6 Things To Know About Spain

1. El Cid is the national hero of Spain. 

Born as Ruy Diz de Vivar, El Cid was an "opportunistic warrior" (Kohen and Elias 61). His goal was to rule the Kingdom of Valencia, so he fought against both Moors and his Christian allies to further his agenda (Fuentes). After his death, this military leader's exploits were lauded in the epic poem "El Cantar de Mio Cid" ("The Song of the Cid"), which made him a legend (El Cid). Many people have even questioned his existence, but he is, in fact, an actual person. He looks pretty intimidating (pictured right), doesn't he?



2. The Spanish people love their art.

Spanish people are "an artistic people, who place great value on creativity and self-expression" (Kohen and Elias 89). Many famous artists, architects, writers, and musicians hail from Spain. For example, Pablo Picasso, born in Malaga, Spain, is considered the "world's most prolific painter," creating 147,800 works of art including paintings, prints, engravings, book illustrations, and sculptures ("Pablo Picasso Biography"). The Weeping Woman, shown left, is an example of cubism, which Picasso pioneered. 



3. Spain is one of the most visited countries in the world.


In fact, Spain is the third most visited country in the world with over 60 million arrivals (Delgado). One of the most visited destinations in Spain is the city of Barcelona. When visiting Barcelona, tourists might explore the Picasso museum, the Sagrada Familia cathedral (pictured right), Playa de la Barceloneta, and Casa Batllo ("Barcelona Travel Guide"). Barcelona is situated “by the Mediterranean Sea and next to the Pyrenees mountains, enjoying the benefits of the sea and the mountain” (“Barcelona Travel Guide”). Pack your bags!


Etc. 
Students, you will have 3 more "Things."

Works Cited 

"Barcelona travel guide." Spain Travel Guides. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Delgado, Cristina. "Spain has the world's most competitive tourism industry." EL PAÍS. Síguenos, 07 
      May 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

El Cid. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

Kohen, Elizabeth, and Marie Louise. Elias. Spain. New York: Benchmark , 2003. Print.

"Pablo Picasso Biography." Pablo Picasso Paintings, Quotes, and Biography. N.p., 2009. Web. 21 
        Apr. 2017.