*** This story is part of a larger story about a trip to northern Spain: " Spanish North - from Bilbao to Gijón: unusual Spain ". It is clear that a passage taken out of the general context by definition loses a lot, so it is best to read the whole story in its entirety - if you wish, it is very easy to find it!
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I arrived in Gijón in the evening, when the setting sun gilded the buildings of the old city, built of yellow stone:
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The main symbol of Gijon is the famous Pelayo, the image of which can be found here even on garbage containers:
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Pelayo - Visigoth king, the first ruler Kingdoms of Asturias, and therefore, if we simplify the situation and do not get into the jungle (in this story I do not want to do this) of all centuries-old historical intricacies - the first king of Spain, since Asturias, having existed under this name for about two centuries, began to be called the Kingdom of Leon, which later entered in the composition of Castile, well, namely Castile, no matter what the Aragonese say, was the nucleus of the formation of modern Spain.
It is believed that it was from Pelayo that the Spanish reconquista "pushed off", which lasted almost 8 centuries. It was under his command in 718 (according to some sources - in 722) that the first victory over the Muslims who seized the Pyrenees a few years ago was won, which went down in history as Battle of Covadonga... From a military point of view, it did not solve anything, because it did not in any way affect the alignment of the opposing forces at that moment, but its psychological significance was difficult to overestimate: according to G. Morton "The victory was the beginning of the Reconquista and led to the birth of the first of the Christian kingdoms - the Kingdom of Asturias". Like most of its kind, this event instantly became overgrown with symbols and legends. Over time, Covadonga became a place of worship and pilgrimage. In the cave where Pelayo is believed to have hid during the battle, there is now a small chapel depicting Our Lady of Covadonga, declared the patroness of Asturias .And the cross that Pelayo allegedly saw before the battle, called Cross of victory(Cruz de la Victoria), still adorns the coat of arms and flag of the modern Principality of Asturias:
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A lot of loud words have been written about this victory, but I, speaking about it, would like to refrain from excessive pathos. In the end, we must not forget that those who recaptured the Pyrenean lands came here as invaders only 200 years ago ...
However, no matter how great and revered here (let me remind you that Gijon is the largest city in terms of population in Asturias, although its capital is Oviedo) Señor Pelayo, I am not sure that he belongs to the unconditional 1st place among local symbols. Because in Gijon he has another very strong competitor, or rather a competitor, since in Spain this word refers to the feminine gender: this is La sidra, or, more simply, simply cider.
Cider - an apple low-alcohol (from 3 to 8 degrees) drink - has long been produced and drunk in many countries: France, England, Belgium, Ireland, Germany. I don't know how it is there, but in Asturias, and it is in Gijon (of those cities that I visited) that cider is a cult drink. To be honest, I thought that despite all its historicity and symbolism, the attitude local residents to cider it is relatively calm: well, yes, it is, but there are no problems with it, yes, it can be found in every bar, yes, people still drink it. And perhaps (as I thought) cider has already become more of a tourist attraction than a part of the local way of life.
But no, no and no again! I couldn't even imagine the scale of the local sidropit! In the evening, there was a huge crowd of people on the tables at every cafe and bar and EVERYONE was drinking cider! :) Of course, if you wanted, you could probably find a couple of renegades and opportunists, bashfully huddled in a corner, sipping beer or wine, but in any case they were completely lost among the masses drinking a yellow drink from green bottles. Evening Gijón lived on cider and only cider - and no Pelayo could compete with him in popularity. It looked something like this:
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And this is far from the most crowded cider house, as, as you might guess, the institutions specializing in cider are called here. Now I regret that I didn’t take more similar photos in different places - I could have got a wonderful and visual photoset “cider in Gijón” ... For some reason I paid much more attention to the signs:
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The last photo is not indicative in terms of "crowdedness" - this is already a slightly different part of the city, where people come not so much to drink and have fun as to chat quietly.
