Route Page
Geographical and Historical Sketch. Preliminary Notes 49
5. Gibraltar 52
6. From Gibraltar to Seville 56
a. Viâ Bobadilla and Utrera 56
b. Viâ Tangier and Cadiz 57
7. Seville 59
a. The Plaza del Triunfo with the Alcázar and the
Cathedral, 61.—b. The Central and Eastern Quarters (Casa
del Ayuntamiento, Casa de Pilatos, University), 65.—c.
The Western and South-Western Quarters (Museo Provincial,
Hospital de la Caridad, Public Gardens), 66.
8. From Seville to Cordova 68
9. From Cordova viâ Bobadilla to Granada 72
10. Granada 73
a. The Lower Town, 75.—b. Darro Valley and Albaicín, 78.—c.
The Alhambra, 79.—d. The Generalife, 87.
11. From Granada viâ Bobadilla to Málaga 88
_Andalusia_, the southmost region of Spain, is geologically of somewhat
recent origin. In the tertiary period the sea still washed the southern
shores of the Iberian tableland, until a pressure acting in a direction
from S. to N. gradually lifted up a new coast in long parallel folds,
while the Mediterranean forced a new passage to the ocean through the
Straits of Gibraltar (comp. p. xxix). Latest of all appeared the
Guadalquivir Bay, the highest point of whose coast scarcely rises 490
ft. above the sea. The coast-hills, which have their counterpart in the
Rîf Mts. on the African side (p. 93), stretch in the main from E. to W.,
descending abruptly to the sea. Transverse fissures, in which volcanic
activity is still indicated by frequent earthquakes, divide the coast
into several different chains, which culminate in the _Sierra Nevada_
(11,421 ft.; ‘snow-mountain’), the highest peak in Spain. The W. chain
(_Serranía de Ronda_) trends round to the N. In contrast to the
_Andalucía Alta_, the folded region facing the Mediterranean, the
_Andalucía Baja_, the basin of the Guadalquivir, opens towards the
Atlantic. The _Guadalquivir_ (Arabic _Wâd al-Kebîr_, ‘the great river’),
the _Bætis_ of antiquity, rises indeed in the Sierra de Cazorla, apart
from the coast-mountains, but receives its more copious affluents,
particularly the _Guadiana Menor_, from the Sierra Nevada. After a wild
career it enters the plain beyond Montoro, becomes navigable at Cordova,
and even carries sea-going vessels at Seville.
Footnote 5:
Fuller details in _Baedeker’s Spain and Portugal_.
The HISTORY of the country dates from hoar antiquity. It was the
_Tarshish_ of the Bible, being already named in the generations of Noah
(Gen. x. 4), and was called by the Greeks _Tartessós_, the home of
precious metals, especially of silver, the source of the wealth of Tyre.
Here, too, are the rich copper mines of _Rio Tinto_ and _Tharsis_, which
were already worked in the ancient Iberian age. The Mediterranean
peoples contented themselves with visiting the harbours established in
the bays of the coast, leaving it to the natives to bring the produce of
the interior down to them across the mountains or by the river Bætis.
Thus arose, probably even before the foundation of Cadiz, the Phœnician
towns of _Málaca_ (Málaga) and _Kalpe_ (Gibraltar), besides other small
settlements. About 1100 B.C. _Gadîr_ or _Gades_, the westmost of these,
appears in history, and afterwards became dependent on Carthage. The art
of writing, the first and most potent aid to commerce, was propagated
from Gades, which thereby laid the foundation of the higher civilization
of the peninsula. Summoned to their aid by the Gaditanians, the
Carthaginians, who had already gained possession of the Balearic
Islands, invaded Iberia. After the Punic Wars (p. 345) came the
domination of the Romans, who in 27 A.D. gave the whole of S. Spain the
name of _Provincia Baetica_. On the break-up of the Roman Empire
Andalusia was overrun by the Vandals (p. 322), the Suevi, and the
Visigoths. At length the Arabs and the Berbers of Morocco obtained a
footing here, after they had crossed the Straits of Gibraltar under
Târik (p. 54). By them this region, and afterwards the whole peninsula
which they conquered, were named _El-Andalûs_ (‘land of the West’). Down
to the 13th cent. the Moors occupied Andalusia, and it was not till 1492
that Granada was captured by Ferdinand V., the Catholic.
These vicissitudes in the country’s history are still reflected in its
present INHABITANTS. Half African, half European, like the Maltese, the
Sicilians, and the Sardinians, the Andalusians have inherited something
of the character, the customs, and the language of all the nations that
once held sway in this region. To this day the Andalusian dialect swarms
with Arabic words; almost all the terms used in agriculture and
irrigation are Arabic. The popular dances and music are of Oriental
origin. To their Oriental ancestry the Andalusian (_Andaluz_,
_Andaluza_) also owes his exuberant imagination. There can be no greater
contrast than that which the calm and proud Old-Castilian presents to
the volatile and excitable Andalusian, who is apt to substitute fancy
for fact, who sees everything as through a magnifying glass, and who is
therefore much given to exaggeration (_fanfarronadas_). On the other
hand nothing can be more charming than the bearing of an Andalusian
‘maja’, who is admired rather for her wit, her grace, and her power of
repartee than for her beauty. The _Sal Andaluza_ is as proverbial as the
Attic ‘salt’ of the ancients.
