Spain
Over the next three centuries, Spain became the most important colonial power in the world, establishing a vast empire in the Americas and western Pacific. However, Spain became involved in court intrigue in other European countries, finding itself in numerous wars that led to economic ruin.
The English defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and the war that continued until 1604 nearly destroyed the national treasury of Spain.
At The Top—The Monastery of Yuso in La Rioja, Spain
Construction of the Monastery of Yuso began in 1030 when Sancho el Mayor, reinventing the pilgrim path of Santiago, ordered Saint Millán’s relics be put on display to encourage prayer.
The construction of a new monastery at Yuso was because of a lack of space left available at the Monastery of Suso at the top of the adjacent hill.
The first literature produced in Castilian, from which Spanish is derived, was produced at Suso. In the early 16th century the community moved into the fine new monastery of Yuso, below the older complex, and today continues as a thriving community.ArchBuildingchurchCrossEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainStairsStepsTheToptravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through PhotographyReligionholy ground
Big Red Wall—Girona, Spain
During the 12th century, a Jewish community thrived in Girona, with one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in all of Europe.
The Kabbalah teachings intend to explain the relationship between the Creator, mortals and the universe. The Kabblah scriptures are not included as a part of the traditional Jewish scriptures.
Kabbalah doctrine is accepted by some Jews and rejected by other Jews as heretical and conflicting with Judaism.
The term Kabbalah is now the main descriptive term for Jewish esoteric knowledge.BalconyBarcelonaBuildingDoorEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHDRLamp PostPhotography by Gary RickettsSignSpainWindowBigRedWallCapturing History Through Photography
Bright Corner—Barcelona, Spain
According to legend, Barcelona was founded either by Hercules or Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal’s father, in 3BC. Around 15BC, the Romans took over the town as a castrum, a military defensive position.
In the 5th century, Barcelona was conquered by the Visigoths, and then by the Arabs in 711AD. In 801AD, Charlemagne's son Louis reconquered the city and made Barcelona a buffer zone between the Christian kingdoms of the North and the independent Muslim states, which held the rest of the Iberian peninsula until the Treaty of Granada in 1492.BalconyBarcelonaBuildingEuropeFlowerGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHDRLeavesPhotography by Gary RickettsSpainWindowBrightCornerCapturing History Through Photography
Church Tower—Haro, Spain
The Iglesia de Santo Tomás church main entrance was designed by Felipe Vigarny, a French born sculptor and architect considered one of the masters of Spanish Renaissance.The baroque tower was made by Juan de Raón in 1671, the first of its kind in the Spanish region of La Rioja.
The Catholic Parish Church of St. Thomas the Apostle sits on the second highest mountain in Haro, called La Mota or The Watchtower, making the church visible from many parts of the village and from almost anywhere on the outskirts of Haro.BalconychurchBuildingCloudsDoorEuropeFlowerGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHaroHDRPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainWindowTowertravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through PhotographyReligionholy ground
Ornate Ceiling—Barcelona, Spain
According to legend, Barcelona was founded either by Hercules or Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal’s father, in 3BC. Around 15BC, the Romans took over the town as a castrum, a military defensive position.
In the 5th century, Barcelona was conquered by the Visigoths, and then by the Arabs in 711AD. In 801AD, Charlemagne's son, Louis, reconquered the city and made Barcelona a buffer zone between the Christian kingdoms of the North and the independent Muslim states, which held the rest of the Iberian peninsula until the Treaty of Granada in 1492.BarcelonaBuildingCeilingEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHDRMuseumPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainStairsWindowOrnateCapturing History Through Photography
Pants and Pots—Hondarribia, Spain
Hondarribia, a town in northern Spain’s Basque Country, is also known by its Basque language name as Fuenterrabía which means “sand ford”. The border town sits on a promontory facing Hendaye, France over the Txingudi bay.
The first mention of the town are in documents dated 1150. City walls surround the town and in the old quarter is a 10th century castle built by the King of Navarre, Sancho Abarca, during the early days of the Christian Reconquista. During the wars between Spain and France, Napoleon stayed at the castle for quite some time.