Gijon, by the way, turned out to be the only city(again from where I have been) where you could taste cider just by asking for a glass (elsewhere it was only sold in bottles). Which I did, paying 1 euro and eating free pintxos with choriso from a tray on the bar counter. My opinion about the cider turned out to be quite even: on the one hand, I cannot say that I did not like it - and later I ordered it several times for lunch. On the other hand, it is unlikely that I will dream about it, and if I never visit the "cider" regions again, I will not be particularly upset about this. By the way, approximately the same attitude towards him, apparently, exists in Cantabria: when in Castro Urdiales I asked the bartender why they do not offer cider, he indifferently shrugged his shoulders and said: “No, it's just that everyone already knows that it is everywhere, and if anyone wants to drink something cheaper, he orders cider. "
The process of pouring cider from a bottle into a glass deserves a special talk (they are also special: large, wide, slightly conical. In Spain they are called culín - I don’t know how ubiquitous they are). A waiter or bartender raises one hand with a bottle high up, lowers the glass in the other hand as low as possible and begins the mystical process of “pouring”, which in Spanish corresponds to the verb escanciar, which in translation simply means “pouring wine”. It looks like this:
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Sometimes the word "echar" or "tirar" is used for this situation, which translates more interestingly: throw, throw, drop. Traditionally, it is believed that cider should be drunk as long as the foam formed during pouring - "throwing" lasts in the glass, and what remains after its disappearance should be simply poured out. In ancient times, this was done directly on the floor, later in some establishments they began to install special gutters, into which numerous remnants of cider were poured. I read that with such foaming, the cider is enriched with carbon dioxide from the air, which somehow affects its taste in a special way. I can’t say anything about this: I drank cider and froth, and when the froth had already disappeared and, to be honest, I didn’t feel the difference in taste.
With such popular popularity, the appearance of a "cider monument" on the Gijón embankment is not at all surprising. What is more surprising is that, judging by the pictures from Google cameras, it appeared only recently:
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Gijón in its historical part (frankly, it is still difficult to call it an old city) is a very colorful and vibrant city - in literally these words, and a walk through it brought a lot of positive emotions.
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Traditional for any Spanish city Main square Plaza mayor in the traditional arcade style and on it, of course, the same ayuntamiento:
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The most recognizable building of Gijon, we can safely say - its symbol, is Revigliajedo palace(Palacio de Revillagigedo), built at the very beginning of the 18th century.
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It is not surprising that the palace resembles a fortress: during its construction, a medieval fortress tower of the 15th century was used (it is on the right, if you look at the facade of the building). But the left one was already built in its image and likeness for the general symmetry of the building. It is curious that a large coat of arms in the upper part of the facade appeared on the palace quite recently - in 2004 after a thorough study of historical documents and photographs of the 19th century.
The Revigliajedo Palace turned out to be one of the most beautiful and authentic buildings that I have ever seen in northern Spain!
15 years after the construction of the palace on the left, a small church was added to it, consecrated in honor of John the Baptist (San Juan Bautista), but it received the status of a colleague. Her square tower can be seen in previous photographs.
Another "brand" of Gijon, of course, significantly inferior in popularity to Pelayo and cider (or cider and Pelayo) is a personality Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos- Spanish writer and public and political figure of the artist's time Goya and Prime Minister Manuel Godoy, known as the "Prince of Peace". Those who read the book L. Feuchtwanger"Goya, or the Difficult Path of Cognition", probably remember the vicissitudes of the relationship between these characters. A street, a theater, and a faculty of the local university are named in his honor in Gijón; here is the Jovellanos Institute and, of course, the house-museum where he was born.
Next to the preserved (relatively, of course) Roman baths, a monument to the emperor is erected Octavian August, during whose reign, after the conquest of Cantabria and Asturias (which went down in history under the name Cantabrian Wars) the entire Iberian Peninsula finally came under the rule of the Roman Empire. And after the administrative reform of Augustus, the "north" became part of the province of Tarracon Spain.
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By the way, it was in these places that the Romans "borrowed" many symbols associated with the Moon and the Sun, in particular - the standard with the so-called Cantabrian cross(Lábaro cántabro), which was then used for another 300 years.
