Aragon

Aragon is made up of three provinces:

• Huesca
• Zaragoza
• Teruel

This former kingdom, which once ruled the Mediterranean, is currently of great interest and marked by contrasts and magnificent countryside. It is also rich in folklore.

Zaragoza is the capital of Aragon. Bathed by the Ebro river, it is one of Spain's leading cities. Of great importance during Roman and Moorish times, its museum contains collections of great interest. Among its architectural treasures is a medieval cathedral.

Teruel, which was dominated for a long period by the Moors, boasts the magnificent opus of its excellent Mudejar architectural school. Of special merit are the incredibly beautiful belltowers of the cathedral and the churches of San Martin, san Pedro and El Salvador.

The founding times of Huesca, capital of the Aragonese Pyrenees, are lost in the mists of prehistory. It stands on a hill overlooking the rich orchard lands of the river Isuela. Next to old buildings, there are other of modern construction, which were built following the example of civil Aragonese renaissance architecture. As a result the urban picture as a whole is nicely balanced.

Among the most important sights there are San Pedro El Viejo, with a lovely Romanesque cloister, a Gothic retable and the sepulchres of King Ramiro II of Aragon and Alfonso I El Batallador; the 13C cathedral, with an interesting main portal, a Gothic cloister and the main retable by Damian Forment; San Miguel's and San Lorenzo's; the Romanesque Salas sanctuary; the Renaissance Town Hall, with an interesting hall and staircase; the old University, reformed in the 17C; and the house of the Climent family. A visit of the sights must include the Provincial Archaeological Museum with exceptionally interesting Romanesque and Gothic retables and a collection of sculptures and paintings, not forgetting the archaeological remains. The museum of the cathedral is also interesting.

Outstanding in the province is Jaca on the banks of the Aragon. It used to be the favourite residence of the Aragonese kings, and today it is a lively, important town with a magnificent collection of sights. especially interesting is the 10C Romanesque cathedral, a key building of medieval architecture, and the Romanesque museum. Also noteworthy are the Town Hall, which is an example of Aragonese Plateresque, the convent of the Benedictine nuns, with the sarcophagus of Queen Doña Sancha, the mighty citadel, which was begun in 1592 and restored recently, the Gothic San Cristobal and the Romanesque San Miguel bridges. The Museum of Romanesque Painting is also very important.

Other places of note are Canfranc, a centre of international railway connections; Panticosa in the Tena valley, which is a highly important spa; Sabiñanigo, with the important complex of El Serrablo which has the main Aragonese examples of Mozarab art -in Larrede, Satue, Isun, Oros-Bajo, Susin; Torla and Bielsa, typical mountain villages; Sallent de Gallego, an outstanding skiing resort with a remarkable parish church; Ainsa, the architecture of which looks medieval, where the arcaded square, the tall Romanesque tower of Sant Maria's and many houses with fine Gothic and Plateresque windows are especially outstanding; Benasque, a mountain village with a very interesting urban layout; and Tolva, with a remarkable church dating from 1130. Roda de Isabena is especially important form the point o view of art and history - it has a magnificent cathedral with a remarkable museum, and Graus, a rich important place with a lovely Plaza Mayor (main square) and the famous sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Peña. Other interesting places are Anso, Hecho, Berdun, Villanua, Biescas, Broto, Boltaña, etc.

Near the Province of Lleida in the southern region there are three important places: Barbastro, Morzon and Fraga. Barbastro, of Roman origin and a Muslim stronghold, is surrounded by rich orchard lands and vineyards. Its important sights include the cathedral, which was built in the first quarter of the 16C and has a very valuable main retable by Forment, the Episcopal Palace, Pueyo Monastery, the Town Hall, the arcaded Plaza Mayor and various stately houses with large, richly carved wooden eaves, among them the house of the Argensola family.

Near Babastro lies the village of Alquezar with many important sights. Monzon -on the banks of the Cinca, the surroundings of which are densely cultivated and dotted with hamlets - lies beside a hill which has a famous castle of the Knights Templars on top. Especially outstanding is the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria where the Court of Aragon held its sessions several times.

On the banks of the Cinca, finally, there is Fraga of Iberian origin, where important Romanesque churches of the 12C are preserved as is a series of residential buildings in the picturesque layout of the streets. In the vicinity of Fraga, there are the Roman remains of the so-called Villa Fortunati, dating from the 2C and 4C. Its Visigothic church dates from 7C.