This country ranks third on the planet in terms of the number of monuments included by UNESCO in the lists of world cultural heritage. This fact alone makes Spain a worthy tourist destination. However, the culture of Spain is not alive by lists. It is famous for its originality, which has been formed over the centuries under the influence of a huge number of historical factors and geographical features.
Precious alloy
Experts consider the culture of Spain to be a unique fusion of Mediterranean and European traditions. The country looks like a real open-air museum, where the very first "expositions" appeared in the Stone Age. The rock art of ancient people became the object of close study of archaeologists, followed by the monuments of the Celtic-Iberian period.
The culture of the country was significantly influenced by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and the times of Ottoman rule brought some Muslim features to the cities. The era of the Reconquista gave the Iberian Peninsula Catholicism, new features of the development of architecture and bright trends in the visual arts and sculpture.
Bullfighting and flamenco
Bullfighting and flamenco are considered the symbols of the country on the international tourist entertainment market. Every tourist who has visited Spain will certainly strive to see a bullfight and an incendiary and passionate dance that expresses the character of the country's inhabitants brighter than any words.
Bullfighting originates from the Bronze Age, when hunting for a wild bull became a kind of ritual, which eventually turned into an entertainment event for the nobility. The 18th century was the heyday of bullfighting. The famous bullfighters appear, and the bulls are raised on special farms. Today bullfighting in Spain is a tourist attraction, but its character and emotionality continue to remain at the proper level.
Flamenco dance seems to express the whole essence of the Spanish character: tenderness and passion, temperament and sensitivity, the ability to charm and excite the blood. Flamenco is immensely popular, as are concerts by folk musicians. The latter regard the guitar as the most favorite instrument and master it masterly and selflessly.
Read between the lines
The artists of the Iberian Peninsula, who have made a huge contribution to the development of the culture of Spain, have also gained considerable popularity in the world. Their paintings are bright and distinctive, they reveal the real Spanish character and feel the atmosphere of a bright and romantic atmosphere prevailing on the streets and squares of Spanish cities. The most famous painters who glorified their homeland, the Spaniards consider Velazquez and Goya, Murillo and Picasso, Ribera and Dali.
Updated: 2020.03.