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Which church fence can be decorated with keys? Of course, the main "heavenly" administrator - apostle Peter !
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And the church itself - here it is, it could already be seen more than once in previous photos:
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Another small medieval ensemble of the 17th century: chapel of St. Lawrence and Hove Evia tower(Jove-Hevia). Both buildings were part of the family house of the family with the aforementioned double surname:
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In general, the historical part of Gijon is very small, but somehow ... very charming, or something - I did not regret at all that I came here.
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Modern Gijon- it is mainly a city of the 19-20 centuries, in some places reminiscent of Bilbao. And, in my opinion, there is much less interesting here.
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Church of St. Joseph(San José):
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Neo-Gothic (early 20th century) St. Lawrence Church:
They only speak in excellent tones. It is the largest, oldest and greenest municipality in the principality.
Gijón is located on the coast of the Bay of Biscay on an area of almost 200 square kilometers, 600 meters above sea level on the site of a former fishing village, founded by the Celts in the 5th century BC.
Today it is a modern port city with a population approaching 300 thousand people. One of the most successful metropolitan areas in Northern Spain with a well-developed infrastructure, it is famous for its vibrant nightlife and crazy weekend fiestas.
Weather in Gijon
This activity is facilitated by the mild Atlantic climate. It is never as hot here as in the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. The air temperature in summer rarely rises above 28 degrees, and in winter it does not drop below plus 5. True, the weather in Gijón is often rainy. The swimming season lasts from June to August.
During the rest of the months, the ocean is cool. The water temperature in Gijon ranges from 12 to 15 degrees, but this does not prevent surfers from carrying out their training.
Gijon beaches
Although Gijón is not the most popular beach resort, there is a great opportunity to spend some time on the coast. The best beaches Gijona are considered Arbeyal, Poniente and of course San Lorenzo. Stretching for almost 3.5 kilometers along the sea, San Lorenzo is more suitable for extreme lovers.
The water area of the beach is characterized by strong currents and sharp drops in depth. Lovers of noisy entertainment should go to Poniente beach with sand brought from the Sahara itself. The holiday of San Juan is traditionally celebrated here, bonfires are burned all night long and thousands of tourists walk, and a cider festival is held. There is nothing better for a relaxing holiday than Arbeyal. By the way, all the beaches of Gijón have been awarded the highest distinction – Blue flag.
Port of Gijon El Musel – one of the largest in Spain. Its first dock was built at the end of the 15th century. Two centuries later, Gijón acquired the right to trade with the Spanish colonies in America. And at the end of the 19th century, coal was unloaded in the port of Gijon for the first time in Spain. Today, about 3 thousand ships enter the port of Gijón every year. And the turnover of its cargo transportation exceeds 17 million tons. Visits to El Musel and cruise ships of any displacement.
Gijon landmarks
It is considered the largest building in Spain. The campus area is 11 hectares. And the height of the central tower is 130 meters. This is a quarter higher than the famous London Big Ben. The university was opened in 1946 to provide higher education for the children of workers who died in coal mines. Today it houses the Center for Arts and Industrial Creativity, one of the faculties of the University of Oviedo, the Graduate School of Performing Arts and the Conservatory.
And the university bell tower is equipped with observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings. It is from here that the most spectacular photos of Gijón are obtained.
One of the most scenic spots is the Isabel Park in Gijón, named after Queen Isabella I of Castile, or Isabella the Catholic. It was laid out in 1941 in a swampy area by landscape architect Ramon Ortiz.
Today, 15 hectares of the park's area are occupied by attractions, flower beds, sculptures and a large pond in which swans, geese and ducks nest, and peacocks pacing importantly along its banks.
For a thrill, head to the Plaza de toros de El Bibio in Gijon. It is acting bullring ... It was built in 1888 and can accommodate almost 10 thousand spectators!The main events take place here in August, when the city celebrates the feast of its patroness Madonna of Begonia. In 1992, the El Bibio arena was declared a monument of history and architecture.
