was named mayor of Talavera de la Reina and he married into another converso family. His wife was Leonor Ă lvarez de MontalbĂĄn. They had four sons and three daughters. He died in 1541.
La Celestina La Celestina (as it is usually called after the leading character, though also known as the Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea or in English the Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea). The story is about a nobleman Calisto who falls in love with Melibea, the daughter of a rich merchant. Calisto's servant Sempronio suggests they get the sorceress Celestina to further the romance. However, Calisto's other servant Parmeno is suspicious of Celestina, as he knows about her tricks. After Celestina convinces Melibea of Calisto's love and arranges a brief clandestine meeting between them, Calisto gives Celestina a valuable chain of gold. Both servants are not satisfied with the whores supplied by Celestina and demand more from her, thus setting off a dramatic sequence of events.
Edited by Debora Zaccaria and Ainoa Paredes Plaza
La Celestina
La Celestina is one of the most important literary works of the Spanish literature. It established the bases of the realistic drama and novel. La Celestina was partially written by Fernando de Rojas in the sixteen century because he found the work started by an anonymous author so what he did was to finish it. Rojas set up the tragicomedy.
The story takes place during the Prerenaissance, this literary work is characteristic because of the introducing of actions or situations that in this age were never thought of. In “La Celestina” stands out that the main characters, Calisto and Melibea, have sex before being married, or another innovation is the scene of Melibea´s suicide after having lost her love because Calisto dies.
Story The story begins when Calisto sees for the first time Melibea and he falls in love with her. He is helped by Celestina, who is an old prostitute that keeps a disorderly house. She manages to join the couple with a spell. When she does it Melibea falls in love with Calisto. He pays Celestina with a golden object and because of her greed Calisto´s servants kill her. Then, Calisto dies falling down from the stairs. Melibea, after confessing their affair to her father, jumps from the top of the house and dies too.
An international play Since 1940 there has been more than thirty different theatre adaptations. As a tribute to the author the last performance has been in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo). It has been performed in lot of different foreing countries such as UK, France, Italy. The next 7th December we are going to see it performed in Almagro.
Edited by: Laura Isola & Laura Sánchez Toribio
GREDOS’ VILLAGES
MADRIGAL DE LA VERA Madrigal de la Vera is a municipality in the Spanish region of La Vera. Madrigal de la Vera is still preserved in the upper part of the village. Examples of verata style are reflected in their mud and halftimbered houses. It is very visited by tourists, both at Easter and in the summer months. At Easter by its traditions (processions, masses, ...) And in summer Alardos Gorge is a place to enjoy.
POYALES DEL HOYO Poyales is a municipality in Spain belonging to the province of Ávila. It has a population of 579 inhabitants. Part of the county of Arenas de San Pedro. It has a river, Arbillas which is the largest and is very popular in summer. Its church "Our Lady of Grace" is the most outstanding Gothic building. It stands out the museum "Bees Valley" for its way of showing the life of the bees. Other sites of interest are the artisan workshops and the Toy Museum "Gigantea".
EL RASO El Raso is a village in the municipality of Candeleda, in the province of Ávila, autonomous community of Castile and León. It has a population of approximately 600 inhabitants. One of the most distinctive things about the Raso is the Celtic castro.
CANDELEDA It is a village located in the province of Ávila, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The municipality has a population of 5,213 inhabitants. The village celebrates the festival and processions in honour of the town's patron saint, the Virgin of Chilla which are very famous
VALVERDE DE LA VERA Valverde de la Vera is a village in La Vera , located in the East. It includes the castle of the Counts of Nieva and the Catholic parish church under the patronage of Santa María de Fuentes Claras. In this village “Los Empalaos” are very important, we can see them on Thursday, at Easter. They are men who wear a helm made with chestnut. Their arms are bandaged tightly to the cross, including the torso. A crown of thorns, two swords on their back and a veil. They go barefoot through the village and kneel before every cross to pray. Edited by: Elena López Vigón and Giulia Biral.
Las Cuevas del Águila. Las Cuevas del Aguila are in Arenas de San Pedro 80 km from the city of Avila. They are 9km from the first village and 4km from Ramacastañas Neighbourhood, in the depths of Valle del Tietar (in the South slope of the Sierra de Gredos). These caves are located at 400 or 500 meters on the level of the sea. The geologic agents model the landscape. The water dissolves soluble rock enlarging fracture and forming holes. Later, with the help of other factors the different chalky formations are created. There are many stalactites, stalagmites and sediments, which are produced because of water circulation and finally underwater rocks, for example the pearls predominate .The cavity is developed on chalk. We can go down to 20 meters. The cave´s surface is 10.000 square meters. The temperature is 20 degrees. It has a big diversity of colours. Predominating the white, though in many occasions it is contaminated. The iron tinges with yellow, orange, red and brown. The manganese tinges with grey, bluish grey or black. And finally the clay and the mud give the red.
Discovery The Cuevas del Águila (Eagle caves) were discovered on Christmas eve (24th December ) in 1963 by a group of five children that were walking on the mountain. The children saw that water vapour was going out from a hole on the hill. Instead of staying still, the children went into the cave with ropes and a flashlight. After they dragged themselves several meters they arrived at a big room, they had discovered the Cuevas del Águila (Eagle caves) They were lost for five hours until they found again the exit of the caves. They told about their discovery to the authorities, the experts and the people of the village. They were opened to the public on July 18, 1964. The current aspect is dated in approximately 12 million years, with spectacular formations in his great room of approximately 10.000 m2, and his temperature in the interior is constant all the year round, having an average of 20 degrees Celsius. http://grutasdelaguila.es/
Edited by: Israel Abellán and Ilaria Bianchin