With a history as part of the Roman, Visigoth, and Arab kingdoms before emerging as one of the world’s largest and richest empires in the 16th century, Spain is dotted with spectacular sites that speak to its rich and varied past.
From Cordoba’s beautiful Roman Bridge to Seville’s stunning cathedral, here are nine historic sites to visit in Spain.
For more history-related content, you might also be interested in our range of upcoming history talks over on Rest Less Events.
1. Montserrat Monastery, Catalonia
Montserrat Monastery – officially called Santa Maria de Montserrat – is a medieval abbey and one of the most important religious sites in Catalonia.
Historians date the original site back to at least the ninth century AD. In 880 AD, it’s thought that an early Christian chapel stood on the site and a cult formed around a statue of the Virgin of Montserrat. However, the monastery itself was founded in 1025 by Abbott Oliba, who was one of Catalonia’s most important religious figures at the time.
Monsterrat Monastery was burnt down and ravaged by Napoleon’s troops in 1811; and experienced further violence during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) when many of the priests and people living there were killed. After the civil war ended, under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, Monsterrat Monastery was seen as a safe place for scholars, artists, and politicians.
From the 1940s onwards, Montserrat Monastery became a symbol of Catalan nationalism and protest, with mass being conducted in Catalan, despite the government’s language ban.
2. La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
La Sagrada Familia (Church of the Holy Family) is an iconic church in Barcelona – and the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world.
Construction of La Sagrada Familia began in 1882 under the direction of architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, and continued under Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926). Gaudi saw La Sagrada Familia as his holy mission and spent more than 43 years working on it – even committing his own money to the project when the original funds ran out.
La Sagrada Familia was unfinished at Gaudi’s death in 1926 and, since then, with the exception of during the Spanish Civil War, has been under constant construction. However, it’s still incomplete today.
Nevertheless, La Sagrada Familia is the most visited monument in Spain – attracting millions of tourists each year who marvel at its unique architecture.
3. Alhambra, Granada
Calat Alhambra, or the ‘Red Fortress’, is an ancient palace, fort, and citadel in Granada. The site was named after the reddish walls and towers that surround the fortress (al-qal’a al-hamra means red fort or castle in Arabic).
Located on the Sabika hill, west of Granada, the Alhambra offered a strategic vantage point, with views across the whole city. The complex is surrounded by defensive walls and spans almost 26 acres – with over one mile of walls, 30 towers, and various other structures.
The oldest part of the Alhambra is the Alcazaba – a fortress with multiple towers – which dates to the ninth century. However, the Alhambra itself as the palatine city we see today wasn’t established until 1238 by Muhammad Ibn al Ahmar, the founder of the Nasrid Dynasty. The site was originally designed as a military zone, but under the Nasrid Kingdom it became the royal residence and court of Granada.
The Alhambra is the only surviving palatine city of the Islamic Golden Age (622-1258 AD) and is a poignant mark of the last Islamic kingdom in Western Europe.
In 1984, the Alhambra was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the related sites of the Albaicin and the Generalife Garden.
4. Seville Cathedral, Seville
Seville Cathedral is a magnificent gothic structure covering a total area of 11,520 square metres. It’s the third largest cathedral in the world – only beaten in size by London’s St Paul’s Cathedral and St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Seville Cathedral is also a World Heritage Site and the burial place of Chirstopher Columbus.
Construction of Seville Cathedral began in 1402 and took just over a century to complete. It replaced the Almohad Mosque, which originally stood there but had been severely damaged by an earthquake in 1356. If you look closely, elements of the original mosque are still visible. The Moorish entrance and bell tower were preserved, and the cathedral itself was built to follow the mosque’s original square shape.
The project was funded by Seville’s citizens who wanted to create a magnificent place of worship, which was intended to be “so beautiful and so great that those who see it built will think we were mad.”
The cathedral’s mix of gothic, baroque, and mudejar architectural styles are mesmerising; and inside, the 40-metre high central nave, 80 chapels, stained-glass windows, and golden interiors are breathtaking. Seville Cathedral was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
5. El Escorial, Madrid
El Escorial – short for The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial – is an extensive building complex in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, near Madrid.
Built under the orders of King Philip of Spain during the 16th century (between 1563 and 1567), El Escorial was originally intended to mark the celebration of Spain’s victory over the French in the Battle of St Quentin. However, it went on to serve as the king’s palace and central seat of his empire.
The complex consists of various buildings, courtyards, towers, halls, and an extensive library. Its layout is similar to that of the Alhambra – though some believe it was based on descriptions of the Roman temple of Solomon.
El Escorial’s architectural style, now known as Herrerian, was developed by Juan de Herrera and was considered an innovation of the time. At its centre is the basilica, which is home to beautiful white statues, El Greco paintings, as well as works by other 16th, 17th, and 18th century artists.
