City square of Valladolid, Spain (Photo © santiago lopez-pastor / www.flickr.com / Licensed CC BY-NC 2.0)
Valladolid is located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula and is interesting for its cultural and historical monuments, numerous museums and a great past. Many Spanish kings were born and raised here, Christopher Columbus died and the most famous Spanish writer, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, who graduated from Don Quixote in Valladolid, lived.
Top attractions in Valladolid
Most of the interesting historical sites is located in the city center, near the confluence of two main rivers - Esgeva and Pisuerga.
What to do in the cityValladolid?
RestaurantsValladolid: the best place to taste Castilian delicacies
The gastronomic tastes of Valladolid are mainly associated with Castilian cuisine. A privileged place is occupied by meat dishes. The most typical meal is roast lamb seasoned with water and salt and cooked in a wood-fired oven. It is followed by dishes of piglet, partridge, rabbit and quail, which are stewed or marinated. The cheese produced in the city is made from sheep's milk and has a strong flavor. Castilian bread is very popular.
- El Caballo de Troya. A tavern with a nice courtyard serving regional cuisine. The tourist is obliged to try the appetizer "ration" and assorted tasting dishes, as well as drink a glass of Spanish wine. Average check: 35 euros.
- Vinotinto. The restaurant specializes in meat dishes, it is very popular locals. Jamon Iberico is especially appreciated, which is very thinly cut and literally melts in your mouth. Average check: 27 euros.
- La Parilla de San Lorenzo. Located in the building of a former monastery, it specializes in Castilian cuisine - stews, steaks, bean garnishes. Average check: 30 euros.
Plaza of Valladolid, Spain (Photo from above © santiago lopez-pastor / www.flickr.com / CC BY-NC 2.0)
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Instead of hotels, you can book an apartment (1.5-2 times cheaper on average) on AirBnB.com, a very convenient worldwide and well-known apartment rental service with a bonus of 2100 rubles upon registrationValladolid is one of the most ancient and breathtaking places in Spain. A long time ago this city was the capital of the country, and even today you can find the remains of mighty fortresses and towers. Today, however, Valladolid has become a rather serious industrial city, and you will be charmed not only historical part but also modern architecture. If you want to spend an unforgettable weekend in one of the most interesting places of the Iberian Peninsula, feel free to go to a tour operator with a clear requirement: Valladolid (Spain). You will hear only positive reviews about this city, and if you dare to go there on vacation, make sure of this pleasant fact. So what to see in Valladolid? Read more about this.
Valladolid - a tourist center?
On the other hand, you may be confused by the fact that very few people actually know about Valladolid. This city does not have such a well-known reputation as a tourist center like Madrid or Barcelona, it is rarely mentioned in the news. For example, recently the Spanish Cup "Valladolid" - "Tenerife", that is, one of the matches of the country's football cup, where a game between a local team and representatives of our ancient residence of kings took place on one of the Canary Islands, has attracted attention to it. Valladolidtsy, by the way, lost.
In addition, you can learn a lot about the city if you are interested in the history of the sunny Iberian Peninsula. So, it was here that the residence of the kings of Castile was located, the heart for four centuries from the thirteenth century to the seventeenth. Accordingly, the remnants of a great culture and history simply fill the streets of Valladolid, leaving no inquisitive tourist in the world indifferent. Even despite the absence of a halo of tourist Mecca, this place attracts the attention of many travelers. If you don't know where to go, then this place will be a very good choice, and you will be able to brag to your friends for a long time that you have been to this city.
Where to stay?
So vacation. You have arrived at the final destination of the ticket indicating: Valladolid (Spain). The sights of the city will, however, not be your first point of travel, you should first settle in one of the many hotels. The latter, by the way, suit every taste and budget: from expensive five-star establishments that repeat the atmosphere of the charming Spanish Middle Ages to small and cozy rooms where anyone who does not have such large finances can settle.
Valladolid (Spain): description
When you figured out where to stay, you should proceed directly to the study of the city. For lovers of a more measured tourist holiday, there is a whole series of excursions during which you will be told and shown everything about the sights of Valladolid, but you have to pay for this. Often this makes budget tourists refuse excursions, so we will try to help you explore the city by telling you basic information about it. In addition, independent discoveries are always much more pleasant and better remembered than what some guide will tell you.
City center
The center of Valladolid is located along Santiago Street, walking along it will lead you to Mayor Square. Here is located most of the administrative and citywide buildings - the city hall, opposite it is the Val market. The square itself is surrounded by many buildings with beautiful arches, and it is this place that can be called the starting point for any tourist. Often the first day of the trip is completely spent on considering the architecture of the city center, buying souvenirs and visiting the malls. Nearby, right at your fingertips, there are cozy cafes where you can take a break from the bustle of the city for some time.
and palaces
If you have dealt with the city center, you can move on. One of the main and most important sights of Valladolid can be considered the Cathedral. This cultural and religious value began to be built in 1582, more than four hundred years ago, and has not been fully completed to this day. Entering this huge building, you can walk inside several exhibition halls of the city museum, located right in the cathedral, see, for example, many valuable relics, which include a large stone altar. It has not only religious value, but also cultural - made in the Baroque style, this altar attracts the attention of many professional art historians, not to mention tourists. Near the cathedral is the church of Santa Maria la Antigua, as well as the old Pimentel Palace, the former residence of the kings, and today the government is located there.
National Sculpture Museum
The imagination of tens of thousands of tourists cannot but capture the pinnacle of architectural creativity - National Museum sculptures. The building itself is already a masterpiece: unimaginable frescoes, many hand-decorated walls and ceilings - together with the high severity of the walls, more reminiscent of a fortress than a museum building. Inside, there are no less impressive collections of wooden sculptures, as well as frequently changing exhibitions, which will be interesting to see for any visitor to Valladolid.
Universities and schools
Another notable building worth seeing is the Universidad. Valladolid (Spain), whose photos of sights are presented in the article, is also famous for such monuments as the National Museum of Sculpture and the Cathedral, so do not miss the opportunity to see everything with your own eyes. A guide also leads tourists along the same route, telling in detail about all the sights. So, Universidad, as you can understand, even without knowing Spanish at all, is an old building of the university. It was opened more than five hundred years ago, and like any ancient monumental building, it attracts the attention of travelers. The facade of the building is decorated with symbols of sciences, thus giving it an unusual medieval poetry. Directly opposite the university is the school of Santa Cruz, like all the old buildings in the city - decorated with unique stone carvings.
