Spain Tourism Guide - Spain History Museums

Barcelona Museums, Barcelona History Spain

Barcelona's numerous museums and art galleries, over 50 in all, cover the full spectrum of Barcelona's history from ancient Roman to 19th and 20th century industrial at the superb Museu d'Historia de Catalunya.

Head to the Barcelona Museums in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter such as Museu De La Catedral, Museu d'Historia de la Ciutat and Museu Frederic Mares to explore Barcelona's ancient history, particularly Roman. See too the Archeology Museum at Montjuic.

Right on Barcelona's waterfront sits the comprehensive History Museum of Catalunya. If you only have time for a few Barcelona museums, this one is well worth putting on your list. Spread across several floors incorporating 7 themes from Roots to Our Sea to Steam powered Nation, the Electric Years and the superb Defeat and Recovery which digs pretty deeply into Barcelona's strategic role within the Spanish Civil War, all you need to know on Catalan history is in here, presented in innovative and interactive ways.

Another Barcelona Museum gem is the Barcelona Maritime Museum near the waterfront and Monument Colon (Metro Drassanes). This museum is the central focus not just for Barcelona's maritime history but also for the maritime culture of the Mediterranean as a whole. A huge collection of vessel models, nautical equipment, maritime paintings, charts, figurehead and more are held here. There's a Barcelona Maritime Museum annex on the water down in the Port Vell area. An application has been made for UNESCO World Heritage status - the Maritime Museum sits on the Royal Shipyards complex and is a unique example of Gothic civil architecture.

Cartagena Naval Museum, Cartagena Museum Murcia Region Spain (Daytrips from La Manga)

The historic port city of Cartagena in the Murcia region on the coast was a strategic stronghold for the Republicans against Franco during the Spanish Civil War. Cartagena's many museums explore this history in-depth, as well as the city's Roman and Carthaginian heritage.

Under the heading of 'Port of Cultures' (Puerto de Culturas), Cartagena offers an all in tour of several heritage sites including the Punic Wall Experience, Castillo de la Concepcion and the History of Cartagena Experience. Cartagena has several Roman sites including the Augusteum, the Decumanus and the Casa de la Fortuna. The Municipal Archaeological Museum on Calle Ramon contains extensive collections of Roman, Carthaginian, Muslim and Visigoth artefacts. Visit also Cartagena Navel Museum on Calle Menendez Pelayo, which details this port town's navel and maritime history with numerous old maps and replica boats on display. Move down to the Paseo maritimo and harbour to hop aboard catamaran boat trips of Cartagena's historic harbour.

Cartagena Tourist Information Office, Paseo Alfonso XII, s/n 30201, Cartagena.

Girona History & Museums, Girona Catalonia Spain History (Costa Brava Daytrip)

Girona's Archaeology Museum in the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants sits just north of Girona Cathedral. The building is of interest itself, particularly for its cloister and as example of Catalan Romanesque architecture. Inside you've find a selection of Roman sculptures and a mix of finds from the Girona area from prehistoric to the Middle Ages.

Museum of the History of the Jews Girona, C/Forca, 8 17004 Girona. Tel. (00 34) 972 21 67 61. This fascinating Girona History Museum focuses on Jewish medieval life and community via archaeological and documented material.

Girona City History Museum, Forca 27 17004 Girona. Tel. (00 34) 972 222 229. Housed in what was a 15th century Gothic mansion, Girona's city history museum is where to head for the full history lowdown on the city. This museum crams a lot in, exploring Girona's history from the prehistoric period and first recorded settlement during the Neolithic age through Medieval Girona, Dictatorship and the 2nd Republic through to the Spanish Civil War and Dictatorship and into the present. Like Barcelona's Catalunya History Museum on the Port Vell waterfront, Girona's City History Museum pays due attention to the Spanish Civil War and Catalonia's particular role in the struggle against Franco's fascist regime. Recent temporary exhibitions have included displays of photographs by Spanish Civil War photographers like Robert Capa.

Check-in too with Girona Tourist Information Centre on Rambla de la Llibertat to pick up not only a good Girona town map, but also your Tiquet M5 which gives you discounts on Girona Museum entrance fees.

Roman Tarragona, Roman Influence on Spain Roman History (Costa Dorada Daytrip)

During the first and second centuries BC Tarragona, the centre of the Roman Hispania Citerior empire, was crammed with monuments, with enlarged Roman forum, the Thermae/Public Roman Baths and the spectacular amphitheatre. Parts of the amphitheatre among other Roman sites in Tarragona survive, and are open to the public. Considerable efforts are being made to uncover and preserve further Roman architecture in the city, especially the main Roman Circus Praetorium in recognition of their importance within the history of Roman influence on Spain, with Tarraco/Tarragona at the very centre.