Today, the medieval fortress is a hotel, with just thirty-six elegant rooms, providing splendid views of French coastline.BalconyBuildingDoorEuropeFlowerGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHDRHondarribiaPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainWindowPantsPotsCapturing History Through Photography
Through The Portal—Girona, Spain
Girona is a city in northeastern Spain on the Costa Brava, which is near the French border.
The Romans originally built Girona and its original city walls survived until the late 19th century when the walls were demolished, allowing for city expansion.
Girona’s history includes twenty-five sieges, during which it was captured seven times. In May of 1809, thirty-five thousand French Napolenoic troops besieged the town, which held out until December 12, 1809 when it was forced to capitulate because of disease and famine.ArchBuildingDoorEuropeGary RickettsGlassgrickettsgricketts.comPhotography by Gary RickettsSpainWindowThroughThePortaltravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through Photography
Top To Bottom—Girona, Spain Third Place 2014
EuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHaroHDRPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainStepsWindowTopBottomwinnerCapturing History Through Photography
Village Church—Haro, Spain
The Iglesia de Santo Tomás church main entrance was designed by Felipe Vigarny, a French born sculptor and architect considered one of the masters of Spanish Renaissance.The baroque tower was made by Juan de Raón in 1671, the first of its kind in the Spanish region of La Rioja.
The Catholic Parish Church of St. Thomas the Apostle sits on the second highest mountain in Haro, called La Mota or The Watchtower, making the church visible from many parts of the village and from almost anywhere on the outskirts of Haro.BuildingchurchCloudsEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHaroHDRPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainWindowVillagetravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through PhotographyReligionholy ground
Walking Home—Hondarribia, Spain Third Place 2012
Hondarribia, a town in northern Spain’s Basque Country, is also known by its Basque language name as Fuenterrabía which means “sand ford”. The border town sits on a promontory facing Hendaye, France over the Txingudi bay.
The first mention of the town are in documents dated 1150. City walls surround the town and in the old quarter is a 10th century castle built by the King of Navarre, Sancho Abarca, during the early days of the Christian Reconquista. During the wars between Spain and France, Napoleon stayed at the castle for quite some time.
Today, the medieval fortress is a hotel, with just thirty-six elegant rooms, providing splendid views of French coastline.Gary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugWalkingHomewinnertravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through PhotographySpainEurope
What Lies Beyond—Barcelona, Spain
According to legend, Barcelona was founded either by Hercules or Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal’s father, in 3BC. Around 15BC, the Romans took over the town as a castrum, a military defensive position.
In the 5th century, Barcelona was conquered by the Visigoths, and then by the Arabs in 711AD. In 801AD, Charlemagne's son, Louis, reconquered the city and made Barcelona a buffer zone between the Christian kingdoms of the North and the independent Muslim states, which held the rest of the Iberian peninsula until the Treaty of Granada in 1492.BarcelonaCeilingDoorEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHDRPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainStepsWhatLiesBeyondCapturing History Through Photography
Which Way?—Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is a city with two official languages: Spanish and Catalan. Both languages are used with Catalan the primary language in schools and offices. Road signs and other notices are usually bilingual.
Catalan is not a dialect of Spanish, which is often assumed by non-residents. Catalan is a Romance language dating to the 8th and 9th centuries .
Franco, the military dictator, banned the use of Catalan from 1939 to 1975, during which time, even telephone calls had to be in Spanish.WhichWayAlleyBalconyBarcelonaBuildingEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHDRLamp PostPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainStreet SceneWindowCapturing History Through Photography
Wine Rack—Haro, Spain
The wine barrels of the famous wine of La Rioja, one of Spain’s major wine-producing regions,
are stacked at Haro’s City Hall waiting for the annual Battle of Wine.
The Battle of Wine, La Battalla del Vino in Spanish, begins on the morning of St. Peter’s Feast day, June 29th. A procession, headed by the mayor who is on horseback, leads the citizens of Haro to a mountain chapel a short distance away where morning mass is held.
Everyone dresses in white with red scarfs, and carries jugs, bottles, wine bags, or any number of other wine filled containers. At the end of mass, everybody starts to squirt wine on each other until everyone is soaked.
Then, they all return to the town plaza to dance traditional dances.BarrelEuropeGary Rickettsgrickettsgricketts.comHaroHDRPhotography by Gary RickettsSmugmugSpainWineRacktravelvacationsightseeingrickettsCapturing History Through Photography