Heritage of Castile
It is in Valladolid that a tourist can feel the depth and originality of the culture of Castile, the medieval severity of fortresses and Catholic cathedrals, see unique and exciting stone patterns on most ancient buildings that excite the imagination of any traveler. The Valladolids themselves are very sensitive to their cultural heritage, keeping some corners of the city since the early Middle Ages. Small, narrow streets seem to take us to the captivating baroque buildings for people who are accustomed to the gray landscapes of panel quarters, they will generally become some kind of revelation from above. Excursions in the city are carried out mainly along the same route as the order with which we described the sights of the city. And besides that, there is something to see here, history Center The city is literally dotted with large medieval mansions. There are dozens of magnificent churches and huge castles here.
Defeated and wingless Don Pedro Calderón de la Barca "The Defense of Terheiden"
Enemies of the Spanish Empire
Enemy forces scattered
But eternal radiance of glory,
which we acquired
Crowning a purple laurel.
Let the bronze tablets
Tell the world about it!
Fragment of the 3rd act of the play "The Siege of Breda"
Why go
How, aren't you interested in visiting the city that was the capital of Spain before Madrid? Not interested in seeing with your own eyes the palace in which the wedding of the Catholic kings Isabella and Ferdinand took place? Or the palace where King Philip II was born, who is famous for being
1. moved the capital from Valladolid to Madrid,
2. built the palace-monastery of Escorial and the palace complex in Aranjuez,
3. described in the book "The Legend of Thiel Ulenspiegel", and in Schiller's play "Don Carlos",
4. The Philippines was named after him in 1543,
5. won the battle of Lepanto and sent the Invincible Armada to destruction.
Isn't it interesting to see the cathedral, which, if completed, would be no smaller than St. Peter's? The house where Cervantes finished Don Quixote? The house where Columbus died? Not at all interesting? Well then, I don’t know how else to lure you there, then sit in Madrid And it’s worth going to Valladolid. In addition, Valladolid, as a major city and transport hub, is conveniently based for attacks in the northern part of Spain. And also, since there are much fewer tourists here than in Madrid, and the shops are basically the same, shopping is better here (it seemed to me so).
How to get there
We traveled by train from the Madrid Chamartin station. Travel time 2 hours 40 minutes. The ticket costs 25.40 euros for 1 person round trip. From the station to the Old Town, about 7 minutes on foot - you can see it, you just need to cross Columbus Square with a monument to him in the center
and walk along the park (Campo Grande) along Acera de Recoletos.
The tourist office is not where it is indicated in the guidebook (Calle Santiago, 19), but on this very Acera de Recoletos - at the end, on the left, such a glass pavilion. There is one more thing - a booth on the Plaza Mayor. There are 2 more machines of yellow color and incomprehensible purpose: one is across the road from the former royal palace, the second is on the Plaza Mayor, but they did not work, so they should not be taken into account. In addition, at the stop in front of the station and at the booth next to the Plaza Mayor, there big cards cities with sights.
Story
It is well known that the older the city, the more copies are broken by historians about the date of its foundation and the history of the name. Valladolid was no exception. Some say that the Romans founded the city and gave it a name consisting of two words: the Latin vallis - "valley" and the Celtic tolitum - "the place where the waters meet." (Roman mosaics from the surviving villas of the Roman patricians decorated the royal palace of Valladolid until they were transferred to the archaeological museum). Others say that the Roman settlement, although it existed, did not become a real city, and the Arabs founded the real city, giving it the name "Belad Valid", which means "City of Valid" (ruler). Valladolid was one of the first cities captured from the Moors back in the 10th century, and already in the 11th century, the king of Leon (then Spain was several kingdoms) Alfonso VI instructs Count Pedro Ansures to settle the territory near the Pisuerga River, which the first lord of Valladolid does - and successfully. In the city, under him, the churches of Santa María la Antigua and Colegiata de Santa María, palaces and a hospital were built (not preserved).
In 1208 King Alfonso VIII makes Valladolid a court city. Subsequent kings also welcome him and grant trade privileges, as a result of which the city grows richer, acquires significance and grows before our eyes - at the beginning of the 14th century, the Queen Regent of Castile Maria de Molina settled here for 30 years, rebuilding the Alcazar Palace (still Arab construction). As early as 1346, Pope Clement VI granted Valladolid the right to establish a University. In 1420, the future Grand Inquisitor Torquemada was born in Valladolid, about whom centuries later they will say “He was cruel as the lord of hell, Grand Inquisitor Torquemada!” After the fire of 1461, the city was badly damaged, but in the same year it created the first fire department in Spain, formed from 30 Moors, for which they were given the right to create a kind of Moor-town on the territory of a Christian city.
On October 19, 1469, the fateful marriage of Princess Isabella of Castile and Prince Ferdinand of Aragon took place in the Vivaria Palace, which, in fact, became the unification of Spain. They say that the marriage was secret, since the king of Castile did not give him his permission (there is also information according to which the marriage was concluded not without the participation of Torquemada, who was then the confessor of the princess). The bridegroom's retinue arrived in Castile disguised as merchants. In addition, since the bride and groom were close relatives (cousins), permission from the pope was required. Required document received retroactively, and historians still doubt whether it was genuine.
creepy antiresine picture
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ru/5/54/Iberiankings.jpg
After the completion of the Reconquista in 1492 (On the history of the Reconquista http://covadonga.narod.ru), the Catholic kings (as Isabella and Ferdinand began to be called) made Valladolid the capital of Spain.
During the uprising of the communeros in 1520 (in Spanish it sounds beautiful - la Guerra de las Comunidades de Castilla), the city joined (I note that not immediately) the flagship of the uprising - Toledo and the most influential cities of the country of Segovia, Salamanca, Avila and Guadalajara, and then turned into the capital of the rebellion in the north of the country. At the Battle of Villalar (April 23, 1521), the forces of Comuneros, led by Juan Padilla, were defeated, he himself and other leaders of the Junta were captured and executed.
