Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts

Monday 11 April 2016

Avila: Europe Most Impressive Wall City



In central Spain, there’s an ancient city Avila located in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon almost 100 km to the west of Madrid. It is believed and considered one of finest walled city in Europe, built on the flat summit of a rocky outcrop, actually rises rapidly in the middle of a vast treeless plain strewn with immense grey boulders and surrounded by lofty mountains. In 1985, The Old Town of Avila was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Therefore, Ávila has been called the “finest medieval remnant in Spain” and is a noteworthy tourist center.

The wall of Avila is an inspiring 2.5 km barrier of stone and granite that surrounds the city’s almost rectangular layout. The 2,500 meter long city wall is completely intact. The walls are up to 10 feet thick and 40 feet high, and topped by a continuous battlement rampart-walk and parapet with merlons and cernels.  Nowadays it is possible to walk upon the walls for approximately half their circumference, however at night the whole circumference of the wall is magnificently lit up by yellow-orange halogen lights, making it “the largest fully illuminated monument in the world".

The history reveals us, that Avila was once part of the Roman Lusitania, before falling to the Arab and Berber invaders in 714 CE. Hence, for the next three and a half centuries the northern Iberian Christian kingdoms tried frequently to seize control of the city, but it was King Alfonso VI of León and Castile, who sooner or later managed to conquer the Muslims in 1088 ADE. The King instantly started building a great stone wall around Avila to defend his latest conquest from further attacks. Moreover, the task was well supervised by his brother-in-law, “Raymond of Burgundy”, who was a legendary figure himself. Due to its early legal protection, the city of Ávila maintains the main features of authenticity in terms of form, design, location, and setting.

Furthermore, bulging out from the walls are eighty-eight semi-circular defensive towers, placed at uniform intervals. The walls are punctured by 8 or 9 entrance gates, but originally, there was a moat and a barbican outside the walls, but they no longer exist. The substantial fortification was finished in less than a decade. Besides, The area surrounded by the walls is now designated the Old Town, and covers all of the city’s historic landmarks including the Gothic cathedral, the Convent of Santo Tomás, containing the tombs of Tomás de Torquemada, which were the first grand inquisitor of Spain, and of Don Juan, the only son of Ferdinand and Isabella, and several Romanesque churches.

Thursday 23 April 2015

N avarre, The Land of Light



Well, this move is dedicated to my family and all those who love this land. It is highly suggested to view full screen and activate HD. I also recommend increasing the volume of the music. The video is available in 4K, and all scenes shot in Navarre. 

Music by Lights & Motion, licensed from themusicbed.com
Main equipment used: Sony A37, A850, A7R & various Sony/Minolta lenses
Slider: Mslider
inaxiotejerina@gmail.com
flickr.com/photos/minoltero

00:0000:18 – Etxauri
00:1800:26 – Belagua
00:2600:34 – Larra
00:3400:42 – Urederra
00:4200:50 – Belagua
00:5001:02 – Erreniega (El Perdón)
01:0201:13 – Izagaondoa
01:1301:22 – Izagaondoa
01:2201:34 – Bardenas
01:3401:42 – Lantz
01:4201:53 – Artzibar (Valle de Arce)
01:5302:02 – Larra
02:0202:13 – Astrain
02:1302:22 – Larra
02:2202:30 – Araitz- Malloak
02:3002:37 – Zaraitzu (Salazar)
02:3702:46 – Aralar-Sakana
02:4602:54 – Gendulain
02:5403:02 – Aralar
03:0203:10 – Urbasa
03:1003:18 – Aralar
03:1803:26 – Bardenas
03:2603:34 – Larrazpil (Aralar)
03:3403:50 – Zaraitzu (Salazar)

NAVARRE, THE LAND OF LIGHT - TIMELAPSE (2015) from Iñaki Tejerina on Vimeo.

