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Almeria
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Almeria city Information
The city of Almeria stands at the centre of the bay of the same name,
surrounded by mountain ranges that help shelter it from the north winds
and give it a certain appealing isolation. It has approximately 155,000
inhabitants, spread around the city centre and the different districts.
Thanks to its location on the coast, the people of Almeria and its visitors
can enjoy the great number of beaches around the area of the city itself
and its suburbs.
Taking a stroll through the streets of Almeria, one can see at a glance
the mixture of modern constructions and those buildings erected in previous
eras. In spite of the sometimes uncontrollable hasty urban development,
Almeria still conserves its typical corners, old streets and pleasant
squares. One of the most outstanding historical constructions is undoubtedly
the Moorish Alcazaba (citadel), standing on a hill overlooking the city.
Its construction began in 995 under Abderraman II, at the time of the
Caliphate of Cordoba, and it was completed under Hairan, petty king
of Almeria in the 11th century. It is divided into three sections, and
has such important features as the Keep, the Towers of Justicia and
Los Espejos, the Espolon bastion, and the Christian constructions of
the Hermitage of St. John the Evangelist and the Tower of La Vela. Thick
walls with large towers spread away from the citadel across the valley
of La Haya as far as San Cristobal hill. Work began on the Cathedral
in 1524, after the previous one was destroyed in an earthquake in 1522.
Its unusual appearance of a cathedral-cum-fortress is due to the continual
attacks by berber pirates. The façade has four towers made from
large blocks of stone, and even the apse is in the shape of a polygonal
tower. It was built in the Renaissance and Gothic styles, although there
is also a mixture of Baroque and the Neoclassical. other important features
include the two portals, the transept, the sacristy, the main altar
and the different chapels, as well as the choir and the retrochoir.
The cloister was built in the 18th century in the Neoclassical style,
and the cathedral itself contains valuable paintings and sculptures
by important artists from the 16th - 18th centuries.
In Almeria one may also visit the Churches of San Juan, St. James the
Elder, San Sebastian, San Pedro and the Shrine of Santo Domingo. The
Church of San Juan was built over the main mosque (whose mihrab is still
conserved), located in the La Almedina area, and its portal is made
of dressed stone. The Church of Santiago was built towards the middle
of the 16th Century and has a Plateresque portal and a Romanesque tower
which rises to a height of 55m. Construction began on the Neoclassical
Church of San Sebastian towards the latter half of the 17th century,
and the Church of San Pedro was begun a century later. The Shrine of
Santo Domingo also dates from the 17th century and conserves the image
of the "Virgen del Mar", the city's patron saint.
The Churches of the Convents of Las Puras and Las Claras are also interesting
to visit. The former has a Mudejar tower, a Renaissance portal and Baroque
altars (17th C), whereas the latter has a Baroque lantern and a Plateresque
portal (18th C). The Provincial Hospital was built in the middle of
the 17th Century, and more recent constructions include the Circuito
Mercantil (Trade Centre) and the façade of the Town Hall.
Apart from the previously mentioned monuments, Almeria has some beautiful
areas within its old town. The area of La Almedina offers its typical
narrow Moorish streets, and one can enjoy the peace and tranquillity
of the squares of Bendicho, Careaga and Campomanes, all located close
to the Cathedral, not to mention the Old Square (now known as the Plaza
de la Constitucion) which has archways and colonnades. A trip around
the city would be incomplete without a visit to Las Tiendas street,
the Purchena Gate, the Paseo de Almeria the Nicolas Salmeron Park. In
La Hoya, behind the Alcazaba, there is the "Rescue Centre for Fauna
in the Sahara", an experimental estate set up by the Department
of Scientific Research so as to protect those species of animals that
are in danger of extinction in their own habitat. The city also has
some interesting libraries, as well as the Provincial Archaeological
Museum. The latter, located in the Carretera de Ronda, is composed of
four large rooms which contain, amongst other things, prehistoric remains
found at Cueva Ambrosio and Los Millares, objects from the Iberian,
Greek and Punic cultures, and finds from the time of the Moorish domination.
As far as entertainment is concerned, apart from a great number of
pubs and night clubs, Almeria has a great deal of bars offering a wide
variety of "tapas", thus enabling the visitor to try a large
selection of local dishes. One of the most important times of the year
is the celebration of the Almeria Fair, held in the last two weeks in
August. There are sporting events, religious acts and bullfighting,
as well as Andalusian music and dancing which takes place in the numerous
"casetas" (tent-like pavilions) set up in the fairground.
Other interesting events include the Carnival celebrations with disguises,
street bands and processions; the Holy Week festivities, again with
processions; and the "Cruces de Mayo" (May Crosses), held
during the first three days in May.
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