Church of the Vera Cruz, Segovia

Just down the hill from the center of Segovia, Spain, you will find the Church of the Vera Cruz. This twelve-sided church was built by that zany bunch known as the Knights Templar. To say they got around back in the day is perhaps the understatement of this blog to date. Whatever their secrets, causes, or acts, the Knights Templar built quite a few structures. Here is a view looking down at the chruch:

The church sits there on the hill, by its lonesome. It was alleged to have a piece of the true cross, hence the name. It is a Romanesque structure with heavy walls, small windows, and regular arches. The tower stands to the south.

What impresses me about this building and many others like it, is the durability of it. It is more than 800 years old and there have been quite a few wars, disasters, and plain old decay over the centuries. Yet the building remains. Surely it has been repaired along the way, but for the most part, it looks as it would have to the people who built it. They modeled it after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, which speaks to a certain continuity of thought that spans the extremes of the Mediterranean.

How many things are built in our time that will last this long? I understand the need to make improvements. However, once in a while I find myself wondering if constant architectural regurgitation doesn’t detract from a sense of community and permanence. Just one of the things I ponder now and then. Maybe you do the same.

Published in: on July 2, 2008 at 12:42 pm  Comments (2)  
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Cuenca’s Gorge

No doubt you’ve seen many great photos of the “hanging houses” of Cuenca, Spain. Here is a look into the gorge above which those famous houses hang.

It’s a long way down; that’s for sure. What’s interesting is the way the land on that narrow valley floor is being used. Not one square inch is wasted. After touring about town, we went down there. The patchwork fields were more like large gardens, the soil black and lush. No crops were in season, but you can bet that whatever was planted was sure to yield a bountiful harvest. There was also the church on the bluff to the right side of the frame. It was another imposing structure, standing out to the very edge, it’s walls rising up from the rock below.

Landscapes and structures like these are one of the things I like about Spain. Each one is a series of surprises and unexpected revelations. At times it is hard to grasp all of them. It takes practice to seek them out and not be overwhelmed by the major attractions. We were driving from Cuenca to Granada and along the way came to a small town. After filling the tank at a gas station, I noticed a series of walls about five or six blocks away. I motored over only to discover the remains of what must have been a small cathedral. No one was around, not even a stray dog. We walked among the ruins, undisturbed for the better part of an hour. There was no roof and several walls appeared to be only half their original height. And yet the feeling of what had been there remained.

I imagine there are many such places not only in Spain but around the world. There are too many for all of them to be restored or even preserved as they are. I was thrilled to take my own little tour through the past, now wishing I had taken some photos to have for the future. Given the very good digital cameras today and the low prices of memory cards, I won’t make that mistake again.

Published in: on June 19, 2008 at 9:47 am  Comments (2)  
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