Several Spanish monarchs are also buried within El Escorial’s granite walls – including members of the Habsburg Dynasty and House of Bourbon.
6. El Miguelete, Valencia
El Miguelete is a gothic bell tower built in 1381 that was later joined onto Valencia Cathedral during the 15th century.
El Miguelete translates as ‘Little Michael’ and comes from the name of its largest bell which was made in 1532 and weighs over 10 tonnes. The sheer size and striking design of the cathedral and bell tower reaffirmed Valencia’s Christian identity, following almost five centuries of Muslim dominance from the eighth to mid-13th century.
The unique Gothic style of the bell tower also symbolised the beginning of Valencia’s artistic and economic ‘Golden Age’. Valencia’s local textile industry began to prosper and attracted people from across Europe, making it the most populated city in the Crown of Aragon.
El Miguelete’s complex design meant that it took a long time to build. While the tower up to the terrace was completed in 1425, it wasn’t until 1736 that the wooden structure, which the bell of hours hung from, was replaced with a stone version.
7. Cordoba Roman Bridge, Cordoba
The beautiful Roman Bridge in the city of Cordoba was built during the first century BC. With 16 grand arches straddling the 657km-long Guadalquivir River, in 1140 Arab geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi described it as the bridge to “surpass all other bridges in beauty and solidity”.
At its southern end is the fortified Calahorra Tower, which was built to protect the bridge during the 12th century by resident Almohad Caliphate. Over 300 years later, during the 1570s, the Bridge Gate was built at the northern end.
The original bridge was likely to have been wooden, but has been replaced during several reconstruction projects over the centuries. A sculpture of St Raphael was also added to the eastern side by famous Renaissance sculptor Bernabe Gomez del Rio in the 17th century.
Beyond its obvious beauty, Cordoba Bridge played a key role in various battles – including those against the infamous Peter the Cruel during the 1350s.
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you might recognise Cordoba Roman Bridge as The Long Bridge of Volantis, spanning the mouth of the Rhoyne River.
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8. Badajoz Fortress, Badajoz
Badajoz Fortress is a 12th-century fort which, today, houses the Provincial Archaeological Museum.
While the fort was constructed during the 12th century by the Almohads, historians believe the site dates back to the ninth century, when the city of Badajoz was founded. Badajoz Fortress was built to control and protect passage from Portugal to central Iberia, and its final restoration work was completed in the 13th century.
During the Peninsula War (1808-1814), the British made three attempts to breach and capture Badajoz Fortress from the French. The third attempt, made between 16th March and 6th April 1812, was known as the Battle of Badajoz. The Anglo-Portuguese force, led by Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, eventually broke through the fort’s thick walls and stormed Badajoz, causing large-scale disruption.
The event significantly weakened Napoleon’s hold over Western Spain, and strengthened Wellington’s reputation as a successful military leader. Badajoz Fortress was named a Historic Artistic Monument in 1931, and the breaches in its wall can still be seen today.
9. Santa Eulalia Basilica, Merida
Santa Eulalia Basilica in Merida is an Ancient Roman church, the remains of which lie under the 18th century church that stands today.
The town of Merida was founded as Emerita Augusta in 25 BC by veteran soldiers of the Roman Emperor, Augustus. The location was ideally placed to allow Romans to guard a bridge over the Guadiana River. It was also the end point of a strategic Roman gold route between mines, known as the Via de la Plata.
Before it became a religious site, the area was an extension of suburban Roman mansions. The original Christian basilica is likely to have been built during the fourth century, which was a time of relative peace after Emperor Constantine had converted to Christianity.
Over time, the site transformed into a Christian cemetery – particularly after the martyrdom of Saint Eulalia. Thirteen-year-old Saint Eulalia (after who the basilica is named) was burnt at the stake in 304 AD during Emperor Diocletian’s Christian persecution. According to legend, she was buried nearby.
Merida became increasingly important throughout the Roman Empire and many of the buildings first constructed by the Romans were later repurposed by the Visigoths and Almohad Muslims who conquered Merida in 713 AD.
The current building was constructed five centuries later, in 1230, when Merida was reconquered by Christian King Alfonso IX of Leon.
Final thoughts…
From magnificent cathedrals to impressive fortresses, Spain is bursting with historic sites to visit. So, if you’re planning a trip here, we hope this article has inspired you.
For further reading, head over to the history section of our website. Here, you’ll find other history-related travel ideas, from battlefield sites you can visit in the UK to the best countries for history lovers to visit. You might also like to browse our range of upcoming history talks over on Rest Less Events.
What are your upcoming travel plans? Which of the historic sites on our list would you like to see most? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.