Dispatches from Spain: What’s in a Name – Caesar Augustus to Zaragoza

Plaza de España, Zaragoza, Spain

By Ito Romo, NewsTaco

At the end of January, our first month in Spain, we took a weekend trip to Zaragoza, about four hours by bus from Madrid.  Zaragoza was founded in 24 AD by Caesar Augustus, hence the evolving name: Caesar Augustus to . . . saraugustus to . . . zaragoza. On our way to the main square, the plaza del Pillar, we crossed the modern Plaza de España.

Like many Spanish cities, there are many, many amazing churches here, but the two most famous are La Seo de Zaragoza (The See in Aragonese), also known as the Cathedral de San Salvador, and the Catedral-Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

La Seo, the city’s original cathedral, began, as most churches in Spain have, as a roman temple then was transformed into an Islamic temple, then was re-dedicated and completely transformed into a Catholic church with the unusual but simple addition of a facade when it was rebuilt in the early 1300s. You can see gothic, medieval, renaissance, and baroque elements throughout. If you look closely at the façade, you can see the remnants of the mudejár style that has influenced the whole area (all of Spain, actually). The outside walls of the Cathedral are classic examples of mudejár work. No photos allowed inside but see interior photos here:

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Seo

La Seo de Zaragoza (The See in Aragonese), also known as the Cathedral de San Salvador, Zaragoza, Spain

Remnants of the mudejár style on the façade of La Seo de Zaragoza.

The outside walls of La Seo de Zaragoza are classic examples of mudejár work.

Then there’s the amazing Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, built on the banks of the Ebro River. The work on the existing cathedral was begun in 1681 although a church was first recorded on this spot in 1293. I cannot describe the immensity of the church or of the grandeur of the altars carved from alabaster (no photos allowed inside but see interior photos here:  http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/CatedralBas%C3%ADlica_de_Nuestra_Señora_del_Pilar_de_Zaragoza).

Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Zaragoza, Spain.

. . . and then there’s the amazing Aljafería, first a Muslim Palace founded circa 900 AD, then conquered by Alfonso I and turned into the palace of the Aragonese monarchs, and today the seat of the Regional Assembly of Aragon—the building has been in use for over 1000 years.

Aljafería, a Muslim Palace in Zaragoza, Spain, built circa 900 AD.

Main courtyard of the Aljafería, Zaragoza, Spain.

Intricately carved arches of the Aljafería, Zaragoza, Spain.

Just one of the many amazing carved, polychrome ceilings of the Aljafería, Zaragoza, Spain.

On the other side of the plaza, in front of the original cathedral, there is an ultra-modern building that houses the underground Roman ruins of the temple that once stood where the Cathedral now stands.  The façade of the building is made entirely of golden onyx, and it glows beautifully from within at night.

Onyx façade of the museum housing Roman temple ruins in Zaragoza, Spain.

Our guide told us that the onyx was quarried in Afghanistan.  I mentioned to her and to our historian colleague from the Universidad de Alacalá who accompanied us on the trip that onyx is also plentiful in Mexico.

Our colleague said, “Well, we should’ve brought it from there then.”

I answered, “Yes, you may as well have; you brought back everything else.”

We all laughed kind of nervously . . .