Valladolid after that, oddly enough, the honorary title of the capital was not deprived. The city remained the capital until 1561, until it again suffered from a fire - almost the entire central part. King Philip II (born in Valladolid, in the Pimentel Palace, in 1527) first builds a new Plaza Mayor in the city center, which has become a model for all the squares of that time (including Madrid) for a good hundred years ahead, and then strikes the city Moves the capital to Madrid. For other great deeds of the king, see the section "Why go" at the beginning of the story. Valladolid again becomes a royal residence for a short period from 1601 to 1606, during this period of time Anna of Austria, the same one from the Three Musketeers, was born here.
During the infamous War of Spanish Succession, Valladolid took the side of Philip V. And then the city becomes not very noticeable and does not play a significant role in the history of Europe. I'm always a little sorry former capitals- there is a city in which life was once in full swing, and it is sad about its former greatness ...
Having walked along Columbus Square, past the Campo Grande park on the left, we went to Plaza Zorilla, where we saw a lush fountain (precisely lush - its jets are directed somehow unusually, voluminously) and the building of the Cavalry Academy (Academia de Caballeria),
more like a palace, with coats of arms and a dashing equestrian sculptural group at the entrance. But the installations scattered here and there attract more attention: a woman's head in a hat,
female head with enchanting hairstyle,
and across the street, a variation on Velasquez's Las Menin, five female figures in characteristic puffy skirts. The sculptural composition is called Las meninas.
Then I advise you to go straight, along calle Santiago, to the stern-looking church of the same name on the left side of the street, which, next to the shop windows (this is the central shopping street of the city), looks somewhat lonely.
Inside, take a look at the Adoration of the Magi (1537) by Berruguete.
If desired, on the next street on the right, you can visit
House of Cervantes (Museo casa de Cervantes)
In general, there is an amazing connection between Alcala de Henares and Valladolid: Cervantes was born in Alcala, lived in Valladolid for several years and published his most famous book. In Alcala, Christopher Columbus was first received by the Catholic kings Isabella and Ferdinand, in Valladolid he died. Both in Alcala and in Valladolid, colleges were opened with the money of the Mendoza family ...
College of the Holy Cross
From the Columbus House Museum to the college, follow calle Colon, then follow calle Cardenal Mendoza. The construction of the beautiful Renaissance building began in 1486, designed by Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia, and was completed in 1491. It is believed that this is the earliest building of the Spanish Renaissance. The college was founded and financed by Cardinal Mendoza (for the history and significance of this family in Spain, see Guadalajara). The college was the largest cultural center of the Middle Ages and had the richest library. Until now, the library collection has preserved 520 manuscripts, 355 incunabula (primary printed books) and 13 thousand various editions of the 16th-18th centuries.
The college building is believed to be the earliest Spanish Renaissance building in existence. It is noticeable that the facade is a little asymmetrical - maybe there was another doorway to the right of the entrance? Connoisseurs of architecture note, however, that the same architectural technique was used by Vasquez in the construction of the palace of the Dukes de Medinaceli (Medinaceli) in the town of Collogudo near Madrid (the dukes were one of the branches of the Mendoza clan, therefore, we can assume that Vasquez was the architect of the “family” ).
The portal above the entrance is plateresque, but much simpler than the façade of the Church of San Pablo. The courtyard of the college is surrounded by a three-story arched gallery decorated with stone carvings, but it is simpler than the carvings in the courtyard of the palace of the Dukes of Mendoza in Guadalajara. Cannonballs are stacked in the center of the courtyard, and the names of the most prominent graduates are immortalized on the walls. A staircase leads somewhere upstairs, where the walls are decorated with painted yellow and blue tiles. The college also has a nice garden.
University (Universidad)
Already in 1346, Pope Clement VI grants Valladolid the right to create a University, but it was founded and built a little later - in the XV-XVI centuries. The Plaza Universidad has a stunningly beautiful baroque façade (1715), designed by Antonio Tomé and his sons Diego and Narciso (author of the famous transparent window in Toledo Cathedral).
I already wrote that the presence of a famous university in the town leaves an indelible imprint on the city itself, its architecture, buildings, and its way of life. Somehow you immediately understand: students live here. Many students. These are Leuven in Belgium, Oxford and Cambridge in England, Bologna and Perugia in Italy, Heidelberg in Germany, Friborg and Neuchâtel in Switzerland, Lund in Sweden, Harvard in the USA (despite the fact that it is much newer than all of the above), Salamanca and Alcala de Henares in the same Spain.
So in Valladolid, despite the presence of an ancient university, nothing of the kind is felt: probably, the fact that the city was the capital for a long time, and only then the city where there is a university leaves its mark. Here everything is subordinated to palaces, monasteries and temples, which belonged to noble and influential families, i.e. former grandeur, and there were few young cheerful faces on the streets ...
Cathedral
The cathedral, if you approach it not from the side of the facade, very much resembles Siena - the markings of the walls that were supposed to be built. If from the sides it is still more or less decent, then behind the remains of the once large-scale construction are overgrown with grass, moss and even low shrubs. The king, and even more so the diocese, simply did not have enough money to complete the majestic plan - like the Sienese. All the more reason to respect the strong business executives of the Florentines - they built the Duomo, and managed to fight with Pisa, Arezzo and the same Siena. From the side of the university near the cathedral there is a monument to Cervantes.
The laying of the cathedral took place, according to some historians, in 1527 by the master Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, but construction quickly stopped due to lack of funds. The construction of the temple was continued only in 1580 by order of King Philip II and the court architect, one of the architects of Escorial, Juan de Herrera, was appointed responsible. The features of Herrera's gloomy and deliberately simplified style, named "herreriano" in his honor, are embodied in Escorial and in the cathedral in all their glory.
