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Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España) is a sovereign state largely located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe, with archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and several small territories on and near the north African coast. Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar; to the north and northeast by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean.
Famous monuments
Sagrada Familia
The Basilica Sagrada Família is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Palacio Real
The Palacio Real de Madrid (literally: Royal Palace of Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family at the city of Madrid, but is only used for state ceremonies.The Royal Palace was built between 1738 and 1755 and King Carlos III took up residence there in 1764.
Plaza de Colon
Plaza de Colón (Columbus Square, in English) is located in the encounter of Chamberí, Centro and Salamanca districts of Madrid, Spain. This plaza and its fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón.
Plaza d' Espana
The Plaza de España ("Spain Square", in English) is a plaza located in the Parque de María Luisa (Maria Luisa Park), in Seville, Spain built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It is a landmark example of the Regionalism Architecture, mixing elements of the Renaissance Revival and Moorish Revival styles in Spanish architecture.
Plaza d' Espana
Cadiz
Cádiz Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Cadiz , southern Spain, and the seat of Cadiz . It was built between 1722 and 1838.
Cadiz and Mythology
Lost city of Atlantis
Scientists say they have discovered Atlantis, the legendary island and mighty military power destroyed by a tsunami 11,000 years ago, in mudflats in southern Spain.
The site claimed by lead researcher Professor Richard Freund is Dona Ana Park, a mudflat and nature reserve near Cadiz on the Atlantic side of the Strait of Gibraltar - known to ancient Greeks as the Pillars of Heracles.
Customs and Tradition
Bullfights
The Bullfighting is a traditional event of Spain, Portugal, some cities in southern France and several Latin American countries and takes place in specially adapted auditoriums. In the center of an amphitheater is the bulls square (plaza de toros= in Spanish). The bullfight is conducted in three phases.
Traditional music instruments
The Andalusian traditional instruments are Guitarro, Palmas, which is music formed by clapping your hands usually seen in flamengo music, and Gaita gastoreña. The guitar is the most famous musical instrument in Spain and that is why the most traditional spanish songs and dances are based on it.
Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz y Pascualv was a Spanish pianist and composer best known for his piano works based on folk music idioms.
Flamenco
Flamenco is a style of entertainment with song, music and dance. It is very popular in Spain and is known worldwide. Its foundation is in Andalusia. Andalusian Gypsies played an important part in its evolution. The term 'flamenco' was first recorded in the late 18th century but many believe the art form is much older.
Art and Culture
Salvador Dali
Salvador Dalí was a prominent Spanish surrealist painter born in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain.Dalí was a skilled draftsman, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work.
The Persistence of Memory
Miguel de Cervantes
He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and the world's pre-eminent novelist. His major work, Don Quixote, considered to be the first modern European novel, is a classic of Western literature and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written.
Food
Paella
Paella is a traditional food in Spain. Αlthough considered the typical Spanish dish, in fact its existence is probably due to the passage of the Moors from Spain. It is a recipe with Arabic origins. It is a great starter or meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Valencian paella is believed to be the original recipe and consists of white rice, green beans, meat (chicken and rabbit), white beans, snails, and seasoning such as saffron and rosemary. Another very common but seasonal ingredient is artichoke. Seafood paella replaces meat with seafood and omits beans and green vegetables. All types of paellas use olive oil.
Famous modern artists
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (born 8 May 1975), is a Spanish recording artist, record producer and actor. He is widely regarded as the King of Latin Pop. Iglesias started his career in the mid-1990s on an American Spanish Language record label Fonovisa. He soon became one of the biggest stars in Latin America and the Hispanic Market in the United States.
"Say Yay!" is a song performed by Spanish singer Barei and written by herself. The song will represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest in the 2016. It is the first time ever that Spanish Eurovision entry features no Spanish lyrics.
Sports
Gerard Piqué Bernabéu (born 2 February 1987) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central defender for FC Barcelona and the Spain national team.
A product of Barça's cantera, La Masia, Piqué initially left the club for Manchester United in 2004, where he remained for four years, before returning to Barça under Pep Guardiola's leadership, helping the club win a triple in 2008–09 and a quadruple in 2009–10. He is one of the four players to have won the UEFA Champions League two years in a row with different teams, the others being Marcel Desailly, Paulo Sousa and Samuel Eto'o.
Piqué has also represented Spain, making his debut on 11 February 2009. He played an integral role in the Spain team that won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012.