Andalusia can boast of possessing, not only some of the finest and most
interesting Moorish BUILDINGS in Spain, such as the mosque at Cordova,
the Giralda and Alhambra at Granada, but also several of the grandest
monuments of the ‘reconquista’ period. Among these are the Alcázar of
Seville, one of the most brilliant creations of the so-called Mudejar,
or Moorish-Christian style, and the grand cathedrals of Seville and
Granada in the Gothic and ‘plateresque’, or Spanish early-Renaissance,
styles.—Nor is the SCENERY of this region less attractive. Andalusia may
be said to stand in the same relation to Spain as Sicily to Italy, or as
Provence to the rest of France. It combines all that the rest of the
peninsula possesses locally or partially. To the E. are vast plateaux
and steppes, frozen in winter and parched in summer; to the S. rise
snow-clad mountains; on the S.W. are the sand-dunes of the Atlantic
coast; olive-groves thrive on the Guadalquivir; and on the shores of the
Mediterranean are well-watered vegas where the cotton-plant, the banana,
and the sugar-cane flourish.
MEDITERRANEAN TRAVELLERS will hardly have time for more than a
circular tour from Gibraltar to Tangier, Cadiz, Seville, Cordova,
Granada, and back to Gibraltar, or, in unfavourable weather, to
Algeciras, Bobadilla, and Seville only. The Spanish railways (see the
_Guía general de Ferrocarriles_; 1 p., smaller edition 75 c.) are far
inferior to the British or to the French, and their speed is very low.
The natives travel mostly in the second or third class, but the
carriages cannot be recommended. The first class often has a
_berlina_, or coupé-carriage with four seats, which affords an
unimpeded view (higher fare).
In the larger towns one may book luggage (_facturar el equipaje_) 1–2
hrs. before the departure of the train, at the _despacho central_, or
town-office. Booking it at the station itself is a very slow process.
As in France luggage up to 30 kilos (66 lbs.) is free. The ticket for
it is called a _talón_ or _boletín de equipaje_. The porter (_mozo_),
often most importunate, receives 30–50 c. or more.
Andalusia possesses few first-class hotels. The better second-class
inns are similar to the French and Italian. Even for a stay of a
single day it is usual to pay an inclusive charge for bed and board
(_pupilaje_, from 6 to 20 p.). Déjeuner or lunch (11–1 o’clock) is
called _almuerzo_; dinner, _comida_ (at or after 7); table-wine, _vino
común_ or _de mesa_. No allowance is made for meals omitted. An extra
charge is often made for breakfast (coffee, etc.), which Spanish
travellers usually take in their own rooms. Notice of departure should
be given as early as possible, lest a whole additional day be charged
for. The usual fee to the servants (_camarero_, waiter; _muchacha_,
chamber-maid; _mozo_, boots), who are apt to be lazy and inattentive,
is 1 p. per day, divided among them, or more in proportion for
families.
The beer-houses are called _cervecerías_. The cafés are usually open
in the afternoon and evening only. _Café con leche_ is coffee with
milk; _café solo_ is without milk. Newspapers (_periódicos_) are not
provided by the cafés. Tobacco and cigars are a government monopoly;
the shop is called _estanco_; there are also special shops for the
better Havana cigars.
The post-offices (_correo_), even in the larger towns, are often open
for a few hours only. The hours for obtaining poste-restante (_cartas
en lista_) or registered letters (_cartas certificadas_) are often
changed; the addressee must show his visiting-card (_tarjeta_) at the
office. Stamps (_sellos de correo_; for the town 10, country 15,
abroad 25 c.) and post-cards (_tarjetas postales_, 10 c.) are
obtainable at the tobacco-shops only. Telegrams (_telegramas_) must be
prepaid with special stamps (_sellos de telégrafos_), for the sale of
which there are separate offices.
The Spanish _peseta_ (p.), divided into 100 _centimos_ (c.), is
scarcely equal to the franc in value. The only valid banknotes are
those of the Madrid _Banco de España_. The 5 p. piece is popularly
called a _duro_; the 10 c. and 5 c. copper coins are often termed
_perro grande_ and _perro chico_ (‘big and little dog’) in jocular
allusion to the lions in the coat-of-arms. Change should be examined
carefully, as base coin is common.—At Gibraltar the currency is
English, but Spanish money is received, except at the post and
telegraph office.