The funds were not enough for Philip II, and the local nobleman Diego de Praves, and his descendants - the main sponsors of the construction - and the cathedral was never completed. A few decades later, the baton of construction was taken over by the master from Salamanca, Alberto Churriguera, but he was not destined to finish the cathedral. In 1841, the echoes of a terrible earthquake that destroyed Lisbon reached Valladolid, and the tower of the cathedral collapsed, but was rebuilt and crowned with a statue of Christ. The cathedral has been brought to a more or less decent appearance even today, and now the luxurious ornament of the facade, characteristic of the Churriguera brothers, contrasts with the gloomy interior, only the bright decoration of the altar by Juan de Juni (Juan de Juni, 1562) stands out against the background of strict square columns. In the balustrade are statues of Saints Ambrosio, Augustine, Gregorio and Jeronimo. Inside, you should also take a look at the design of the chapels (4 on each side of the cathedral) and the tomb of Count Ansures, dating from the 16th century. Now the cathedral houses a music archive.
Church of Santa Maria la Antigua
This Gothic (and partially Neo-Gothic) church near the cathedral attracts attention with its unusualness: it is not typical for Valladolid with its pyramidal turret, its spiers, all its “castleness”. Its history begins in the distant XII century, since then the Romanesque bell tower and portico have been preserved (the church in the Gothic style was built in the XIV century). But in the cellars of the church, the remains of Roman baths are still conserved, from the stone of which Count Ansures, the founder of the city, built the very first church of the city here in 1095. Nothing remains of that church. In narrow architectural circles, the church is widely known for its slender appearance and excellent proportions, as well as the stunning pattern of windows - they give the church a kind of fabulousness.
The building has undergone several restorations, but this does not spoil it - on the contrary, the masonry stones still breathe antiquity. The interior of the church dates from the 16th century. and executed by Juan de Juni. For several years now, the church has been undergoing restoration (the largest was carried out from 1900 to 1952), during which all the decorations were transferred to the cathedral.
Penitential Church of Our Lady of Anxiety (Iglesia Penitencial de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias)
The second church, which is visible from the cathedral, is much less openwork than Santa Maria la Antigua, and less ancient - it dates from the 16th century. It was erected at the expense of another influential city brotherhood - the Penitent Brotherhood of Anxiety - on the site of an older oratory belonging to the same brotherhood. Martín Sánchez de Aranzamendi and his wife Luisa de Rivera allocated a mind-boggling amount for the construction at that time, bequeathing them to be buried in a church in a simple tomb, and the construction began to boil. The architect Juan de Nates designed the façade, and the decorations were designed by the best court craftsmen (then the court moved again briefly to Valladolid). Juan de Juni did not stand aside either, who made the Virgin, the symbol of the church and one of his most famous works. The chapels were finished by the stonemason Francisco Pérez and the sculptors Gregorio Díez de Mata and Gregorio Fernández, the painter Manuel Petti and the gilder Santiago Montes. The only pity is that the church was closed for some reason, and from the outside it looks quite simple.
Nearby are the Calderón Theatre, the Archbishop's Palace and the Church of Vera Cruz, which I described earlier, also built with funds from the brotherhood.
Church of Santissimo Salvador
According to the urban legend, it was here that the patron saint of the city, St. Pedro, was baptized in 1390 (the monument to him stands a little to the left and behind the church). The authentic brick tower stands on a much older foundation (XVII century), the asymmetrical facade, as if chopped off on one side, is dated 1550. All the most interesting, as usual, is inside: the chapels of the church are arranged in a sort of fan, in which all architectural styles are represented Castile between the end of the 15th and 18th centuries, the so-called Flemish chapel (1492) with a triptych dated 1502 and a rococo altarpiece (1756) are particularly good.
A little to the left is a church dedicated to the Mother of God (judging by the sculpture above the entrance).
From here we dived into some kind of passage that seems to take up a couple of blocks, emerging on Fuente Dorada Square.
Returning to Plaza Zorrilla, we found several interesting monuments time to visit which we had. Why did we move from the square along calle Maria de Molina past the Lope de Vega theater
towards the monastery of Santa Ana (Monasterio de Santa Ana, where there are several paintings by Goya), in the vicinity of which there are two amusing statues and one sculptural composition: either a policeman or a fireman on duty, with a hose in his hand;
Sad uncle under an umbrella and with a heavy suitcase in his hand
and three ladies called Las Sirenas.
And, returning to the station, they looked in the rapidly approaching twilight at the church of San Juan de Letrán located to the left of the station along Paseo de Filipinos with a baroque facade (1737). Behind the church is the monastery Monasterio de los Padres Filipinos (1760), to which Ventura Rodriguez himself put his talented hand ...
“The Spaniards throughout their history have keenly felt the difference from Europe as an inferiority complex. ... I was looking out of the window of the tail car, when on the way between Valladolid and Burgos a stop-station flashed by - a brick booth with a sign "Torquemada". Suppose those times are very far away, and the name of the Grand Inquisitor is hardly readable from the title railway station, but is it worth it for the rest to feel sorry for the fading Spain with the mantilla and Inezilla? Petr Vail "Genius of the place"
Where to eat, where to live, how to get there, the choice of individual city guides and much more.
You simply cannot ignore the city where he lived and worked, perhaps, the most famous Spaniard in the world - Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Meet Valladolid! Located in the heart of old Castile, this large city witnessed the birth and formation of the Spanish state and was the capital of the Spanish Empire before it was transferred to Madrid. Kings were born and raised here, Columbus died here, and Cervantes finished his Don Quixote.
It was in Valladolid in 1469 that the young Isabella I of Castile and Fernando II of Aragon arrived for a secret wedding, who were to initiate the unification of the Spanish lands and complete the liberation of the peninsula from the Arab conquerors. They will later make Valladolid the capital of their state. The imperial scope is still felt in the power of the ancient walls and the grace of the palaces of the city, which is rightfully proud of its past.
Sights of Valladolid
Most of the attractions of Valladolid are concentrated in the city center, delineated by the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgeva rivers. It is here that the 16th-century Valladolid Cathedral is located, one of the main unfinished buildings in Spain. As conceived by the architect, the cathedral was to become the largest in Europe, however, as often happens, finances failed. Nowadays, classical music concerts are regularly held in the cathedral, during which, by the light of candles and to the majestic sounds of the organ, you can easily feel like you are in the distant Middle Ages. There is also a museum in the cathedral, and ruins adjoin one of its walls. old church XI century.