Recently, the city of Gijón has attracted everyone more tourists not only the sights of Gijon, but also advantageous offers for renting housing.
The city of Gijón in Spain is located on the coast Atlantic Ocean... It is part of the autonomy of Asturias. For a long time, Gijón was industrial and shopping center countries with a well-developed metallurgical industry and large reserves natural resources... By the end of the last century, tourism began to develop actively in Gijón, which significantly replenishes the city budget.
History of the city of Gijon
On the land where the city is located today, the first settlement appeared in the 6th century BC. In the 1st century BC. NS. it was conquered by the Romans. The influence of Roman culture is still clearly visible in the architecture of the city today, especially the mansions between San Lorenzo and the marina.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Gijon was captured by the Visigoths, and then by the Arabs, who established their rule until 722. Legend has it that at this time the head of the tiny kingdom of Pelayo opposed the Arab governor. As a result, Pelayo was forced to flee to the caves of Asturias. It was there that Madonna appeared to him and convinced him of the need to fight and defend the Christian faith.
Whether the Madonna appeared or not, in 722 Pelayo's army defeated the Arabs in Covadonga. This event was the beginning of the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Christians. In 1395, a terrible fire practically wiped out Gijón in Spain from the face of the earth. However, it was rebuilt rather quickly.
In 1480, the city began to build a port on the northern coast. In the middle of the 16th century, it was fortified, and at the end of the 18th century, active trade with the West Indies was already conducted through it. Today it is one of the main ports in the country.
Climatic conditions
Anyone who plans to visit this city is probably wondering what the weather is in Gijon. Spain is famous for its mild Atlantic climate. Gijón is no exception: it never gets as hot as in other parts of the Iberian Peninsula. In summer, the air rarely warms up above +28 ° C, and in winter the temperature does not drop below +5 ° C. The only thing that can darken the rest is the rains that happen in these places quite often. The swimming season is rather short - from June to August. The rest of the time, the water in the ocean does not warm up above + 15 ° C.
Beach vacation
Gijón in Spain is not considered the most popular beach resort... But this type of recreation is actively developing, and, probably, in the coming years the city will catch up with its more famous competitors. The best urban beaches are Poniente, Arbeyal and San Lorenzo, which stretches for almost three and a half kilometers along the coast.
However, "San Lorenzo" is more suitable for amateurs extreme rest... There are quite strong currents and large differences in depths. Fans of noisy entertainment should opt for the Poniente beach. The purest sand was brought here from the Sahara Desert. This beach annually celebrates the holiday of San Juan: all night long bonfires and thousands of tourists and townspeople have fun. A fun cider festival is also held here.
For a calm family vacation the Arbeyal beach is ideal. It should be noted that all the beaches of the city were awarded the highest distinction - the Blue Flag.
Gijon in Spain: sights of the city
It's hard to believe, but just a hundred years ago, in the place where it is today modern city, was a tiny fishing village. know Gijon in Spain as an actively developing resort, cultural center of the country with many interesting objects of history and architecture. There are the ancients here places of worship and museums, parks and squares, sports facilities and many other interesting places. But usually ancient city Gijon in Spain, a photo of which you can see in this article, tourists begin to study from its historical part - Cimadevilla. We will not break the tradition either.
Historic city center - Simadevilla district
It is located in fishing village Cimadevilla, on a peninsula that bisects the port. Most of the local streets are lined with cobblestones. Many buildings have been renovated in recent years. On the Santa Catalina hill, opposite the sea, there is an amazing sculpture "Praise" by Eduardo Chillida. She is the symbol of this part of the city.
In Simadeville, you can visit the clock tower, which today houses the historical archive. In addition, Roman baths located in the old part of the city are popular among tourists.
Museum of the people of Asturias
One of the most interesting cultural centers in Gijon (Spain) is the Museum of the People of Asturias, which introduces guests to the culture and peculiarities of the life of the local population. This ethnographic museum began work in 1968 and during this time has earned recognition not only of the townspeople, but also of numerous tourists.
