Sights Almeria, Spain

Handicraft Industries, stables for horseback riding, Arab towns with unique color of narrow streets, shops and tavernas, modern white hotels - all for those who want to visit Almeria. Lovers of leisure will be pleased with yachts, sailboats, aqualung, tennis courts, golf clubs, swimming pools.

During the Roman domination Almeria called Portus Magnus - the Great port. Captured the town of Arabs called it Espejo Del Mar - "Mirror of the Sea. It was one of the most important ports of southern Spain. In 1489 the Catholic Kings Ferdinand and Isabella Almeria attached to the possessions of the Spanish crown. In 1522 the Spaniards destroyed the old mosque - Almedina, and in its place on the project one of the major architects of the time Diego de Siloe began to erect a magnificent Cathedral. Today it is one of the main attractions of Almeria. In the old cathedral termed Cathedral-Fortress (Catedral-Fortaleza): for its mighty walls in case of invasion by the Turks and Berbers could shelter the entire population of the city. The Cathedral was built in the spirit of the late, decadent Gothic style.

Another gem is La Alcazaba of Almeria - the ancient Moorish fortress with a mighty round towers, built in the VIII. with Emir Abderrrahmane I on the hill of San Cristobal. This is the most complete and well-preserved monument of Moorish fortress architecture in Spain. The fortress is situated at a height of 91 meters and is visible far from the sea. From this height a magnificent view over the entire city. Once the garrison could be 20 thousand people. Numerous well-preserved city walls - dungeons, cellars, water tanks, barracks, etc.

Extremely curious monastery of Santo Domingo. It was founded immediately after the liberation of Almeria from the Moors by the order of the Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand, and his first buildings are 1490 - 1491 gg. In the monastery, among other attractions, kept a statue of Nuestra Senora del Mar - Sea of the Blessed Virgin, patroness of Almeria. For this reason, the monastery is a place of pilgrimage.

In the Archaeological Museum in Almeria exhibited many antiquities belonging to the days of Rome and Carthage, as well as extremely interesting numismatic collection.

The city has many old baroque churches, some of them reconstructed from the Moorish mosque. Almeria is located in the arid zone, where less rain falls than even in the driest parts of Castile. This circumstance gives the impression of the surrounding landscape of biblical antiquity. Sometimes the landscape on the background of purplish-gray rocky deserts, devoid of vegetation, it seems altogether unearthly. Sun-scorched soil, cut the blue shadows of the mountain spurs, cactus, shrubs, coarse grass-alpha, covering the slopes, rivers with rocky beds of dried up, and rare home - all this creates the impression of a severe and even tragic. Nature here seems a wild and merciless to the man. Nevertheless, near the city are several seaside resorts. Here, along the Mediterranean Sea extends the so-called Carbon Beach (Playa de Carboneras) - a popular holiday destination.