A building made of light limestone with a facade reminiscent of the creations of lacemakers is the National Sculpture Museum of Valladolid, which houses the most valuable collections of wooden and stone sculptures, carved altars, statues of saints and whole compositions on religious themes. The museum occupies three buildings, the main of which - St. Gregory's College - in itself is a pearl of architecture. The other two are the Palace of Villena, a 16th-century aristocratic residence, and the Casa del Sol, also of the 16th century.
The House of Cervantes, where he lived from 1603 to 1606, is another of Valladolid's famous landmarks. The original furnishings have been preserved in the house-museum, and on the table in the room is a copy of the first edition of Don Quixote. If you close your eyes for a second, you can imagine how the famous writer, twisting his mustache, puts the last point under the legendary manuscript.
For those who are interested in what to see in Valladolid, the House Museum of Columbus, another famous Spaniard, is a must-see. This building partially reproduces the palace of the son of Christopher Columbus, Diego Columbus, located in the capital of the Dominican Republic. It was built on the site of an old house that belonged to the sailor's family and, unfortunately, has not been preserved.
The museum, which consists of four floors and is dedicated to the four voyages of the discoverer of America, contains Columbus's personal belongings, records, maps, instruments, as well as objects that he brought back from his voyages. The difficult life path of the famous traveler ended in Valladolid on May 20, 1506. It is believed that he died without knowing how great a discovery he made.
One of the best places for holidays with children in Valladolid is Campo Grande, the largest natural park in the city. The most attractive part of it is considered to be a pond with a fountain and a waterfall. Children will definitely enjoy a boat trip, and even more… royal peacocks, freely roaming all the paths of the park and willingly showing their fantastic plumage to others. In Campo Grande there are as many as three bird yards where pheasants, carrier pigeons and other birds live.
If the day is drawing to a close, and the fervor of exploration has not yet died down, welcome to the Gutierrez Passage, built in 1885 in the image and likeness of the shopping galleries in Italy and France. This is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and magical places in Valladolid, lost in the city center. It especially comes to life in the evening, when the illumination turns on, and the inhabitants of the city and tourists begin to fill the bars and pubs, which now mainly occupy the territory of the arcade.
Weather in Valladolid
Tourists wishing to explore the sights of Valladolid should remember that the summer here is quite hot and dry: in July and August, the thermometers reach 30 ºС. According to one version, even the name of the city comes from the phrase valle soleado, which means "sunny valley" in Spanish. Winter here is long and cool, and the coldest month in the city is January, when the temperature drops to an average of 4 ºС.
When to go?
A trip to Valladolid can be timed to coincide with one of the holidays that take place in the city. Perhaps one of the most fun and colorful is the carnival of Valladolid, which usually takes place in early February. At this time, performances of jugglers and tightrope walkers, dance schools, colorful processions and competitions of carnival costumes take place on the streets of the city.
Also in Valladolid, Semana Santa (Holy Week) is widely celebrated, when religious processions fill the streets of the city. This is a unique opportunity to see rare sculptures and figures that are kept in various churches, temples and monasteries of the province for most of the year. The tradition dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries, and the splendor with which Holy Week is celebrated in Valladolid is the reason why this holiday has been declared an international tourist event.
In the autumn of September 8, Valladolid celebrates the day of the patron saint of the city of Our Lady of San Lorenzo. According to legend, this image appeared in Valladolid in the 11th or 12th centuries, when a priest brought it to the city to save it from the Arab conquerors. The festivities last ten days, during which various fairs, theatrical performances, tastings and concerts take place in Valladolid.
Where to stay in Valladolid?
Most of the hotels in Valladolid are decorated in a classic style, reminiscent of past centuries. Among them, there are both relatively inexpensive ones like Hotel Roma or Hostal Paris, as well as more luxurious ones, like, for example, Hotel Melia Recoletos.
Hotel El Coloquio occupies Historical building and the best way to explore the center of Valladolid, as it is located right next to the walls Cathedral and just 180 meters from the Church of Santa Maria de la Antigua, another highlight of Valladolid. The unique design of the hotel combines modern trends with details from centuries past, such as exposed brick walls and raw wood beams. The hotel bears the name of one of the works of Cervantes, which he wrote while in Valladolid.
An independent trip to Spain allowed me to see the sights of Valladolid, see the cathedral, churches and houses of the city, find out where you can eat inexpensively in Valladolid; want to know more - read the story about independent travel in Spain
Thinking about how best to build a trip route around Castile, I took as a basis big cities and planned long stops in them. The first sign was Madrid, whose sights we saw first, and then traveled around the outskirts of the Spanish capital. The second point on our way was Burgos, the third - Valladolid.
The history of Valladolid began towards the end of the 11th century, when King Alfonso VI commissioned Count Pedro Ansures to develop the territory. Until that time, there were some villages on the banks of the Pisuerga River, and local historians diligently trace the foundation of the city to Roman times, relying on the archaeological finds of ancient villas, but still the history of Valladolid should be counted from the reconquest of northern Castile by Christians. At first the town was small, then under the skillful county management began to develop, and by the time of the reign of King Alfonso VIII began to play a prominent role in the economy and politics. The rise of Valladolid was facilitated by royal charters that granted him additional rights, crowded fairs played their role. As a result, the palace of the Castilian monarchs was added to the private houses of the townspeople and churches, who periodically stayed there with their close ones; then the state did not have a permanent capital, the court wandered from one place to another. Valladolid acquired its capital status in 1469, when King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile got married and chose the city as their residence. Until the moment when their successors moved to Madrid, Valladolid was the capital of a united Spain. At the beginning of the 17th century, for several years, the functions of the capital, at the request of King Philip III, were again transferred to this ancient city, but after that the stage of its gradual decline began. With the departure of the administrative bodies of the kingdom, the economy deteriorated, and a hundred years later the number of citizens decreased by five times. Valladolid experienced a new economic boom in the 20th century thanks to the automotive industry. Although the population is still 10 times smaller than that of Madrid, the city is considered the most important historical and cultural center of Spain.