Thursday 16 April 2015

Central Highlands of Spain



The shot is taken in the central highlands of Spain, the autonomous regions Castilla-La-Mancha and Castilla-y-Léon.  This is a region full of rich history and culture: The Goths, Romans and Moors have left their marks here. Don Quijote has fighted against the windmills here. This was the place of residence of El Greco, Diego de Velazquez and Francisco de Goya.The first time I've taken my dolly with traveling. It did a great job. The landscape there is really very special. It is an incredibly vast country. One cannot capture it with the camera. Indeed he’s true artist and who display a sensitive ability to capture the heart of the Castillian landscape! But see for yourself.
Music: John OO Fleming, The Dewberry Tree
Nikon D90, Sigma 10-20, DIY Dolly:
Dolly: vimeo.com/25452283
pocketslider.de/en.html


Spain from Ben on Vimeo.

Friday 13 March 2015

Famous Walkway Known as the Most Dangerous in the World is Set to Re-open for Public in Spain



Well, this is famous as El Caminito del Rey (the King's little pathway) and was a very popular challenge for adventurers lovers, because until five people lost their lives while taking on the path between 1999 and 2000. Therefore, after a long gap of 14 years after it was closed due to safety fears, the renowned walkway - recognized as the most dangerous in the world is set to reopen to the public.

The beautiful narrow gorge in the province of Malaga, El Caminito del Rey is a risky walkway that rises over 100 metres (328ft) above the river below. Although after an extensive €2.8 million restoration it was in recent times reopened to the press and will officially open to the public on March 28. Well, a hard joint effort by the regional government of Andalusia and the local government of Malaga, who shared the costs of the renovation, the project has retained much of the walkway’s original features.

The picturesque pathway has also been reinforced with an additional security fence and despite offering up some dizzying views is entirely safe. The walkers can wear hard hats as they clutch the newly installed handrails on their way along the trail. A majestic cave is also incorporated into the path, and walkers can be seen entering and exiting it via a set of stairs. So far, the walk will be free to enjoy for the first six months before a small fee is brought in thereafter. Well, King Felipe is due to be among the first guests to take a walk along the renovated path.

Saturday 4 October 2014

Cueva de los Verdes; A Popular Tourist Attraction in Spain



Cueva de los Verdes also called “Verdes Cave” is a lava tube and a popular tourist attraction of the Haria municipality on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands Spain. It is protected area of Canary Island, and it lies within the Monumento Natural del Malpaís de La Corona. It is estimated, that cave was created somewhere 3,000 years ago by heavy lave flows erupted from the nearby volcano Monte Corona flowing across the Malpaís de la Corona toward the sea. The Caves are not named after the color “Green”, but rather a family whose surname was Verde (Green), although the Caves are really colorful, particularly since they’ve been carefully and thoughtfully artificially lit for the public. It is suggested that the caves are definitely worth a visit and if the molten wax-like rock isn't adequate to impress you, the secret of Cueva de los Verdes will be. The flow of lava streams cooled on top, emerging a solid crust, before the lava drained away leaving the top part as the roof of a cave.

There is actually a chamber within the tunnel which is known as “The Refuge”, because it was so often used for shelter. Almost on 20 spots, the cave roof was collapsed, developing a cavern recognized locally as a jameo. The cave is about 6 kilometers above sea level and for another 1.5 kilometers below the sea. Moreover one jameo forms the entrance to the Cueva de los Verdes and two kilometers of the cave system were developed for tourists in the 1960s, with the cave walls illuminated by colorful lights. The beautiful cave is also famed for its concert hall which is situated closes the entrance and exit of the cave. The concert hall has about 15 to 20 rows with 26 seats in each row, allowing up to 500 people in the concert hall at once.

The inhabitants of earlier centuries throughout Lanzarote hid in this cave to protect themselves from European pirates. It is absolutely a site worth visiting, the beauty of the caves is astonishing and it is undoubtedly one of the most interesting volcanic structures on the island. However it is a big cave which is lit for effect rather than visibility and some people may find it claustrophobic. So if caves and underground places really don't turn you on, you would probably be better visiting the Mirador del Rio. As there aren't a lot of facilities at the Green Cave, you really want to combine it with a visit to the nearby Jameos del Agua. Not like various tourist attractions, it is hard to tell that there has been any human intervention in the cave structure. Although the main work has gone into a splendid lighting system which highlights the walls of the cave amazingly well.