LEÓN, THE CITY WHERE I WAS BORN / LEÓN, LA CIUDAD DONDE NACÍ. A GOTHIC WONDER / UNA MARAVILLA DEL GÓTICO

Hi again my friends, today it's very special to me because this post is going to tell you a lot of things about the city in which I was born, León (Spain) a beautiful and very special city in Castilla and León. I hope you'll like it and so you will visit León as soon as possible!

Hola otra vez amigos, hoy es muy especial para mí porque esta publicación va a contaros muchas cosas de la ciudad en la que nací, León (España) una ciudad bonita y  muy especial en Castilla y León. Espero que os guste y que por tanto visitéis León tan pronto como os sea posible.

LEÓN, SPAIN.

HISTORY

León is the capital of the province of León, located in the northwest of Spain.   It was founded as the military encampment of the Legio VI Victrix around 29 B.C. The Romans established the site of the city to protect the recently conquered territories of northwestern Hispania from the Astures and Cantabri, and to secure the transport of gold extracted in the province, especially in the huge nearby mines of Las Médulas.

The post-Roman history of the city is largely the history of the Kingdom of León which resisted the attacks of Visigoths until AD 586 when it was taken by Leovigild.

During the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, in 715 Tariq advanced from the area of La Rioja towards Astorga and León. Iberia rebelled against the Arabs and gave up their positions to join the revolt around 740.  Towards the year 846 a group of Mozarabs  (Christians who did not flee from Muslims and lived under the Muslim regime) tried to repopulate the city  but a Muslim attack prevented that initiative. Finally Alfonso III of León and García I made León city capital of the Kingdom of León and the most important of the Christian cities in Iberia.

In 910, León became the capital of the Kingdom of León and took  an active part in the Reconquista against the Moors.  In 1188, the city hosted the first Parliament in European history under the reign of Alfonso IX.

In 2010 León was named as the craddle of Parliamentarism and the Decreta of León was included in the Memory of the World registered by UNESCO in 2013.

León historical and architectural heritage as well as the numerous festivals hosted throughout the year and its location on the Camino de Santiago, which is ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, make it a destination of both domestic and international tourism.

LANDMARKS

Some of the most important buildings are the Cathedral, the finest example of classic Gothic architecture in Spain, the Basilica of San Isidoro, one of the most important Romanesque churches in Spain and the resting place of Leon's medieval monarchs, the Monastery of San Marcos, a prime example of plateresque and Renaissance Spanish architecture, and the Casa Botines, a Modernist creation of the architect, Antonio Gaudí. An example of modern architecture is the city's Museum of Contemporary Arto or MUSAC.

The Walls, built in the 1st century BC and enlarged in the 3rd and 4th centuries.

The Palace of Guzmanes, the site of the provincial parliament. It contains "a patio" in the plateresque style by Gil de Hontañón.

La Plaza Mayor, Plaza del Grano, the Barrio Húmedo (the partying and drinking area).
The Palace of Marqueses de Prado, a 17th century Baroque building, currently the Hospital of Ntra. Sra. de Regla.
The Palace of Conde Luna (14th century).
Church of San Salvador, the most ancient in the city (10th century).
The Church of San Juan and San Pedro de Renueva dating to 1944-1970 but including a 18th century Baroque façade taken from the ruined monastery of San Pedro de Eslonza.
The Museum of León which contains a collection of prehistorical tools and art from the Roman, Medieval and Modern periods.
The Museum Sierra-Pambley, a house from the Age of the Enlightment.
-The University of León.

FOLKLORE AND CUSTOMS

Leonese customs include the Semana Santa (Holy Week) featuring numerous processions through the centre of the city.

The San Juan and San Pedro festivities are also remarkable, celebrated during the last week of June. During these days (between June 23-29) several concerts and festivals take place and the whole city is occupied by terraces and street markets where Leonese people celebrate the beginning of the summer, especially on San Juan's night.

And many more...

FOOD

Within the wide range of Leonese cuisine the most representative dishes are: cecina (cured, smoked beef), morcilla (a variant of blood sausage), botillo , garlic soup and cocido leonés among others.

A very important part of the gastronomy in León are "the tapas", which are usually given for free with the drinks, unlike in the rest of Spain.  It's very common to go "de tapas" or "tapear" just before lunch or as a form of dinner.

THE PEOPLE

So, visit LEÓN and you will be received by friendly and lovely people.
Hotels, bars, restaurants, markets are full of friendly people who want you to go and see the wonders of León!

What are you waiting for?  León is waiting for you at any time!

As I have said at the beginning I was born in León and I'm very proud of this although I have to say that it was because of my father's job and when I was a little child (two years old)  my parents moved to Madrid, where my family was living and it has been my second birthplace since then! I love León and Madrid too!!! They are both my hometown!

SEE YOU IN LEÓN MY FRIENDS!!!