Tarragona stands out as a European location particularly rich in preserved Roman architecture. During the 2nd century BC the Romans built walls around Tarraco. Today in Tarragona 1100 metres of the city's Roman walls survive, out of what was 3500 metres originally. The surviving stretch of Roman Wall along Passeig Arqueologic is particularly fascinating, with its six posterns/small entrances alongside the larger gate for bigger chariot entrance. View also the Minerva Tower which houses the oldest Roman sculpture with inscription on the Iberian Peninsula.

Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) History Spain - Cartagena Spanish Civil War Museum, Air-Raid Shelters

New international bestseller 'The Battle For Spain. The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939'. (published by Phoenix Paperback, 2007 by acclaimed historian Anthony Beevor - see weblink right) serves as an excellent introduction to the history of the Spanish War. You'll need to go to the pages of such books to discover Spain's more recent history, as only recently is the subject beginning to emerge in some Spanish museums and in southern Spain some bomb shelters used by civilians during the Spanish Civil War are now being converted into museums. Two museums stand out for Spanish Civil War history - Barcelona's History Museum and Girona's History Museum (see weblinks right for more information).

If you're interested in Spanish Civil War history, particularly some of its hidden history of civilian air-raid shelters and air-raid bombings by both Italian and German planes then Cartagena (alongside Barcelona's new Catalan History Museum) is where to head. The Museum of the Civil War (Calle de Gisbert, Caragena) sits within an original air-raid shelter and explores the history of town from 1936-1939. Buildings devastated by aerial bombing during the war included Cartagena's 13th century cathedral.

As well as the historic sights of Almeria's striking Gothic interior cathedral and hilltop Alcazaba, a number of new Almeria museums and exhibits have just opened or are currently being worked on. These include the fascinating Spanish Civil War refuge centre, with further plans afoot to turn this one time bomb shelter into a Civil War museum focusing on the Almeria region and its role during the Spanish Civil War. (see Almeria's Spanish Civil War Refuge weblink right for details).

Alcoy, in Inland Costa Blanca lays bare its Spanish Civil War history in its converted anti-aircraft shelter situated underneath the now Alcoy Art School and Paseo de Cervantes (Spanish Civil War Anti-Aircraft Shelter, C/Alzamora, 1. Alcoy. Tel. 965 537153).

Plaza de Toros Bullfighting Ring Ronda Andalucia, History of Bullfighting Spain

Plaza de Toros bullring and the town of Ronda have produced some of the most famous bullfighting families in Spain - the Romero family in the 18th century, of whom the most famous was Pedro Romano/1754-1839 (see the statue of Pedro on the edge of Alameda Park), and Ordonez family in the 20th century. Antonio Ordonez/1932-1998 and his unique style attracted the attention of both Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway (photos of Welles with Antonio at the Plaza de Toros can be seen in the museum). The Ordonez family are credited with inaugurating the distinctive goyesca costumes in bullfights from 1954. The costumes are so called because they resemble those worn in bullfights during the time of Francisco Goya, one of Spain's most celebrated artists. In later life, like Picasso, Goya returned to bullring for inspiration depicting bullfighting scenes he had seen in his youth.

The Ronda Bullring, dating from 1785 and one of Spain's oldest bullfighting rings, is a highlight of any visit to Ronda. An insight into understanding the Corrida can be gauged from a visit to the Ronda Bullring Museum. Bullfighting remains particularly popular across Andalucia, although today cities such as Barcelona are bullfighting free. Whatever your stance, there is a point to understanding, and it is interesting to dig deep into the changing appeals of bullfighting in Spain, from aristocratic sport to urban spectacle pulling in huge crowds. Bullfighting links with royalty are explored in-depth in the Ronda Bullfighting museum adjacent to the bullring.

There is no denying the stunning architectural design of the Ronda bullring. The architect was Martin de Aldehuela, who also designed the Puente Nuevo bridge. The Bullring took 6 years to build, with its two galleries adorned with elaborate arches. Sandstone was the primary material used, and the arches, 68 in all on Tuscan columns, give the effect of being in a giant cloister. The tiled roof though leans more towards the Moorish. The ring is a huge 66 metres in diameter, and the Royal box is particularly elaborate. Once you've toured the ring your entrance ticket includes entry into the adjacent bullfighting museum which not only reflects on the history of bullfighting in Ronda, but also in Spain and beyond - the museum moves far back to prehistoric engravings of the bull on cave walls. There is an edition of Francisco de Goya's Tauromachy in here - a fascinating highlight, alongside other depictions of bullfighting by both Spanish and foreign artists. Representations differ from the Romantic depictions on display by William Lake Price (1810-1891), to the lively noise of the crowds depicted by Goya and remembered from his youth, not from the day. Also within the museum are displays of costumes, photography and posters for the Plaza de Toros in Ronda from the 20th century particularly.