When planning to get to Valladolid from Madrid, you need to be aware that you will be able to save one thing, either time or money. After all, you can travel from the current capital of Spain to the former in just 56 minutes if you take the express. True, then the ticket will cost almost 40 euros, and in this regard, a less high-speed train that spends an extra 10 minutes to get from Madrid to Valladolid looks more profitable by almost a third. If the toad is completely strangled, and you want to see the sights of Valladolid, it’s better not to covet the trains that run for more than two and a half hours, the savings there will be useless. It’s better to take the Alsa bus, which comes from Madrid in the same two hours, but it costs less than the train, only 13 euros. By the way, in my opinion, it would be a good idea to make a stop in Segovia along the way, and, having handed over things to the storage room of the local bus station, explore the city during the day, after which, in the evening chill, continue on our way to Valladolid.
Among other things, the bus station of Valladolid is equipped much better than the railway station. It only looks imposing from the outside, but when it comes down to it, it turns out that there is no left-luggage office at Valladolid Campo Grande as a class, the cat wept for waiting places, the only ticket machine may well be broken, so welcome to the tail of the queue lined up in front of the ticket office . As a plus for the Valladolid station, I can only add a free toilet and escalators that take passengers to the gallery connecting the tracks.
Having rolled out onto the Valladolid platform after moving from Burgos, we immediately noticed a huge crowd that was seething in the neighborhood, across the tracks. It turned out that these are passengers who expected to get to Madrid by high-speed train, are being screened before boarding. Moreover, there was no end in sight to this inspection, and when we left the station, the express train had already arrived, and the people in front of the metal detectors were still crowding visibly-invisibly ...
So, the Valladolid bus station made a much more favorable impression on me. He reminded me of a kind of Spain in miniature, where everything is done in a slight mess, in its own way. Here, for example, is the main gate, through which it is forbidden to walk, but everyone goes in a row, because it is more convenient. Here are a bunch of cash desks, each office has its own - this is typical in Spanish! - and before you go anywhere, you need to find out at the information desk which carrier serves this route. Here is the toilet, it can be arranged cunningly: the urinals are free, and the booths are under lock and key, if you please, pay money if you are impatient or overcome embarrassment. Here is the waiting room, in which there is nowhere to sit, but on the street, next to the bus parking lot, there are plenty of benches. About the fact that there is a left-luggage office at the Valladolid bus station, I have already said, I will say that there are also cafes and grocery stores inside.
Both transport terminals are somewhat away from the main attractions, so it may make sense to use local buses. The route network consists of two dozen lines, not counting commuter lines; additional transport is allowed, if I translated the ad correctly, on the days of football matches in order to carry the fans. Schedule and other useful information you can check on the auvasa.es website, but I’ll add on my own that the fare is 1.20 euros, tickets can be purchased directly from the driver.
We had nowhere to go, the hotel I chose was located on Paseo de Zorrilla, about a 10-minute walk from the bus station. Considering options for where to stay in Valladolid, I first thought about inexpensive hotels in the suburbs, and then suddenly I found a special offer from a place with a pretentious name "Silken Juan de Austria". As a short study found out, this is one of the the best hotels city, and the price of 53 euros set by him for a double room with breakfast seemed fabulous to me - usually the cost of living fluctuates around three hundred. Well, a fairy tale often comes true, and for relatively little money we got a cozy room with a full range of amenities, including air conditioning and a minibar. I was especially pleased with the rich breakfast with hot food and delicious coffee. So the morning for us began with a dense gas station, and we went for a walk in the finest mood.
According to my routine, in a new city, the first thing to do is get a map and various information materials. The Tourist Office of Valladolid helped us with our plans, it was located very reasonably, half way from the station to the center. Workers, lovely Spaniards, willingly communicated with the guests of the city, presenting them with maps, booklets, advice and smiles. All I needed was a map of Valladolid, but my counterpart looked like she was going to talk for at least an hour, providing exhaustive information about interesting places. As a matter of fact, booklets with descriptions of sights, hotels, cafes and shops can be taken by yourself, they are in abundance on the counters at the entrance.
The typed booklets did not bring us much benefit, since they turned out to be written mainly in Spanish, but we learned something from there. So, we managed to find out about the Valladolid Card, which is very useful for tourists, and find out the details about tour bus. A double-decker car with an open upper deck began to run around Valladolid relatively recently, but has already managed to gain popularity among tourists. The influx of people, in my opinion, is especially conducive to low price tickets - for the right to use the bus during the day you have to pay only 7 euros! A full circle around the city takes an hour, the route includes seven stops in the most interesting places. You can buy a ticket for a tour of Valladolid directly at the tourist office, flights start from Calle Acera de Recoletos; to get to the stop, you need to exit the tourist office and cross to the other side of the boulevard.
At the same time, I will mention the short cruises on the Pisuergo River offered by Pronautur. They are not very popular, and the trip organizers themselves write so frankly that cruises are scheduled for 12:30, 18 and 20 hours, but only if there is a group of people who want a certain size. I think that the price of 7 euros and the nondescript city embankments, which do not make a favorable impression, also play their role in low demand.
But really the center of Valladolid makes an impression, and even what! Especially good is the main square, equipped, as usual in Spain, in the best way. Those who come to Plaza Mayor are immediately struck by beautiful buildings, among which the local town hall stands out. The ensemble of the square began to take shape in the middle of the 18th century, but due to a huge fire that burned down half of the historical buildings, almost the entire center had to be rebuilt. By the way, experts believe that the custom of creating square squares went for a walk in Spain from Valladolid.
As for the town hall, the elegant building that housed the city officials was built relatively recently, in 1909. Prior to this, Plaza Mayor was adorned by another building, erected in 1561, it quite adequately replaced the previous version, which disappeared in the flames. The New Age City Hall stood for almost three centuries, until it was demolished due to dilapidation. As they say, to break is not to build, and having done in the ensemble main square hole, the authorities of Valladolid for a long time could not get together to eliminate it. Either there was no money in the city treasury, or the project fell out of favor, and yet the process ended in triumph: the resulting town hall looks both solid and elegant at the same time, it is recognized as a masterpiece of architecture. Yes, it is recommended to visit the Plaza Mayor at least twice, during the day to appreciate the beauty of the ensemble, and in the evening when the lights turn on.