The museum has an unusual layout - it is located on the territory of the park and consists of several free-standing pavilions, each of which contains its own unique collection.
Jovellanos House Museum
Tourists who like excursions are advised to visit the Jovellanos House Museum. This is a beautiful building of a palace type, which for many years belonged to the family of the famous Spanish writer. The museum was opened in 1971, and today it houses a large collection of works of art. It hosts conferences, concerts and other city events.
Isabelle Park
In the middle of the 20th century, the architect Ramon Ortiz created a landscape park in the city, which he named in honor of Queen Isabella I of Castile. Today the park area occupies fifteen hectares. There are a lot of fun rides, bright flower beds. Shady alleys are decorated with sculptures. Especially attractive is the picturesque pond, along the banks of which peacocks stroll importantly, swans, ducks and geese nest.
Aquarium
Has its own aquarium Gijon. Spain boasts many such structures, but this one is unusual in that it is located on the Poniente beach. It features four thousand underwater inhabitants - from otters and penguins to sharks, which are kept in fifty tanks. More than twelve separate underwater environments have been restored here, from the Bay of Biscay and Asturian rivers to tropical oceans.
Gijon Workers University
Lovers architectural monuments will be of interest to the Hicon working university in Spain. It is considered the main architectural landmark of the city. The university was founded in 1946 and was intended for children from families of coal miners.
Today it houses the Faculty of the University of Oviedo, the Center for Industrial Creativity, the Graduate School of Stage and the Conservatory. The height of the main tower of the building is 130 meters. There is an observation deck on the high bell tower, which offers amazing views of the city and its surroundings.
Roman Baths Museum
Gijón in Spain is able to impress even the most sophisticated connoisseurs historical monuments... Specialists attribute the construction of baths to the 1st-2nd centuries AD. In the 6th century they were still used as living quarters, and in the Middle Ages a necropolis was organized here.
Picturesque ruins have survived to this day, where you can see unique frescoes. The heating system is also well preserved.
El Molinon Stadium
It is the oldest operating football stadium in Spain, located on the banks of the Pilies River. It was built in 1908, and before this place was water Mill... In 1969, the stadium underwent a large-scale reconstruction, during which the stands were covered with a visor for the first time in Spain.
Today the stadium seats thirty thousand people. It is the home arena for the famous football club Sporting (Gijon, Spain). But apart from football matches, concerts of Spanish and foreign artists are often held here. V different time the stadium applauded the band and Tina Turner, the Bon Jovi band and Sting, Paul McCarthy and Bruce Springsteen.
What is attractive about the town of Gijon in Spain: reviews of tourists
Most of the tourists who chose Gijon from the many Spanish resorts did not regret it at all. On the contrary, they were pleased with the opportunity not only to relax on the magnificent beaches, but also to visit many most interesting places that Gijon is rich in.
The advantages of rest in this city are considered by many to be the absence of a huge number of tourists, in contrast to many famous Spanish resorts. Fun youth groups and families with children can have a great time here. There are many hotels in the city where you can always choose a room according to your requirements.
Gijon - The largest city Asturias, nestled on green hills by the sea. The old part of the city encompasses a peninsula, the top of which is crowned with the modern abstract composition Praise the Horizon. Cobblestone streets lined with colorful houses are lined with restaurants and bars selling renowned local cider, while arches lead to the stylish Plaza Mayor. Underground are the ruins of the Roman Baths "Campo Valdes", those interested in history can also visit the archaeological park "Campa de Torres".
On both sides of the peninsula, along the marinas, the aquarium and the spa resort of Talasoponiente, Poniente Beach runs. The small Playa del Arbeyal Beach is located next to the port, while the promenade of the popular San Lorenzo Beach leads to the Church of San Pedro.
In Gijón you can go diving, watch dolphins, and for golf lovers there are 2 golf courses in the green area of the city. Atlantic botanical gardens- the first in northern Spain - set up opposite the impressive campus of the Gijón Workers' University. Landscape park Isabella Katolichki is located near the bullring "El Bibio", and across the river is the Gijon Exhibition Center and the Museum of Asturias.
