Granada



Granada: ==Important facts: Geography, Climate, Population, etc:The name Granada is ancient and mysterious. It may mean "great castle", for the Roman fortress which once stood on the Albaicin Hill. When the Moors came here, the town was largely inhabited by Jews, for which they called it Garnat-al-Yahud - Granada of the Jews. The Jews are said to have been one of the first peoples to settle in Spain, even before the Romans.== § Why It's Special: Home to the Alhambra; located between the Mediterranean and the mountains; university town with youthful atmosphere
 * Location: ||  ||

The Alhambra: Granada has its usual quotient of churches, museums etc. typical for a southern European city. However, Granada has the Alhambra which is considered by some to be one of the 10 wonders of the world. In case you don't know, the Alhambra is a massive castle constructed over many centuries. It consists of gardens, fortifications and sumptuous palaces. Location: Granada is located next to the Sierra Nevada mountains in Andalusia in the south of Spain. It is about 70km from the coast. Being in this position means that it is possible to go skiing and sunbathe on the beach in the same day.

§ Population of City: 238,300

[|weather stats]

§ Why It's Special: Home to the Alhambra; located between the Mediterranean and the mountains; university town with youthful atmosphere

The Alhambra: Granada has its usual quotient of churches, museums etc. typical for a southern European city. However, Granada has the Alhambra which is considered by some to be one of the 10 wonders of the world. In case you don't know, the Alhambra is a massive castle constructed over many centuries. It consists of gardens, fortifications and sumptuous palaces. Location: Granada is located next to the Sierra Nevada mountains in Andalusia in the south of Spain. It is about 70km from the coast. Being in this position means that it is possible to go skiing and sunbathe on the beach in the same day.

§ Population of City: 238,300

Granada has short cold winters and is very hot in July and August, it is not an uncomfortable heat because of the low humidity. Rainfall in Granada Spain


 * This table refers to the amount of days that the temperature goes below 0 centigrade. These frosts tend to be very light but they occasionally reach 2 or 3 below zero. Broad beans are a popular crop in Granada because they are frost resistant. In the Fiesta de San Cecilio on the 3rd of February in the Sacromonte it is the tradition to eat raw broad beans, salt cod and bread. ||



Fiestas and traditions:
Fiestas in Granada: The most important fiestas in Granada are: 1st February San Cecilio the patron of Granada is celebrated with a special procession that goes to the Sacromonte Abbey. Carnivals (usually 6 weeks before easter to mark the beginning of lent) there is a competition for the best dressed group; 28th February the day of Andalucia; Granada's Easter week celebrations have been given a national tourism award and last from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday there are many religious processions during the week; 3rd May known as the Cruces de Mayo (the May crosses) lots of altars and crosses are made using flowers and placed all over Granada in the squares, patios, streets...; 15th June Corpus Christi (Ascension day); there are local fiestas on the last Sunday in September to celebrate the Virgen de las Angustias also patron of the city

FESTIVALS AND TRADITIONS The “Día de la Cruz” is a popular tradition of Granada and its province. On the 3rd of May, balconies, patios, streets, squares and houses are decorated with flowered crosses and traditional utensils. Around the cross the people meet to eat, drink and dance. The “Feria del Corpus” festivity dates back to the conquest of Granada. The city celebrates this event for a week.

Skiing in Spain: Sierra Nevada Ski Resort Europe's southern-most ski resort and home to Spain's highest mountains, towards the end of the season it is possible to ski in the morning and sunbathe in the afternoon on the Costa del Sol. Southern Spain isn't normally associated with snow, but the combination of the Sierra Nevada's altitude (it is the highest part of Spain) and proximity to the Mediterranean means a good combination of snow and relatively warm weather. In recent years, however, snow machines have had to be brought in to guarantee snow throughout the season. First held in 1994, Granada's annual International Festival of Young film makers, focuses on short films. This year's event features entries from Spain, the UK, the US, France, Germany, Japan, Austria, Senegal, South Korea and Venezuela, among many others. The short films are screened at cinemas throughout the city, while other cultural events run in conjunction with the main program.

In Granada, Corpus Christi is celebrated with an early morning mass and a religious parade. Statues of Jesus and Mary are carried through the crowd, and afterwards there are bullfights.

==Political situation:Many of Spain's Muslims long for an Islamic revival to reclaim their legendary history, and inaugurating the Great Mosque last year was the most visible gesture. But horrific bombings by Muslim extremists that killed nearly 200 people in Madrid on March 11 have forced Spain's Muslims and non-Muslims to reassess their relationship, and turned historical assumptions on their head. For the Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the challenge is how to integrate these residents. Elected three days after the bombings, the government has cast itself in the role of reconciling the West with Islam, and Zapatero, in a major speech to the United Nations, advocated an "alliance of civilizations" to prevent escalating conflict. The prime minister's government is negotiating with two major Spanish Islamic organizations in an attempt to integrate Muslims into mainstream society as a way to prevent radicalization and reduce the alienation that feeds extremism and violence==

Famous people:
García Lorca's central themes are love, pride, passion and violent death, which also marked his own life. The Spanish Civil was began in 1936 and García Lorca was seen by the right-wing forces as an enemy. The author hid from the soldiers but he was eventually found. An eyewitness has told that he was taken out of a Civil Government building by guards and Falangists belonging to the 'Black Squad'. García Lorca was shot in Granada on August 19/20 of 1936 without trial. The circumstances of his death are still shrouded in mystery. He was buried in a grave that he had been forced top dig for himself. Accroding to some sources, he had to be finished off by a //coup de grâce//. One of his assassins later boasted, that he shot "two bullets into him for being a queer". García Lorca wrote under pressure his last words on a note for a member of the 'Black Squad': "Father, please give this man a donation of 1000 pesetas for the Army." Don Federico, his father, carried the note in his wallet for the following years. He died in voluntary exile in New York.

Food:
Food Eating out in Spain is relatively cheap and meals are usually substantial instead of gourmet. The Spanish tradition of tapas is a good way to sample the local food. Tapas are small dishes of snacks which are served anytime especially in small bars. They cover all types of foods from seafood to vegetables. Many Spanish people make an evening of hopping from bar to bar trying different tapas. Another of Spain's favorites is Serrano Ham. Spain is famous for its fish delicacies and simply must be sampled, especially if you get to coastal areas. Paella has long been a Spanish favorite, based on either meat or seafood. The Spanish tend to eat traditional continental breakfasts, a light lunch and an evening meal, late.