If you look at the map of Valladolid, the surroundings of the most beautiful square of the city will be dotted with icons of objects cultural heritage It's even hard to choose where to go first. We headed north, aiming to see the Church of San Benito. The former temple at the Benedictine monastery was built at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. As often happens, the builders put the building into operation, reported on it, and then slowly began to eliminate the shortcomings. For example, in the 1560s, San Benito received a new facade, and after a while the spire of the bell tower fell into disrepair, and they got rid of it. Because of this, the church, designed in the Gothic style, looks somewhat mundane ...
The neighborhood of this church is another, dedicated to St. Michael. The temple, one of the most revered in Valladolid, was built by the Jesuits, who owned it from the last quarter of the 16th century until 1767, when they were expelled from Spain. The building as a whole is decorated in a characteristic manner for Castile, however, the Jesuit past is felt in the decor and interior decoration.
Further north is the City Museum of Valladolid, which occupies a pretty three-story mansion. The exposition of the temple of history includes mainly objects of the ancient era, that is, antique mosaics, figurines, and other works of art. The Middle Ages is represented mainly by icons and other good things. We, I confess, did not reach later times, because it was very stuffy in the museum halls and we had to crumple the inspection in order to be in the fresh air faster. Well, at least the visit didn’t cost us a penny: you usually need to pay 1.20 euros for an entrance ticket, but they don’t take money from those who are seized with a thirst for knowledge on Saturday or Sunday.
Having caught our breath, we consulted the map and moved along Calle Leon in the direction where the Royal Palace of Valladolid was supposed to be. This large building in theory, it should personify that glorious era when the city had the status of a capital. In fact, the building has a purely indirect relation to the kings: when it was built, the value of Valladolid was already falling. In the 17th century, the Spanish monarchs used the palace occasionally when they traveled around the country. The building does not differ in the splendor of architecture and suspiciously resembles a fellow in Escorial - the same symmetry of the facade, the same clear rhythm of the windows.
If we talk about the beautiful sights of Valladolid, then you should immediately go to the church of San Pablo. It looks like it was built in two steps: first, unremarkable towers were erected on the sides of the facade, and then they took up the design of the central part, completely covered with bas-reliefs and statues. The impression, by the way, is absolutely correct, because the church, dating back to the 13th century, was remade several times, and most of all the changes were made by one of the relatives of the famous inquisitor Torquemada and the favorite of Philip III. The first personally oversaw the next rebuilding, which took place in the middle of the fifteenth century, while the second, half a century later, paid for the creation of a luxurious facade from his own pocket.
Inside the Church of San Pablo, numerous art objects are collected, including a unique altar.
Continuing the tour of Valladolid, we went straight along Calle Angustias to the Archbishop's Palace. This building did not immediately become the residence of the spiritual rulers: when it was built in the middle of the 16th century, it belonged to completely civilian persons from the Villasante family, and only three centuries later the church took possession of it. Palacio Arzobispal looks very good, although it does not shine with beauty: in terms of design, many of the sights of Valladolid can outdo it. The light pink paint covering the facade spoils the impression very much, in my opinion, for the sake of harmony, a darker shade should have been chosen. And yet, it is necessary to pay attention to the palace, studying it as an example of the architecture of the transitional period, when the medieval canons are already in the past, but the freedom of creativity has not yet taken possession of the minds of architects...
Near the archbishop's residence stands the church de las Angustias, marked with the seal of Italian influence. It is known for certain that the architect Juan de Nates was inspired by the architecture of the Apennines, and his building turned out to be very beautiful, not at all Spanish. Indeed, the sculptures and marble columns framing the entrance are not at all characteristic of Spain in the 17th century.
In addition to the appearance, the interiors of the church de las Angustias are also interesting, so do not be too lazy to visit inside this outstanding building.
Having finished with one temple, you need to look into the other, around the corner on the right. There is a church dedicated to Saint Martin, which began its "career" as a small chapel. The place of worship quickly gained the recognition of pilgrims, and already in the 12th century it was marked with a small church. It stood until the end of the Middle Ages and was demolished when the spiritual authorities decided to build a new object of worship. The work was officially completed in 1588, but then a long period of completion and alteration followed, which seriously changed interior decoration. In addition, over time, the tall spire of the Church of San Martin fell into disrepair, and it was replaced by a new rectangular tower.
Now it's time to see Valladolid's most important landmark, the colossal cathedral. Its construction was started by local authorities at the end of the 15th century, when the future of the city seemed cloudless; hopes for the best in them gave rise to the announcement of Valladolid the capital of a united Spain. Officials of the city council decided that the status of the capital implies large incomes and swung to build a cathedral that would outdo all the others. They were not even embarrassed by the lack of an episcopal chair in the city, without which it was impossible to build a church of this level. The project was designed by the prominent architect Juan de Herrera and work began. But the ambitious plans were not destined to come true, and after the royal court moved to Madrid, the treasury of Valladolid quickly became impoverished. Somehow managed to XVIII century to bring the building under the roof, but for this the original plan had to be abandoned. In fact, the huge building is no more than half built - the planned northern part is completely missing, there is no dome, only one of the supposed four bell towers is available.
A hundred meters from the cathedral is the church of Santa Maria Antigua, which looks like new, although it is preparing to celebrate the millennium. This is because the building was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century; there was no longer any way to endure his poor condition. However, this is not the first cardinal renovation in the history of the temple, because initially it was designed in the Romanesque style of the 11th century, and three hundred years later it was transformed into the then fashionable Gothic. Now the church looks very stylish, although it does not harmonize with the surrounding buildings ...
Having examined the main sights of Valladolid, we gradually began to take away towards the house, because we were tired and personally I felt that I had enough impressions for today. But farewell to interesting places the city never took place, because on the way we met very interesting objects. So, at Plaza El Salvador, we examined the temple dedicated to the same saint. It was laid in the 12th century, but two and a half centuries later it was replaced with a new version, which was then completed and improved several times; the most important changes concerned the façade, designed in the style of the early Renaissance. It is worth noting the interiors of the church, which were designed by the best masters of Valladolid.
