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SOLTIMES FEBRUARY 2013
...remember to say you saw it in the SOL TIMES
THE SPAINIAC | Catedral de Burgos | Candice Parsons Strategically located in the heart of Burgos city, Catedral de Burgos, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, stands as Spain’s third-largest cathedral. Initiated under the reign of King Ferdinand III of Castile by the English-born Bishop of Burgos - Mauricio, the cathedral’s construction first began in 1221 on the site of a former Romanesque church. From here, the chevet in the east end of the cathedral took nine years to complete. Construction of the cathedral resumed after a hiatus of around 200 years, and then carried on for more than 100 years until it was finally completed in 1567. Notable for taking a total of three centuries to complete, along with its impressive mix of Europe’s most creative artists, architects and craftsmen involved, Catedral de Burgos has imprinted a distinguished presence in not only the Castile and León region, but in Spain as a whole. Reminiscent on Castile’s first kings, the triumphant and soaring steel-grey spires above the sculpted
balustrade of the cathedral can be seen from almost any point within Burgos city. The various artistic influences from Germany, France and other eastern Europe countries that form the flamboyant gothic-style of the cathedral is evident through the cathedral’s unusual features, such as its Latin cross shaped floor-plan, its Jesus human-animal composite crucifix, the Golden Staircase, and the statue of Papamoscas that opens its mouth each hour that the bells ring. The striking architectural intricacy and design of the cathedral summarises the history of Gothic art style through its unique collection of stained-glass windows, reredos, annexes, paintings, tombs and choir stalls. Also known as Catedral de Santa María, the site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Catedral de Burgos has been described by Frommer’s travel guides as one of Spain’s best cathedrals, and with its extravagant depiction of both art and history, the cathedral has increasingly attracted more and more tourists to the city of Burgos, often to see purely the site itself Candice Parsons is a writer and avid Spain and Spanish culture lover from Melbourne, Australia. ‘Like’ my Facebook page: www.facebook. com/pandemicrhapsody and follow me on Twitter @MiLlamoCandi
LEGAL CORNER WITH MICHAEL DAVIES, ABOGADO/SOLICITOR
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Q: DO I NEED A SPANISH WILL
A:YES...and here’s why... 1. Your estate will be left to the people of your choice and not to those determined by law 2.You can mitigate inheritance tax by planning the distribution of your estate. A will can be the single most cost-effective document you will sign during your lifetime. 3. You will have the peace of mind of knowing that things are in order for your heirs and that your heirs will not end up dealing with a complicated and costly procedure in a foreign country. I like the challenge of complicated inheritance work but we will never stop insisting that all our clients should make a Spanish will. Since setting up office in 1993, I have been surprised by the amount of people who have come to ask whether it is convenient to make a will in Spain concerning their Spanish assets. The answer to this is most definitely yes. In England if you do not make a will, then the law has rules, which will determine the distribution of your assets. These rules could mean that your assets are distributed in a way very different from what you would have liked. In Spain the situation is the same, with an additional factor. Your heirs will have to deal with a foreign language and legal system. All the more reasons to leave everything as organised as possible. Some people include their Spanish assets in their English will. This is legally binding, but to obtain probate in Spain, it will be necessary for the will to be translated and legalised. This is a long and costly procedure. My advice on the subject is to have two separate wills, one in England for your English assets and one in Spain for your Spanish assets. Drawing up a will in Spain does not take long and is not expensive, and will definitely save your heirs a lot of time, problems and money. Your Lawyer will draw up a rough draft, and then he will make an appointment at the notary to sign the final document. One copy is sent by the notary to the central register in Madrid. He will hold on to the original copy. You will be given a copy that I suggest you inform your heirs and lawyer in England about, and then put it in the bottom drawer, with the peace of mind of knowing that everything is taken care of. At Davies Solicitors we will listen to your wishes and advise you on the most tax efficient way of dealing with your Spanish estate. We will explain in detail the tax implications of your decisions for your heirs and ways to deal with it.We will prepare a will in both English and Spanish for signature and in general we will provide you the peace of mind of knowing that everything has been left organized for your heirs. Please call or email us for an appointment Michael Davies is a Spanish Abogado and has been practicing law in Almería since 1993. He is member of the Law societies of Almería and Madrid and has offices in Mojacar and Almeria High Street.