This weekend, our program took us on a quick trip to the city of Zaragoza in the neighboring autonomous region (state), Aragon. When pronounced with the proper Spanish lisp, Zaragoza is pronounced “Saragoss-tha” and is the fifth largest city in the country. The city seemed so quaint and small though compared to bustling Barcelona; the peace was refreshing! The city is known for a few awesome historical UNESCO world heritage landmarks that we visited: Basílica del Pilar, La Seo Cathedral, and the Aljafería Palace.

The churches were awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, cameras aren’t allowed inside to preserve the original colors and finishes from the flashes. Wish I had photos to show since they were so beautiful but I do have some great photos of the Islamic palace!

 

Below is the Basílica del Pilar venerates Mary, under her title Our Lady of the Pillar, praised as Mother of the Hispanic Peoples by Pope John Paul II. It is thought to be the first church dedicated to Mary in history.

Below is Aljafería Palace; a medieval Islamic  palace built during the 11th century. The palace is important because it is the only preserved building of  Spanish Islamic architecture.