The further road brought us to the Plaza de España with a ball-fountain full of holes in the middle; the structure seems to be considered a symbol of Valladolid, but personally I was much more interested in another object that stood out for its unusual appearance. As it turned out, this is the church of Nuestra Señora de la Paz, and not a museum of abstract art, as I first thought. Considering that there are a lot of different intricate sculptures around, it was not difficult to be deceived, the facade of the building, made in the form of a rainbow, also played its role; the religious purpose of the building gives out only a tiny cross on the roof. The guide to Valladolid kindly informed that inside the church looks even more unusual than outside, so do not pass by, good people ...
Another unusual object met us on Calle Rastro, a few minutes after we passed the Plaza de Espan a. Having previously been in the town of Alcala de Henares, we examined with interest the Cervantes house-museum there and were very surprised when we found another Cervantes house-museum, already in Valladolid. Local authorities, it turns out, spent a lot of effort finding out exactly where the famous writer lived, and in the 1860s they established the truth. Since then, the building has been under the care of the state, and since the most famous writer of Spain spent more than one day in Valladolid, his residence was carefully restored and turned into a museum.
I can also recall Plaza de Santiago, decorated, as you can easily imagine, with the Church of St. James. The building, built in just four years with the money of a wealthy local banker, already after some hundred, at the beginning of the 17th century, collapsed - the spirit of the old chapel, demolished for the sake of a new building, avenged itself. I had to again look for a sponsor, invite an architect and carry out complex restoration work so that the church of Santiago regained its former appearance. The view, by the way, is not particularly outstanding, but the interiors are cool, and at least for them it is worth getting to the temple.
Our tour of Valladolid ended in the Campo Grande park. That is, we then thought that it was over, and slowly wandered along the alleys towards the hotel. We really liked the park, its landscapes are damn good. The territory occupied by it has long been used by travelers as a resting place before passing through the city gates. A change in the fate of the district took place at the end of the 18th century, when the quarters of Valladolid splashed out behind the ancient walls. Several streets were laid through the new area, and the unusual triangular shape of the Campo Grande park is explained precisely by this restructuring. A century later, the park area acquired appropriate features, it was lined with footpaths, a pond appeared and many flower beds were laid out. Now, under the crowns of old trees, the townspeople are resting en masse, and there are also a lot of tourists; picturesque corners and peacocks walking back and forth are prepared for the latter ...
As I said, heading home, we thought that the sights of Valladolid had been exhausted for today. But no, on the way to the hotel "Silken Juan de Austria" we were met by floods of people, without exaggeration. Amazed by the crowds of people milling about the city in the evening, we could not understand what was happening. The truth revealed itself very soon: the squat building, which the day before flashed somewhere on the visual periphery, was a bullfighting arena, and now satisfied fans were streaming past us. Having studied the guide to Valladolid, I found that we are talking about an old building, erected back in late XIX century, a popular and favorite pastime of the townspeople. Obviously, there are more than enough people who want to see a bullfight, because the next day we heard several times from the suspicious-looking uncles, who look like resellers, offers of an “extra ticket”. So tourists who are interested in how to get to a bullfight in Spain can prepare a wallet - there will always be tickets for them at double the price ...
Having finished with the tour of the former Spanish capital, it's time to talk about where you can eat cheaply in Valladolid. During a walk around the city, various kinds of establishments are often encountered, however, I personally did not find offers to dine cheaply. There are a lot of places in the center that are ready to serve a client with Spanish cuisine, for example, "Restaurante La Garrocha" next to the Church of Santiago, at Calle de Zun iga 21, but the prices there will easily bring the bill to 60-70 euros for two. The best we could find was the Achuri restaurant at the very beginning of Calle San Benito, but even there the set lunch cost 22 euros, which does not fit the definition of “cheap food” at all. In Valladolid, we reinforced our forces with visits to small cafes, which will be discussed further. Pleasant memories I left, for example, the ice cream parlor "La Otana" on Calle Lopez Gomez; there were so many varieties of delicacies offered that it was not easy to make a choice - who, one wonders, to prefer, mango to watermelon or strawberries to lemon ?! And all this abundance came at an affordable price of 1 euro per ball ...
Good was the confectionery "Blanco Hros" near the church of Saint-Martin. It sold fresh pastries, and the divine smell made the hand itself go into your pocket for a trifle - is 2 euros for a couple of delicious buns a lot?! By the way, the local cakes looked very appetizing, but what to do with them?
funny name I remember the bakery "Dollar". No, dollars are not accepted in it, and you can’t buy anything there for a dollar. But if you have at least one euro on hand, you can already count on refreshing yourself by taking a solid cinnamon bun. Holders of three euros can take a hefty slice of pizza, so it’s still possible to eat inexpensively in Valladolid.
Perhaps it is worth mentioning for the sake of order also an institution called "Pizza Movil", located near the bus station itself. The menu there includes a special offer for those departing: you pay 5 euros and take a piece of pizza along with a carbonated drink on the road. In my opinion, the option is quite tolerable to chew on the road. I looked after it because I was afraid to be hungry because of an early departure: when the bus leaves at 7:20, and the hotel guests are invited to breakfast from seven, the prospects seem sad. Luckily, the porter came into our position, and when we arrived at a quarter to seven in the hall, the restaurant was already waiting for us. So we set off on the road full, cheerful and satisfied, albeit slightly sleepy.
Alas, although the employees of Silken Juan de Austria helped us as best they could, even they were unable to solve the problem of purchases. No, shopping in Valladolid is not bad, and there are a lot of shops, and there is "Il Corte Ingles" near the center. Only souvenirs were not found, and I really hoped to buy another magnet. Surely somewhere there are shops selling souvenirs, but they didn’t catch our eye. The best we could find was the Sandalo shop next to the bus station. Andalusian-style chasing was sold there, there were various Spanish jewelry, boxes with Moorish patterns that cost 25 euros looked good. Sell the store on Calle Recondo magnets and postcards, he wouldn’t have a price, and so he had to leave without salty slurping. The main thing is that the city center is full of clothes and shoes, and shopping in Valladolid will undoubtedly give pleasure to those who like to shop abroad, but where can you still buy souvenirs?!
Interestingly, in neighboring Palencia, where we, expanding our horizons, went on an educational excursion, there were no souvenirs either - some kind of pestilence attacked them. But we had a chance to see enough beautiful buildings from the heart, and besides, we managed to eat quite inexpensively, not like in Valladolid.