The house-museum of Melchor de Jovellanos, the greatest native of the city, is also open to visitors, after whom the elegant theater is named overlooking the Paseo de Begonia Park.
Among the options for accommodation in Gijon, offered on the site - and luxury beach hotels, and guest houses at the station, and old mini-hotels.
In Gijon, my dream has come true - to swim in the real ocean. Precisely the location settlement on the shores of the Atlantic was one of the main reasons for choosing a travel route. In addition to the beach, there is a place to walk in the city - old quarters, which, however, were badly damaged during the civil war in the last century (during the battles the Francoists used artillery). Much has been rebuilt, but atmospheric locations can still be found. Moreover, everything that tourists need is located compactly. The promenade, stretching along the beach, leads exactly to the small peninsula of Simadevilla - the historic center Gijona, where people settled in Roman times.
Gijon is the most Big city autonomous region of Asturias, which is home to 275 thousand people. At the same time, the administrative center of the region is located in neighboring Oviedo. It took 5 and a half hours from Madrid to the Atlantic coast - that was how long the train took. Moreover, they covered half the way in an hour, reached Leon, and then the train drove back, turned around in a semicircle and slowly headed towards Gijon. A few hours later, from the train window, I saw the territory of the mining enterprises that surround the seaside town. Despite the industry, tourism is also developing here, but I became convinced of this a little later ...
The Gijon beach is capable of surprising even the locals. In a matter of hours, he then goes under water, then is exposed to hundreds of meters. And all because of the ocean ebb and flow
A small illustration on the theme of the tide. This is how a section of the beach looks like at noon.
The same place a few hours later. The highest water level was observed at about six in the evening. But closer to sunset, the ocean is losing ground again.
For three September days, the daytime temperature rose to 25 degrees at best. The sea water warmed up to 20 degrees. However, this did not bother anyone. People swam with pleasure even at this temperature.
Church of the Apostle Peter (1955) Built on the site of a 15th century church destroyed during the Civil War
Gijón beach is popular with locals. In general, the city does not look like any tourist reserve like Palma. 90 percent of vacationers on the shore are Spanish.
Mayor Square, where the City Hall is located (off-screen administrative building)
Simadeville Peninsula. The dominant height over the city is the hill of St. Catalina. The top is decorated with a strange monument - "Praise to the Horizon". For some reason, it was here that I met two Russian companies at once, I did not notice more compatriots in Gijon.
Far off the industrial port
Once there was a battery that protected the city. Now - a playground.
But the guns also remained
A hangout place that is always filled with companies of different ages. People incessantly discuss the latest events, which is why there is an unimaginable noise on the street.
Those gathered are actively clicking the seeds ...
... and drink cider. For Asturias, it is a cult national drink. It is poured in a special way: the hand must be raised as high as possible so that the liquid falls into the glass in a thin stream
Monument from bottles of cider on one of central squares
There are a lot of elderly people in the city. Sometimes it seemed like a specialized resort for those over 60 ...
The Savior's figure adorns the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1922)
There is now a yacht port next to the historic peninsula
Revilyahihedo Palace (1704-21)
On the left is a medieval fortress tower. The architects of the 18th century erected a copy of it and connected the two stronies to create a palace.
Monument to the hero of the war against the Moors Don Pelayo (1891). It was Asturia that became the main center of resistance and the first region liberated from the Arabs. Don Pelayo first led the partisan movement, and eventually proclaimed an independent kingdom.
If you wish, you can see the Russian tricolor
And again the Plaza Mayor, on which the market was deployed that day. Now the merchants are already dismantling the tents. And the building in the center with the clock is the city hall
Iglesia de San Juan
The inscription on the fence: "Democracy is equal to the dictatorship of capital." And the signature .. something about people's republic...
Woman with a metal detector bypasses an empty beach
The bus station of the Alsa company, from which I left for another city on the Atlantic coast - Santander ...
